We already had the presidential election, in case you had
not heard. It’s over. The president for the next four years
has been decided. If you missed
it, too bad for you. The
winner? You’ll have to read to the
end of this post for that groundbreaking news.
It began this way; the high school history teacher, a young redhead
with the last name of Gandy, found his way to my dungeon last Friday morning
with a fistful of paper ballots.
Would I please have my students participate in the school wide
election? Of course! I love civics and love any opportunity
to pull my children into that realm of conversation. I cautioned him, however, that my children would be certain
that their class election would indeed decide the next president… literally. They will be astounded and outraged if
the general election produces a different result than they come up with. He smiled as if he didn’t really believe
me in his Irish soul. Really, Mr.
Gandy. You should never doubt a
first grade teacher.
The ballots had only two voting opportunities on them; the
U.S. presidential vote and our state senator candidates, Rick Berg
(Republican), and Heidi Heitkamp (Democrat). I knew I had the perfect children’s book to go with it. Now, if I could only locate it before
the bell rang. Where was it,
wheeeerrrre was it?? Aha! Unbelievably, it was exactly where I
thought it should be. I may or may
not have mentioned previously that I am not the most organized person in the
world. Occasionally the Mary
Poppins gods smile upon me.
I marshaled the Darlings through morning pledge, book
sticker charts, snack, and then into reading block. I shared with the children the exciting news that WE were
going to get to vote in the presidential election! They cheered; for what, they were not entirely certain, but
it sounded like fun to their six-year-old brains.
Their base of knowledge on this topic is almost entirely molded
by the amount of interest expressed in their individual homes. If mom and dad do not talk politics in
front of the kids, then the kids are a tad clueless. We do discuss politics SOME in first grade. But let’s face it; they are still
trying to wrap their brains around the fact that the elementary principal and
the school superintendant have no real powers outside of the school building. To a first grader, being sent to the
principal’s office is akin to being sent to the depths of the sea to face King
Neptune. Thinking large about who
runs the country (and what’s a COUNTRY?
Is it as big as Wing, Mrs. Dahl?), is more than a little
mind-blowing.
I was smiling as I finished my triumphantly-located-perfect-for-the-occasion
book, Grace For President by Kelly DiPucchio, a darling tale of a little girl who is shocked to
discover that there has never been a female U.S president (I am a little amazed
by that myself). With the
encouragement of her teacher, an election is declared and Grace is pitted
against the school cool guy. I
won’t spoil the ending of that one yet either. If you have primary-age children, read it and discuss it,
even after the election.
The Darlings loved the book and were rooting for Grace clear
to the end. Now it was time to
vote! I set up a polling booth,
using one of their Saxon math folders – the kind covered with basic math
information to be used as a quick reference resource. We use them when we test so that the temptation to glance at
other’s work is kept to a minimum.
I emphasized that voting is a private act and no one has the right to
interfere or know how a person has voted.
Back to the election.
I played the part of U.N. observer (“Has anyone tried to
influence your vote? Are you
indeed, a U.S citizen?“) I pulled name sticks out of the tin and ceremoniously
had them come to our polling booth with a marker in hand. All eyes watched each other seriously
weigh options and then settle upon their choice for either president or
senator. To my surprise, poor
Heidi got precious few votes. I
guess my book on “Women Can Do It As Well As Men” didn’t carry much weight. No wonder we still keep electing men. So with serious faces, Crayola markers
in hand, and addition facts to twenty staring them in the face, they carefully
marked their choices.
When all had casts their votes, I wrote the nominee names on
the board and then we got to practice our tallying skills. Eight ballots cast and eight tally
marks on the official election whiteboard. The major networks will share the results with a bit more
sophistication, but the result will be the same. By the end of the night, we will know who is our president.
As I broke my own rule and watched neon yellow markers fill
in circles, I tried to mentally determine which children might come from conservative
families and which ones from more liberal-leaning families. I know, I know… voting should be a private
act. But I am the UN, remember? I can make my own rules.
I laughed inwardly as child after child voted for Obama and
then went on to vote for the Republican nominee for senator. Did they hear the name Rick Berg at
home or on television for roughly eight thousand times, and the name
stuck? Do they naturally gravitate
to a man, as society at large does?
Do they just really like the name Rick? I have no clue.
But one thing is obvious.
The Magic Tree House in not a blue state and not a red state. We are unashamedly purple.
Here is the tragic reality that will occur today during one
of the most important presidential elections of our nation’s history. My six-year-old students voted with as
much information and knowledge about the candidates and issues as many a
voting-age American. It truly
grieves me how little effort goes into making these monumental decisions. Not all are so ill informed, of course
(thankfully!), but the numbers that are, are just far too high for my comfort.
So who do my first graders think they single-handedly placed
into the Oval Office? Obama was
the clear victor. Of course, the incumbent
always has momentum on his side.
It is easier to keep with a known quantity than risk someone even worse,
at least that is what history has borne out.
And so today, the 6th of November, 2012, we get
to gather at our local polling place and place a private vote for those that we
feel will do the very best job for our towns, our states, and our country. Are my Darlings the New Hampshire and
Iowa of elementary politics? Will
their votes be prophetic for the rest of the country? We should know in mere hours.
The thing I love most about the aforementioned book, Grace
for President, is that the deciding vote (yes, of course, for our heroine
Grace!) was cast by a boy who surprised the school by bucking the trend and
voting against the pack. When asked
why he did it, he responds that he felt Grace was the best person for the
job. Ask yourself the same
question today as you pull the lever or fill in the circle or punch the
computer keys. Who will lead with
true wisdom and preserve our beautiful nation? Will we be better or worse off in four years as a result of
your vote? You must make that
choice and vote with conscience, understanding the weight of your
decision. It is a high honor to
live in a democracy. Please do not
disgrace it with crass indifference.
In the meantime, I have a class of first graders who will
discuss today’s events over milk and granola bars, confident they have voted
intelligently; a microcosm of coffee shops and gathering spots everywhere. We will track results and discuss
events until the closing bell.
God bless America!
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