Civics and Child Exploitation

When I was in school and a levy was on the ballot, my teachers tried to sell the levy to students. We couldn't vote. Why were they turning to us?

There's a simple answer to this question. My teachers were trying to manipulate us so that we would fight their battles for them. We could take their pitch to our parents. We could also get involved in various attempts to get the word out.

My teachers did not provide a neutral perspective, and they clearly didn't try to ensure we knew the facts. They only gave us arguments in favor of the levies they wanted to pass. They were in a position to influence our views for their gains, and they never hesitated to do just that. When I did my time in the system, my teachers actively engaged in child exploitation as a means of influencing elections.

Levies were always the obvious example, but this not isolated. It wasn't even just about voting. I went through two primary phases in school. I spent time thinking whatever my teachers wanted me to think, and I spent time thinking free from the constraints of authoritarian demands. There is no question that it's far easier to record good grades when you think what your teachers want you to think.

Additionally, there were other forms of child exploitation. My teachers provided unequal treatment on the basis of the values of each student. This was not always easy to see since teachers promoted a culture if fear as a means of silencing dissent. This means that not only were teachers manipulating our views, but they could misportray our collective values to sway others.

Let me just summarize all of this. Child exploitation is very common and very real. Unfortunately, we have done so much to normalize child exploitation that most people don't see it even when it's right in front of their faces.

Over the years, I have seen plenty of signs that child exploitation has gotten even worse. I try to keep an eye on threats to educational rights. I frequently visit websites and Twitter feeds for the NEA and AFT. They openly promote use of liberal misinformation and propaganda sources such as Learning for Justice. In the case of the AFT's president, pro-Democrat propaganda might even exceed pro-schooling/anti-educational propaganda.

Years ago, I bumped into an argument in favor of lowering the voting age. Again, child exploitation was common when I was trapped in the system. This is without the right to vote. If students could vote, that would strengthen teachers' incentive for child exploitation.

I need to clarify something. Students don't have nearly enough say in their own lives. I'm not against lowering the voting age. The issue here is that we need to address child exploitation first. Without protections for innocent children in place, lowering the voting age is certain to fuel even more child exploitation.

Recently, I read an article about action civics. The idea behind action civics is that teachers are encouraging their students to become active in civic activities. In other words, teachers who are actively exploiting children want their pawns to engage in activities such as protests.

There's a lot of overlap between my views on lowering the voting age and action civics. I want children to have a bigger voice. Unfortunately, without protections in place, this is merely giving the exploiters a bigger voice. It's further incentivizing child exploitation. We need to address child exploitation first. Only then can such a policy be worth pursuing.

The article in question tried to villainize the Republicans for their opposition to action civics. Republicans do legitimately cross a number of lines that infuriate me. In this particular case, they are standing up to Democrats who are crossing a line. I'm perfectly fine with that.

This predominantly liberal profession openly boasts that they mold the minds of 90% of the population. If you understand the meaning of their own words (although they don't normally combine them), you know that this is a downright despicable act.  This is a profession that is actively exploiting children.

The Republicans are not the bad guys on this particular issue. I am in agreement that action civics should not paired with child exploitation. It sickens me that anyone would think otherwise.