Strengthen Civic Engagement: Register Now with Student Vote

ETFO members have experienced a tumultuous year fighting back against Bill 115, the Putting Students First Act, 2012.  We rallied against the bill because it violated fundamental democratic rights to bargain collectively.  We won considerable public support because many Ontarians understood that our fight extended beyond our own self-interest and was about broad democratic principles.

Fostering a strong understanding of democracy and civic engagement is fundamental to our democratic future. Teachers can contribute to strengthening support for democratic rights by participating in the Student Vote campaign. In the current minority situation, an Ontario election could be called at any time.  You can register now with Student Vote and be ready to go if an election is called this spring or sometime next year.

For those not familiar with the program, Student Vote is a non-partisan, not-for-profit organization that assists teachers organize parallel elections in their classrooms.  It has been working with schools during provincial and federal elections across Canada since 2003 when it introduced the program to Ontario with the help of ETFO and other teacher affiliates.  ETFO participants in the program enthusiastically report that the program not only successfully brings the electoral process to life for students, but that students take their learning and excitement home to their parents. Parents often report they voted because of their child’s involvement in the program. Student Vote therefore contributes not only to the future but to current civic engagement.

In 2004, ETFO developed a Grade 5 curriculum guide entitled You Choose that was adopted by Student Vote for resources it shares with teachers across the country.  In 2007, in advance of the Ontario referendum on electoral reform, ETFO created a resource to introduce students to the concept of proportional representation. The resources link to Ontario curriculum expectations in Social Studies, Language Arts, Drama, Visual Arts, and Mathematics.

The Student Vote project is particularly relevant to the Grade 5 curriculum, but you can also organize a school-wide election that engages all Junior and Intermediate students.

Register with Student Vote today and contribute to strengthening democracy.

** follow Vivian McCaffrey on twitter: @qpwatcher