Debate

Prime time shows were bumped (gasp!) this past week to make time for the national coverage of the first presidential debate for this election. Students who had the chance to see this formal debate on television might have come away with questions about the candidates’ political views and about the debate itself. If they followed the news or social media sites afterward, they have seen and heard opinions from all different sides of the issues. A presidential election year is the perfect time to harness the topic of debate and connect students’ lives to the political issues being argued.

Over the next few months, many classrooms will be discussing the upcoming U.S. presidential election. While some teachers will focus on the art of the campaign, others will examine the candidates’ political platforms, their speeches, and the all-important debates. For many citizens, the debates between Mitt Romney and President Obama may well determine how they will cast their votes in November. Presidential debates are critical to the election process because they allow voters to see how well-versed the candidates are in the areas of domestic and foreign policy, the national economy, social issues, the national debt, and a host of other matters.