My children are young, as in infant and toddler young. So they couldn’t quite grasp the historical significance of Barack Obama’s election. When I shared the news with my three year old that Obama was the next President, she responded “but I want a present too” (she also thought “running for President” implied a footrace). Needless to say my kids aren’t quite yet at the point of understanding the workings of civic society. But it is something I want them to understand in time – while they are still young. I fully believe that children deserve to know the world they live in and the politics that shape their lives.
So on one hand I understand the rationale behind placing polling booths in public school buildings. Besides making use of public space, it exposes kids to the electoral process and encourages them to be responsible citizens. But on the other hand, the whole situation makes me a bit uncomfortable.
When I went to vote on Nov. 4 in the middle of a normal school day, I simply strolled into my local elementary school and walked down a hallway of classrooms and bathrooms to a small cluster of voting booths. Any other day of the year I would have had to sign in at the office, present identification, and be watched closely as I, an unknown adult, entered a safe place for children. But on election day, the school was open to all (voters or not). As a parent I couldn’t help but worry about the horror and chaos just one person with ill intent could cause if they took advantage of this lax open door policy.
Even in the absence of malicious aforethought, accidents can happen when the safety of children is ignored in favor of civic process. In February 2008 at Lyons Elementary School in Randolph, MA an elderly man lost control of his car and careened into a group of children on school grounds. He was simply trying to park his car so he could vote in the presidential primaries, but ended up pinning an 8 year old girl between his car and the school building causing her serious injury.
Tragic accidents or opportunities for sick predators should not be part of our coming together as a nation to choose our leaders. Many cities have already acknowledged the dangers of allowing polling places in public schools. Some districts ban polls from schools, others cancel school on election day. But as I experienced in Austin, TX, some districts employ no precautions at all.
Amidst the talk of voting reform that swirls around every election, I would send out a call to America to rethink the role of our children on election day. I am all for teaching them about voting, informing them about the candidates, and letting them participate in mock elections, but keeping them safe should remain primary no matter what day it is. Nationwide reform to either ban polls from schools or cancel school on such days is a necessary step in safeguarding our children. In situations like this encouraging civic responsibility involves doing what is necessary to prevent tragedy from marring the celebration of democratic community. We’ve come a long way in our country to make suffrage easy and available to all – let’s be sure that it remains a blessing and not a burden for our children.