The 26th amendment to the constitution should be revised to include 16 to 17 year olds in the voting process. The voting process entails that commuters of elect someone to represent their best interests. When you’re 16 to 17 years old, you can apply for a job and work, paying taxes and helping to take care of the household. Thus you should be allowed to choose someone to represent yourself at the age of 16 and above. As well, teens are now showing increasing maturity and political awareness, more so than their 18 to 24 year old counterparts. Students 16 to 17 years old also show a level and love of activism, participating in political events to express their love of a candidate.
When someone works, they are required to pay taxes to the government. This compensates for the majority of the government’s budget, and by paying taxes we are given certain rights that follow along with forking over money to the government. According to Lee Hochburg, “Nationwide, 80% of teens hold after-school or summer jobs. Half of 12th-graders work more than 20 hours a week during school…” Some 12th graders are under the age of 18, which means that they cannot vote. And the 80% of students working over the summer also cannot vote. Yet, they are most likely paying taxes. The right to vote stems from being a U.S. citizen and paying taxes, however being politically aware and knowing about the elections is another thing.
Students today would be politically aware, if it weren’t for our education systems. It’s not that the students are politically inactive; it’s just that mostly they are ignorant of certain political agendas. According to the Daily Orange, “74 percent said that demonstrators should not be allowed to burn or deface the American flag in protest, but 75% were unaware that it is legal to do so. It makes no sense to point fingers at the students; blame ultimately falls on the education system” The education system has failed the American student body. If we were to enhance the education system to incorporate political education as well, for high school students, then they would be educated enough to decide for themselves which of the candidate’s best represent their interests.
Students and teens ages 16 to 17 today do have the capability to represent themselves in the voting process. The estimated percent of students working in this country is 80%, working summer jobs and after-school. They deserve to have themselves represented. As well, if the education system were to be employed in a more effective manner, to educate our students better, students would know how to effectively represent themselves in the voting process and choose a candidate that best represents their interests. Students who are not educated in politics are not to blame, where the education system fails in its duty to expose teens to the ever-changing world. The time to change the 26th amendment is now, the time to incorporate our younger citizens in the voting process is much needed.
Work Cited
Working Teens. 08/18/00. PBS. 10/16/08 [http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/economy/july-dec00/teens_7-18.html]
The Daily Orange. 2/1/05. College Publisher. 10/16/08. [http://media.www.dailyorange.com/media/storage/paper522/news/2005/02/01/Opinion/H.s-Students.Need.More.Political.Awareness-847568.shtml]