Government is a topic few students want to discuss.

Almost every survey sent by the WolfsHowl, there is a question about politics, asking which candidate a person supports, or what they think about a big topic in the news; and one of the most prevalent responses to all these questions are, “I don’t care,” or, “I don’t know.” In a response to one such question a THS freshman said, “Why is this a school matter? Why is this being brought up in school, where we don’t discuss politics?”

This student is not alone in this thought. Yet, this is the wrong attitude to take. Involvement in politics is not only an essential part of being a productive member of society, but it can also be an extremely fulfilling experience.

At school, programs like Youth and Government, Boys and Girls State, the Conference on National Affairs (CONA) and other government based programs offer students the experience to participate in mock governments, meet new people and experience multiple other viewpoints from across the state, and across the country.

As most who participate in these programs will say, they are amazing experiences that all students should participate in, yet one thing that prevents them from growing even more than they already do is a lot of students immediately view any activity involving government as being boring or uninteresting. This view is only aided by teachers who discourage political discussion in class. But, what students miss out on by not partaking in politics, such as Youth and Government, Boys and Girls State, CONA and other programmes like them is an opportunity to do what everyone likes to do: debate and argue.

Politics is not some boring activity that only adults participate in; it is a field that directly affects the livelihoods of everyone, including students. It is especially important for youth to get involved in politics because the country will be theirs to inherit sooner or later. The motto of Youth and Government is, “democracy is learned by each generation,” which could not be more true, and that is why these programs are extremely important for youth to partake in, and why teachers and parents should encourage these programs and do whatever they can to make students more interested in government and politics.

Students should be more involved in politics and should participate in school programs like Youth and Government, Boys and Girls State and CONA. They provide opportunities for everyone to make new friends, experience new viewpoints, and most importantly have a great time doing what everyone ultimately loves to do: debate.