What candidate did your child's classroom support?

[american_mama]

If your child's classroom did a mock election, what candidate did they pick? How enthusiastic did the children seem to be about their candidate? And lastly, does anyone have a child who supported a candidate different than you?

Last week, DD1's first grade class had a mock election and, although neither she nor her classmates could tell me who won or even how many classrooms participated, what they COULD tell me, with great enthusiasm, was that they voted for "Rock Obama." I know they have posters in the classroom with photos of both Obama and McCain with basic facts about them underneathed. DD1's school is about 80% African-American and indeed all the kids I talked to were African-American. I wondered if their enthusiasm was in part due to seeing Barack Obama's photo and liking him because he looked like them. Early identity politics at work!

I assume the biggest influence in who children vote for is who their parents support. Still, I was surprised at the enthusiasm the kids had for Barack Obama and considering that they didn't get his name quite right and had to think hard to come up with McCain's name, it's not like their enthusiasm was based on much. Yet it was there.

[citymama]

Practically every kid in my DD's daycare screams "Obama!" when they see me in my Obama t-shirt. The recognition is instant. Most are Caucasian or Asian-American, so it isn't an identity thing. I think a) parental support for a candidate is a big factor b) Obama is young, attractive, charismatic and c) for young kids, he looks more like a daddy figure. My DD loves other parents, especially dads for some reason, and Obama fits that age group.

And hey - he has a fun name that rhymes with mama and llama!

[SASM]

DS said he voted for Obama and the other Kindergartener at our bus stop, who is in a different classroom, also voted for Obama. :)

[newmomto1]

Well, when I picked DS up from school today, he had a sticker on his shirt that said "I Voted!" with cute little red, white, & blue stickers.
So, I said, "Wow, you guys got to vote! Did you vote for president?" He said "No you silly goose!!! We voted for our favorite ICE CREAM!"
In case anyone is interested, chocolate won :)

BTW, he IS only in preschool :p

[irie i]

Well, when I picked DS up from school today, he had a sticker on his shirt that said "I Voted!" with cute little red, white, & blue stickers.
So, I said, "Wow, you guys got to vote! Did you vote for president?" He said "No you silly goose!!! We voted for our favorite ICE CREAM!"
In case anyone is interested, chocolate won :)

BTW, he IS only in preschool :p

Hahaha that is adorable! I love that his preschool did something to include children in the voting thing - no doubt they are hearing a lot about it around them - but is appropriate for his age group. I love that!! :cheerleader1:

[KpbS]

DS1's preschool classes voted for McCain by a margin of 2 pts. 30-28. DS1 said he was the "best winner". There is no name recognition in our house as all the political talk happens after bedtime.

[overcome]

Our K - 5 school had a mock election yesterday via Scholastic, so it was a national thing.

They announced the results today, broken down by grade level. Obama won in every grade level, in our school.

I agree that kids vote for whom their parents are voting for.

I was shocked that McCain didn't win in ONE grade!

[MelissaTC]

DS attends a Catholic school, K-8. The upper school did a mock election and they voted Republican across the board. It is not a surprise considering the area and makeup of the school.

[theCAS]

My MIL is a first grade teacher in a Catholic school in NE and McCain was the winner at her school. In fact, one of her students told her that Obama was a bad man because he killed people. Her dad is working on a Republican campaign for a state representative.

[mom2binsd]

DD's K class voted Obama...today DD asked me where she would be voting...she's a little upset that she has to wait 13 years...when she asked where I was voting I had to explain that mommy is Canadian and until I become a US citizen I can't vote....she then asked where I can become a US citizen (if she only knew how complicated the INS was!)

[niccig]

...when she asked where I was voting I had to explain that mommy is Canadian and until I become a US citizen I can't vote....she then asked where I can become a US citizen (if she only knew how complicated the INS was!)
If you're eligible to apply, it might not take too long to get your citizenship. I applied in June expecting 12-18 months wait as per Los Angeles district information. I have an interview middle of November. I was surprised it was so quick.

[Corie]

My daughter's 1st grade class got to vote.

11 voted for McCain
9 voted for Obama

[HannaAddict]

DD's K class voted Obama...today DD asked me where she would be voting...she's a little upset that she has to wait 13 years...

My preschooler asked me when I was taking him to vote too and was quite shocked and confused that he couldn't vote yet. :) He has been an avid Obama supporter since he was distressed to find out their teacher's assistant doesn't have "health care" and that Palin doesn't care for polar bears.

[motherofone]

My dd's kindergarten class had 11 for Obama and 4 for McCain.

[citymama]

My MIL is a first grade teacher in a Catholic school in NE and McCain was the winner at her school. In fact, one of her students told her that Obama was a bad man because he killed people. Her dad is working on a Republican campaign for a state representative.

Shudder...scary how the politics of hate, fear and misinformation are spread so early!

I'm an Obama supporter, but have made it a point *not* to say anything negative about McCain or Palin to my kid. One day she'll make her own decisions about this stuff, and in the mean time, I don't want her offending anyone nor do I want her and her friends to have to play out their parents' politics in school!

[caleymama]

DD's elementary school had a mock presidential election at the end of October. I had mentioned it previously, but in the 40 years that it's been held, it has correctly predicted the winner of the actual Presidential election. They were able to vote using both a written ballot and an actual voting booth. They determined the winner of their election using the popular vote only. The winner was Barack Obama.

Results:
Electoral vote: McCain 164 1/2 Obama 159 1/2
Popular vote: McCain 280 Obama 324

Younger DD's preschool class had a vote yesterday, she said. They voted for their snack - circle crackers or square crackers. The circle crackers won. :)

[newmomto1]

Hahaha that is adorable! I love that his preschool did something to include children in the voting thing - no doubt they are hearing a lot about it around them - but is appropriate for his age group. I love that!! :cheerleader1:

FWIW, he & many of his friends have been discussing who they want to win (SO freaky to hear 4 & 5 year olds talking about it!)
He went through a small list of his friends today & told us which ones were for Obama & which ones were for McCain. I SO DID NOT HAVE A CLUE at that age!!!

[MamaKath]

Outrageous Outfit day won in dd's classroom!

As a teacher it has been interesting to hear the kindergartners talk about the election.

[saschalicks]

Well, when I picked DS up from school today, he had a sticker on his shirt that said "I Voted!" with cute little red, white, & blue stickers.
So, I said, "Wow, you guys got to vote! Did you vote for president?" He said "No you silly goose!!! We voted for our favorite ICE CREAM!"
In case anyone is interested, chocolate won :)

BTW, he IS only in preschool :p

OK seriously this has to be the best thing I've heard all day. They got to see the democratic process at work and vote for something they are truly passionate about. How brilliant is that?

BTW, my DS1 would vote chocolate too. :ROTFLMAO:

[newmomto1]

OK seriously this has to be the best thing I've heard all day. They got to see the democratic process at work and vote for something they are truly passionate about. How brilliant is that?

BTW, my DS1 would vote chocolate too. :ROTFLMAO:

I seriously LOVE our preschool :love-retry:
DS has been there since he was 18 months old. I am freaking out that he will be leaving there to go to Kindergarten next year. His life revolves around that place!

[spanannie]

Funny, my son came home today and told me that Obama is mean to babies. Whatever that means. I'm guessing it's related to being pro-choice, when considering the parents of the child who told him this.

My son's class had a red vs. pink vote today. They had to campaign and give debates, etc. There are 10 boys and 5 girls in the class, and, surprisingly the vote was 8 Red to 7 Pink! Everyone has to wear red tomorrow!


My MIL is a first grade teacher in a Catholic school in NE and McCain was the winner at her school. In fact, one of her students told her that Obama was a bad man because he killed people. Her dad is working on a Republican campaign for a state representative.

[mamicka]

DS's elementary voted for "the Dragons" to be the new mascot. DS was upset, he voted for "the Wave".

[pb&j]

DS is not quite three - today they voted on which kind of crackers they like best. With jelly or without. I think with jelly won, though DS surprised me and said he voted for without. :D

[manda]

Not sure about the class, but DD voted for John McCain for two reasons:
a) his "assistant" is a girl and b) his name sounds like candy cane.

[kijip]

T's class split 20-7 for Obama.

It's Seattle. Only surprise in the neighborhood is where the 7 McCain votes came from.

Little kids vote for their parents candidate, often even if they don't know for sure who that is, which is interesting. T's choice was very much impacted by my father however, who I am going to have to have a little chat with about easing up the politics with my kid.

[strollerqueen]

My son's public school voted unanimously for Obama. My DD's Cahtolic school went for McCain. It was so interesting hearing them argue back and forth for "their" candidates. My Mother and her sister were like that. One was a left-wing democrat, the other a right-wing republican.

[Mirthful]

Actually, my DD would have voted for the candidate that both DH and I were against. We've been following the election pretty closely and watched all three debates over dinner (we're left coast).

She liked McCain because he looks like her doctor.

I agree about being surprised how much preschoolers know about the election! As I was dropping DD off at school today, a friend of hers came over to show me her I Voted! sticker. She then, very seriously, asked me if I was planning to vote. I told her that I was going to on my way to work. Another little boy then chimed in, very politely, "I hope you're going to vote for Obama."