Should My Child's Preschool Teacher Be Telling Him Who To Vote For?

Yeah, so my kid tells me that his teacher told him and the whole class that they should vote for Obama. Please keep in mind this is a bunch of 4 and 5 year olds. I pay a small fortune to send him to this school. Regardless of whether or not I personally support Obama or not, I find this action disturbing. She could have said either candidate and I would have still been peeved.

I don't mind her explaining the voting process but to declare a candidate steps over the line. I don't know how to handle this. I don't want to cause a stink but it makes me wonder what else she's telling a group of very impressionable children who couldn't give two flips about a presidential election. How lucky they are...lol.

reply to post by sdp333


That's way over the line, in my opinion.

Can you talk to the teacher directly and explain your concerns?

I think you have good cause to bring his/her actions to the attention of the school administration, but (especially if she's otherwise a good teacher) it might do more harm than good.

I have to agree with americandingbat. It's always best, I feel to start with the teacher and get their side of things, then I'd be at the admin's office.

With that said, the elementary classes would hold a 'mock election', which is really neat, but not at the preschool/kindergarten level. And there certainly wasn't any influence one way or another from the teacher.

I would never think twice about going to the school with any concerns, let alone something like this.

Rush

Besides the fact that a child can't vote, I do have some questions.

Were you in the class during the lesson, or was a credible adult witness to what was said in the class present ?

Could your child have misinterpreted what was said in class and was only paying attention when the one candidate was spoken about ?

Was there any literature or lesson plan handed to the kids promoting the one sided bias ?

Were the children told to persuade their parents to vote a certain way ?


I personally would question the actions of the teacher if what you say is accurate, but I can't even put a 5 year old on the stand to testify due to their proven unreliability to recall events accurately.

reply to post by sdp333


In short the answer is no. The long of it is no. In the interem, choose no. Go speak your mind to administration - keep your head and make sure nothing is overblown. The answer is NO. NOOOOOOO NOOOOOO!!!!

ColoradoJens

Originally posted by anxietydisorder

Were you in the class during the lesson, or was a credible adult witness to what was said in the class present ?

No, my child came to me after school and said "Mommy, Miss ____said there was a woman running for president and I need to vote for Obama." That's not the type of stuff he makes up.

Could your child have misinterpreted what was said in class and was only paying attention when the one candidate was spoken about ?

Of course, therefore, I feel I need to address this with the teacher first.

Was there any literature or lesson plan handed to the kids promoting the one sided bias ?

No literature, they're 4....most can barely read.

Were the children told to persuade their parents to vote a certain way ?

That's what I want to know.


I totally believe what my child said because...well..he is MY child and I can read the signals when he's making stuff up. He doesn't even know what the word "vote" means.
So, I will take this up with the teacher in a nonchalant, off-the-cuff sort of way and see what she says.

Originally posted by sdp333

So, I will take this up with the teacher in a nonchalant, off-the-cuff sort of way and see what she says.

I think that's your best course of action at this point. Find out more from the teacher and speak to other parents.

If she has crossed the line a discussion with the Principle/Headmaster might be in order.

... My wife and I have a 5yr old son who came home telling us all about the election that they were having. The entire class would vote for a candidate and they would get to see the results.
That did not seem so bad - until he started chirping on about "McCain is an old guy"... "Obomber" is not even American...
"McCain wants to keep the 'raqi war going..." etc.
This child does not even know anything about the 'raqi war'... let alone what defines an 'American'.
This information is definitely not something that he would know of on his own - much less spew out to us on a regular basis.

I don't think teachers are getting the point that imitating adult behavior is not always a good lesson. And politics should not be taught to KIDS... who should be playing with Legos and waiting for Santa. I mean... the World grows up too fast as it is - let kids be kids! Maybe at 8 or 10 yrs old they could start to learn from it - but not 5 and 6.

I do think its over the line...

but at the same time, it doesn't really matter... seeing how they are all at least 10 years too young to vote anyhow.

Hat being said, if I had kids, I would prefer to keep them as far away from politics as possible, for as long as possible. Childhood does not need to be corrupted by political campaigns and empty promises.

reply to post by scientist


I agree with scientist.
It IS over the line, and you SHOULD do something.
They shouldn't even be teaching kids that young about politics, let alone trying to brainwash (woops I mean influence) them with the teacher's personal political beliefs.

Same deal with religion.
I don't have children of my own, but if my nephews starting spouting their teacher's political or religious beliefs I would be seeing red...

These 'intellectual cromagnons' still teach kids that Christopher Columbus discovered America, and they have the audacity to push their political beliefs on a child who isn't even old enough to cross the street alone?

Anyone who would do that is as bad in my opinion as a drug dealer standing outside an elementary school peddling their products.