Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Lemming Tracks: 'Voting Our Way = Ice Cream'

The basic idea is okay: giving students an idea of what voting was like.

How that idea was executed? Well, the Lemming has discussed "apathy" before.

"Lawsuit: CPS pushing Democrats"
OH Courts, Cincinnati.com (October 18, 2010)

"Three van loads of Hughes High students were taken last week – during school hours – to vote and given sample ballots only for Democratic candidates and then taken for ice cream, a Monday lawsuit alleges.

"The complaint was made by Thomas Brinkman Jr., a Republican candidate for Hamilton County auditor, and the Coalition Opposed to Additional Spending & Taxes against Cincinnati Public Schools.

" 'They plan to bring four more high schools (to vote) this week,' Christopher Finney, COAST attorney, said Monday after filing the suit.

"It seeks a temporary restraining order to prevent school officials from participating or helping students participate in partisan politics during school hours or with school property or employees involved.

"But the school district's lawyer denies any school connection.

" 'No CPS personnel engaged in the promotion of candidates or any political party, CPS attorney Mark Stepaniak noted in a written release.

"CPS spokeswoman Janet Walsh said taking students on school time to vote has been done before. 'It has to be scrupulously nonpartisan,' Walsh said...."

Given the sort of Monty Python logic the Lemming has come to expect from American courts, Cincinnati's government schools may very well win this one.

Particularly if the ballots just happen to be destroyed, and someone speaks with the students and their parents about graduation requirements. No evidence? No testimony? No conviction.

Is it unthinkable: that a school system, or some folks in the system, would destroy evidence and threaten witnesses? The Lemming would like to think so.

But then, the Lemming would like to think that 'religious freedom' day wouldn't be celebrated by banning Bibles. (A Catholic Citizen in America (July 1, 2010))

We live in interesting times.

Rewarding Desired Behavior: That's Smart

The idea of associating ice cream with voting, though: that's smart. And makes sense. Providing some sort of treat after a child has performed action is a way to reinforce desired behavior. Parents used that sort of practical psychology for a very long time. Up to around 50 years ago. What's fashionable in child-rearing now, in America, the Lemming doesn't know.

'Non Partisan,' 'Educational,' and Voting With Your Feet

This sort of 'non-partisan,' 'educational' activity is one reason why this family home schooled (and are home-schooling, in one case) our kids in graded 7 through 12. Their choice, by the way.

Posts touching on American education:

No comments:

Unique, innovative candles

Visit us online:
Spiral Light CandleFind a Retailer
Spiral Light Candle online store

Pinterest: From the Man Behind the Lemming

Top 10 Most-Viewed Posts

Today's News! Some of it, anyway

Actually, some of yesterday's news may be here. Or maybe last week's.
The software and science stuff might still be interesting, though. Or not.
The Lemming thinks it's interesting: Your experience may vary.
("Following" list moved here, after Blogger changed formats)

Who Follows the Lemming?

WebSTAT

Family Blogs - Blog Catalog Blog Directory