Teach Secondary Issue 13.6

O’Connor. Existing in the curious, inbetweenerish state of mid-adolescence is no easy thing, for sure – but being a teenager without the vote simply isn’t the same as being an oppressed adult woman, or an oppressed member of the working class. Structures and sentiments Nevertheless, let’s assume Labour gets its way and the voting age is lowered. What might the impact be upon the teaching of politics at school? On one level, as a teacher and a British citizen, I believe the young should be taught about the norms of our democracy and its odd constitutional structure. The task of doing this should fall to teachers of citizenship, which Labour (correctly, inmy view) introduced to the National Curriculum back in 2001. At the same time, however, any lowering of the voting age will inevitably compel schools to think even more carefully than they already do about how topical or controversial issues ought to be discussed within lessons, lest they be accused of seeking to influence the views of those who would be our youngest voters. When discussing politics and democracy, we shouldn’t hector the young. As teachers, we should try to cultivate the political voice of the young by giving them knowledge and understanding of what politics means, whilst also respecting that their political dreams and aspirations will not – and indeed should not – be the same as ours. If it’s to endure, our democracy must reproduce itself in both its structures and in the sentiments and expectations of its citizens. This largely happens outside of schools; insofar that education has a role to play, it needs to be a narrow one, centred on teaching about politics, not for any particular position within it . Asense of history This is why I believe it’s a great shame that the English state school system, almost uniquely in Europe, doesn’t require all students to study their own history up to the age of 16. When we vote, we naturally think about what’s gone before, whilst also considering what might yet happen in the future. A sense of history is critical to any form of political decision- making. Labour might therefore want to consider making history a compulsory subject for all students in its forthcoming curriculum review. It would be educationally negligent to let young people drop British history at the very moment in their lives when they most need the powerful knowledge about politics that it contains. In conclusion, I agree with the spirit, if not the letter of Labour’s proposal to fully engage the young in democracy. The aim is a noble one, in which teachers have a special role to play – provided they avoid the risks of indoctrination by not abusing their position of trust and resolving to remain objective, factual, critical, dispassionate and impartial at all times. If there’s one takeaway from the 2024 election result, it’s that many of us, not just the young, share a somewhat jaded view of Parliament. If Labour succeeds in standing up for the many against the ABOUT THE AUTHOR Toby Marshall is an A Level film studies teacher IN BRIEF What’s the issue? The now governing Labour Party has proposed lowering the voting age to 16, which will inevitably have consequences on the way politics is taught in schools. What’s being said? Those in favour of the policy have invoked similar arguments to those made when the voting age was last lowered in the 1960s – that the rights and obligations which take effect at 16 (to work, to serve in the Army, to pay taxes) should include the right to vote. What’s really happening? The granting of voting rights at 16 would increase the need for schools to improve the quality of their political education – which, in the absence of careful planning and delivery, may increase the risks of potential indoctrination of pupils by teachers. The takeaway Any expanded politics offer by schools should be firmly rooted within the citizenship and history curriculums, alongside the introduction of a statutory history component at KS4, so as to better inform the country’s newest and youngest electoral demographic. privileged few, then we might well see increased turnout rates next time. Five years should be long enough to accomplish that. 13 teachwire.net/secondary H O T TO P I C