We don't need no education.

[noog]

This was posted in one of the communities to which I belong today:

"alright. so in my senior social studies class, no one taught us how to go about REGISTERING TO VOTE, so i figured you ladies can help me out..

i turn 18 as of sept 3. i need the ez pass lane to cast my vote in the november elections.. so um.. what do i do?"Jesus fucking christ.

Comments

Easy.

[jasonecaesar]

It's to make it so that the masses will make the wrong choices so that the big few will rule the world!!!

[noog]

*laugh*

You sound awfully excited about this prospect. Could it be that you are plotting to take over and rule the rest of us worthless minions...?

[jasonecaesar]

Perhaps... But there is someone whom I can think of to rule me.
Err... that is, rule with me. ^_^

[noog]

Uh-huh. I'm sure that's exactly what you meant. =P

[coryphella]

I can't explain this to you, only bitch alongside you. :) I think in general our educational system (as I experienced it) prepares us to be apathetic and ignorant, unless in college we expose ourselves deliberately to teachers and classes and situations that will prepare us to be otherwise. Granted, I grew up in NH and so the political climate there is very different than here on the west coast, but I didn't hear one mention of the importance of voting until I was well into my college career. I think that if a greater stress were put on becoming "responsible, informed citizens" while we were in high school it could potentially completely reshape the way campaigns and elections are carried out - fewer apathetic, uninformed voters means greater adherence to the issues and less mudslinging and other bullshit.

If It Makes You Feel Any Better...

[unintentional]

At my school the student government has started a program teaching the students how to vote. We did it last year, and along side of teaching them how to actually vote, we gave them information on all the canidates that were running. We're going to be doing it this year, too, I'm sure. :D

[noog]

Wow. That's a really good idea. I wonder if I could get something to that effect started at my college. Problem is, I'm registered as a voter in Portland, and not in the precinct where my college is located...

[unintentional]

We have kids coming in from a bunch of towns, so we also have to teach them where they have to register/vote. I thnk you could get something started where you are, just talk to the administration!

[noog]

Okay. I think I will. Thanks for the idea!

[greekolive]

i don't recall them teaching us how to do it in hight school either. we'd have mock elections and such, but never went over how to get registered for real. which is very, very sad. even now i have heard numerous times from adults that they don't vote, because they don't know how to register, and they're too lazy to find out. If someone had only told them how EASY is it. Go to city hall. give them your name and address. the end. oh wait, and go VOTE!

[zuzubailey76]

If my memory serves me correctly, I registered to vote in my senior American Government class.

[noog]

I remember voting registration forms being passed around my senior history class one day... but they were useless to me because I was 17 my entire senior year of high school (My birthday is in late August. Damn my Virgo birthdate!), and apparently they don't accept your registration form until after you're 18. Which, in my opinion, is stupid. If someone turns their forms in a couple months before their 18th birthday, I don't see the problem with processing the form such that they will be eligible to vote as of their birthday.

Furthermore, it was a couple of concerned students who brought in the forms. Not the teacher. Why would a teacher of US History bring in anything that might help their students become competent citizens?

Yeah, so I'm bitter. And sleep-deprived. Sue me.