POSTED: OCT. 27, 2008

The 18th birthday is a time for teenagers to become viewed as legal adults. Rights, given to U.S. citizens in the Bill of Rights, are granted with recognition of becoming an adult.



One in particular is the right to vote. This is an important year for young adults, as it may be the first time they have the chance to exercise their right to vote.



But should young adults be trusted with this right? Concord High students and staff members have a mixed view.



Most students believed they should be trusted with the right to vote.



“If I am old enough to fight for my country, I am definitely old enough to vote on its policies,” said Davion Waters, a senior. The majority of other seniors interviewed share Waters’ belief.



Some faculty and staff members proved the common presupposition that elders believe 18 year-olds are too immature and uneducated to make an informed opinion. Do young adults have the experience, maturity, and understanding of life that is required to make a developed opinion on presidential candidates?



Attendance Coordinator Selena Sides said, “Eighteen year-olds simply do not have the life experiences to make an informed decision about politics; they make choices based on what they feel in their hearts, not what is right for an entire country.”



On the contrary, the majority of other staff members and teachers interviewed said students were just as worthy as older adults. The most common judgment about how safe it is for young adults to vote is centered around the idea that an informed citizen can be of any age, just as an uninformed citizen can be any age.



English teacher Sandra Smith said, “I trust informed voters; it’s not an age thing.”



While it may not be safe to allow some young adults to vote, it is just as unsafe to allow some elder adults to do so. Students and staff came to the general conclusion that this is not about age but about information, logical reasoning, and maturity.



Many people believe teens often fall in line with their parents when voting and thus show a lack of education. Some CHS students disagree.





Seniors Mary and Rachel Lewellan strongly believe that while they follow in their parents' voting footprints, they are educated and opinionated enough that their choices in political parties are based on their own beliefs.



How uneducated are young voters? That is a good question.



Eight out of 10 students surveyed at CHS said they knew who they would vote for but could not give an educated answer as to why, or even explain the candidate's platform. This could be problematic.



This apparent lack of education should not make young voters feel unworthy, however. Every student questioned at CHS said that no American citizen should ever feel unworthy of the vote. While there are individuals who are not trustworthy, they still deserved their right to vote.



How can young adults become more educated about the voting process and about the presidential candidates? The easiest thing to do is go online or watch the news. With a media center full of free computers to use plus two computer labs, students and staff members should not have a hard time using the Internet. However, be careful of political bias when you are checking out the candidate's positions.



Prospective voters should go to Sen. Barack Obama’s and Sen. John McCain’s websites, read their platforms, look at the debate transcripts, and read opposing news articles from reputable sources. It may take some time, but something of such importance is worth it.



For more information, read about < Sen. Barack Obama, and Sen. John McCain. Get a complete picture of the political process each day at realclearpolitics.com.









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