Unpopular opinion: letting high schoolers vote on town budget items

I read in the Maplewood Press that a council member suggested letting students vote on 5% of the town's spending... about $140,000. Some parents said it's too much power for kids, but I think it teaches responsibility. Should we trust teens with a slice of the budget or keep it all with adults?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_thomas26d ago

I'm with you on this one honestly. I've seen what happens when you don't give kids any real responsibility and they just tune out. My cousin's school let a student committee decide on spending for a new sound system for the auditorium and you wouldn't believe how seriously they took it. They researched brands, compared prices, even showed up to a board meeting to defend their choice. That's way more than they ever did for a mock election. Let them have a small slice, like 5% is nothing to adults but everything to them.

shanef3426d ago

They already don't pay attention in civics class, why trust them with real cash.

phoenix_lewis26d ago

Feel you on this one. It's frustrating when people write off kids completely instead of giving them a real chance to show what they can do.