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KO proposes political point of view
It’s no surprise that the students of Keystone Oaks High School know about the 2016 Presidential Election. With less than a day until Election Day, campaigning is at its prime.
Regardless of how uninteresting or grimy politics may seem, no one can escape the wrath of this year’s election. With such compelling characters this time around, politics have become less of an intimate subject to discuss and are actually encouraged in some social situations, school being one of those few. Politics are widely discussed in many classes, most often history classes. Students are active and engaged when debating, but why are teenagers so interested in politics?
Mr. Murphy, who teaches 9th grade world history and AP government and economics, believes that news plays a large role in informing teens about the election and he wishes that they would further their knowledge on politics by doing research.
Mr. Hallam, the AP American History teacher at the high school, answered this question with the interesting notion that this election is bringing up many topics, such as college, which is something to consider even before students become adults.
History teachers at KO acknowledge the fact that it is necessary for future generations to participate in politics and discuss controversial issues in the field so that students have a better understanding of how to make decisions for the future of the country. Students have already formulated opinions and have interacted in multiple political activities, such as attending rallies held in Pittsburgh. When asked who they would vote for in this election, if they had the ability to vote, the results were shocking.
The majority of the students polled had voted for Gary Johnson, the candidate for the libertarian party. Whether that is due to the fact that the democratic and republican candidates are engrossing figures or maybe because the newer generations have more diverse views is up for debate. Nonetheless, this election has proven to be pivotal in our country’s future.