29 Oct 2008
The Mock Election is the Conclusion of Lessons about the Vote and Elections
DALLAS–Thousands of Dallas ISD students from kindergarten to 12th grade will be hitting the polls on Thursday, Oct. 30, to record who they think should be the next U.S. president.
Just like in real elections, the results of the voting will be tabulated live on the Web page www.dallasisd.org/mockelection as the schools call them in.
On National Mock Election Day, students in participating schools will choose between Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama and Republican presidential candidate John McCain. The ballot for students in grades six through 12 also will include Bob Barr, the candidate for the Libertarian Party, and independent candidate Ralph Nader.
"The mock election is the conclusion of lessons about the vote and elections teachers have been using as part of the district's social studies curriculum," said Caleb Tolleson, social studies supervisor in charge of coordinating the mock election. During the lessons, students learned about the main presidential candidates, the parties they represent, and their platforms. Some schools also held primaries, debates, and mock conventions.
"Using a national event as a teaching tool will allow students to gain a deeper understanding of elections, the electoral process, the presidential race, and the different political parties," Tolleson said.