PSHCE lesson preparing for Student Parliament elections. Student “why don’t we just vote on every issue?” Cue a discussion on how important student voice is but, also, why whole school votes don’t always work. We used a few examples e.g. Head Boy / Girl. Often students’ views...

...are gathered & hold a degree of weight. Yet teachers also have a say & might choose someone “less popular” but “more responsible” for ex. What would happen if we voted on uniform, school hours, behaviour, HW, whether to study English, read the book or just watch the film?...

The students definitely understood my point. We then (given politics was the topic) applied it to wider politics. Should we just have referendums? Why /not? What might be the consequences? If politicians are making decisions for us, what sort of qualities would they need?...

I didn’t mention the education debate (we obvs. need to not influence views on politics). However, on this forum I openly question the idea we can just have a referendum on it. @tothevale I mean unless the public are going to be given a hefty and dense document to read?...

How many panels of exerts will be set up for locals?Will voting only be allowed if people have attended one?Referendums are imo lazy politics. Designed to appeal to populists. They appeal to the idea we can all have what we want rather than what we need regardless of consequence.