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When I think of tolerant and inclusive people, I think of 8th graders.
Seconded.
8th graders aren't exactly known for being tolerant or inclusive of anything, let alone political preferences, which most of them aren't old enough, mature enough, or socially developed enough to understand anyway, and are just parroting what their parents have told them.
Until I was 17, I thought I was a Republican because that's what my parents had always told me. I wasn't socially or morally developed enough to realize that I was in no way, shape or form a conservative, despite what my parents had ingrained in me. It wasn't until I was well into my college years that I truly realized how un-conservative I actually am. I think that political preference and age/life experience are relative. 8th graders are generally clueless about the world around them, especially when it comes to politics.
8th graders are generally clueless about the world around them, especially when it comes to politics.
And even acknowledging those few who are exceptionally well-read, for one reason or another, 13-and14-year-olds are not developmentally or socially known for displaying mature or measured responses to...well, anything.
We, as adults, always talked about laying the foundation for tolerance in our children early, like in the teen years. As much as most kids at this age probably only have concepts of Abercrombie & Fitch and American Eagle, I think that this was a good lesson for them to learn. Let's not write our children off as totally clueless because of their age. I think that without admitting it to each other, those kids who were humbled by the affront to their lack of tolerance will remember this lesson later in life.
I think most of you are missing the point of this experiment and what it really means. Yes, these kids are 8th graders, so that means there are 13 to 14 and (check me if I'm wrong on this) most of them reach the formal operational stage (by age 12 I might add) of development where they are able to a.) think logically about ideas b.) think hypothetically and abstractly c.) use hypothetical deductive reasoning and d.) are able to seperate prior knowledge/beliefs from new evidence that is contrary. Now, this isn't me talking out of my backside; I'm just paraphrasing what Piaget said.
Now this doesn't mean in the least that these kids are simply not parroting what they hear on the t.v. and what their parents or gaurdians are telling them. But it also doesn't mean they are like three year olds who cannot speak for themselves. They have taken in everything that they have been hearing, and realize that it's "cool" or "in" to be for Obama, and if your not, then something is seriously wrong with you.
Most of these teens don't take the time to go out and do research on the candidate so how do they learn from intolerance and hate for those that don't support Obama? If you haven't guessed by now, it's their parents/gaurdians. Hate only breeds hate; and intolerance only breeds intolerance. These kids didn't pick it up from anywhere, it came from the home. You can't tell me people aren't intolerant towards those that don't agree on their views. I'm black and because I'm not a democrat I have people that have actually called me white, sellout, and an array of other names.
When I was around that age, I was the odd kid. I was the one that was actually socially aware and found out about the issues myself. Yes, what my parents said did influence my political views, but my views ARE NOT my parents. I researched and read and found out for myself what I believe is right and wrong; my parents did lay the foundation, but I'm the one who put in the work and built the house. So lets just not take this experiment this girl did at face value as stupid kids who don't know a thing. Lets actually realize that this is the way some off the parents and gaurdians feel too.
8th graders aren't exactly known for being tolerant or inclusive of anything, let alone political preferences, which most of them aren't old enough, mature enough, or socially developed enough to understand anyway, and are just parroting what their parents have told them.
Until I was 17, I thought I was a Republican because that's what my parents had always told me. I wasn't socially or morally developed enough to realize that I was in no way, shape or form a conservative, despite what my parents had ingrained in me. It wasn't until I was well into my college years that I truly realized how un-conservative I actually am. I think that political preference and age/life experience are relative. 8th graders are generally clueless about the world around them, especially when it comes to politics.
Well then, can you explain to me the reaction that I receive when I tell adults that I voted for McCain?
These types of reactions are in no way limited to children.
I wonder if the experiment would have turned out any differently had it been conducted in a fundie, red state backwater rather than in an upscale, blue state suburb.
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