As Kids Go, So Goes the Nation

By Maria Glod
Washington Post Staff Writer
Monday, November 3, 2008

Kids don't have a vote, but they do have opinions on who should be America's next president.

In classrooms locally and nationwide, students have been staging debates and casting ballots in mock elections. Here are a few of the ways students have learned about democracy and about Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) and Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.):

Fifty-two years ago, students who participated in the Weekly Reader presidential election poll picked Dwight D. Eisenhower over Adlai Stevenson. Since then, the kids' choice has mirrored the country's in all but one election.

In 1992, students chose President George H.W. Bush over the man who succeeded him in the White House, Bill Clinton. "When Bush senior heard the results, he said he was really excited and was going to send [former U.S. senator] Bob Dole up to the Hill to pass the 28th Amendment to lower the voting age to 5," said Clara Colbert, Weekly Reader's senior managing editor.

This fall, more than 125,000 Weekly Reader fans across the country, from kindergartners to high-schoolers, cast ballots. Obama captured 54.7 percent of the votes compared with McCain's 42.9 percent. Obama was the choice of students in the District, Maryland and Virginia.

In Rachel Amrhein's fifth-grade class at Ashland Elementary School in Prince William County, Obama edged out McCain 15 to 12.

Taylor Irwin, 10, is an Obama supporter who has been following the candidate's education plan.

"He said that he would increase the number of children that are eligible for early education," Taylor said. "I think it's important for children to get exposed to learning at an early age."

Veronica Anderson, 10, backs McCain. But she really likes Republican vice presidential hopeful Sarah Palin. "I like that she's a girl so that there's change," Veronica said. "I think she's good when she talks."

Classmate Caitlin Bowen, 10, a Weekly Reader student reporter who is helping with the magazine's election coverage, is planning to go to the polls tomorrow to interview voters. "I'm going to ask who they voted for, why they voted for them and their main concern," she said.

Caitlin, who has interviewed first lady Laura Bush, said she's thinking about a career in journalism.

"I'm kind of deciding between a reporter and equine veterinarian," she said.

Representatives from the presidential campaigns were ready when the reporters started lobbing tough questions.

"How would you improve the military?" asked one eighth-grader playing a reporter in a mock debate last month at Fairfax County's Glasgow Middle School.

"We would have to make sure it was strong," said Meghan Lynn, 14, channeling the McCain campaign. "In Iraq, if we are trying to make peace, we have to make sure the country is stable enough to do that."

The Obama team had a different take. Nadia Rentia, 13, popped out of her seat.

"I want to address this," she said. "Barack Obama believes it is high time the war in Iraq be halted. We are invading a country that has almost nothing to do with 9/11, all while Osama bin Laden and al Qaeda are training terrorists."

But McCain's people wanted to make sure that they made their point.

"The thing about Iraq is we have to stay in there until it is stable," added Matthew Harrell, 13. "If we leave, it will just go back, and everything we fought for will be a waste."

The students, who represented McCain and Obama as well as third-party candidates Ralph Nader and Bob Barr, also sparred over energy and the financial crisis.

Nadia said she'd vote for Obama if she were old enough because she's opposed to the war in Iraq. "And he believes in tax cuts for the lower class and not the other class," she said.

Matthew would vote for McCain tomorrow if he could.

"I think he's more experienced, and I like his take on energy and the economy."

Forget McCain and Obama. In one kindergarten class, it was Smiley Face vs. Scary Face.

In a lesson about elections, counting and majorities, the students in Rosanne Sharpe's class at Fairfax County's Terra Centre Elementary School cast votes on a face for the class jack-o'-lantern.

The children voted in secret. Then they sat in a circle. One by one, each vote was tallied on the whiteboard.

"The kids all started cheering," Sharpe said. "They were actually getting a little loud because it was fairly close. I had to tell them to be quiet."

Smiley Face closed strong, winning 13 to 8.

Some Scary Face supporters took the loss hard. "Two kids started to cry because their Scary Face didn't win," Sharpe said. "I said, 'You know, when I vote in the election, maybe the person I vote for won't win, but I'm not going to cry.' "

Sharpe carved the winning face on a pumpkin.

We're not sure what the class decision tells us about tomorrow's vote.