What if we listened to the children?

When I was in high school, one group of students I respected the most were those on the debate team. Any of them could be assigned a topic, do research on the topic and speak authoritatively and convincingly on either side.

Debating is still alive and well in our schools.

Clemson University is offering a week-long program for high school students this summer on “research, persuasion and developing the understanding of advanced policy debate skills.” Debate teams even perform in middle schools, and debate opportunities should be available in the lower grades.

Regardless of personal views, knowledgeable, prepared high schools students are randomly assigned to speak for or against all sorts of currently debated propositions. In South Carolina, one issue might be “Ethics reform is not needed in the S.C. Legislature.” Or “Public schools should allow transgender students to use restrooms conforming to their gender identity.”

Students of any age are likely to be aware of the division between the very rich and the middle class, between white police and black residents, between those who want unlimited access to firearms and those who want restrictions, between those who want taxpayer-supported universal health care and those who want the market to determine who gets health care, and between those who want members of Congress to compromise and those who want them to stick to their beliefs and refuse to compromise.

Unfortunately, our school children don’t see a classic debate on any of these issues when they watch our legislators in Columbia or our congressional delegation in Washington. Nor do we as adults.

What our children are learning from our politicians is that we should attack others’ appearance and call others names rather than using research and facts to discuss the pros and cons of conservative, liberal and libertarian positions.

We seem to want to keep our children from learning to take a rational, fact-based stand on any issue or on any candidate for the Legislature, for Congress or for the presidency.

Rather than just listening to the presidential debates and arguments put forward at the Republican and Democratic conventions, let’s ask our children, in primary, middle and high school, to do the research and be able to argue persuasively for one candidate — and then argue just as persuasively for the other candidate.

As adults, we should listen and make our decisions based at least in part on the evidence our children discover and bring forward as the most persuasive and best direction for the country. Let’s encourage our children to watch and listen at the conventions, do fact checking and critique each speaker and issue objectively.

The Brexit vote may have been to “remain” had the school children of the United Kingdom debated the issue using research and reason and counseled adults on the probable outcomes of remaining in or leaving the European Union. Instead, the politicians on both sides encouraged emotions to prevail when the people voted.

Our politicians on this side of the Atlantic also encourage an emotional response when, and if, we go to vote. Most registered voters, as usual, did not vote in the primary elections. Many will not vote in November.

We should take our children or grandchildren, of any age, to accompany us when we vote in the primaries and the general election. Let them see what the process looks like, from waiting in line to checking in with a suitable photo ID to seeing how the voting machines work.

As we move toward November, let’s get our schoolchildren involved in documenting, describing and understanding the issues. Let’s have these children advise us on what the outcomes may be depending on who is elected.

This story was originally published July 23, 2016 at 6:00 PM.