All students will grow to be adults with responsibilities and will be affected by the government. Political awareness is an important life skill because it informs people about future policies, and events. So, how much do students know about politics currently?
Students around campus were asked about their general knowledge and opinions on relevant political topics and events. These questions included their opinions of gun legislation, drugs, abortion, and more.
A good percentage of students in the school believe that they are moderately informed about politics. According to The Union survey, 210 out of 530 students (40%) answered that they considered themselves somewhat informed.
Deadly drugs in the USA are a serious problem with over 107,941 deaths in 2022 being attributed to drugs that are smuggled into the USA, according to the DEA.
“The surveillance in Ameri- ca right now is terrible and the under- ground thing that Mexico does to get drugs under,” Deshmukh said. “No one’s doing anything about it; like it’s just there and everyone knows about it, too.”
The total number of school shootings have been on a steady risefrom 2008 to the present according to CNN(us). From 2008 to 2012 there were a total of 81 school shootings but in just 2023, there were 82.
The Union survey also asked about views on gun control, and 71.6% of respondents (373 out of 521 students)said they believed gun laws should be stricter.
“I think it should be more strict because you have more school shoot- ings than ever before,” junior Mokshit KidambiSeshaSai said “And, it takes a very dangerous toll on all the kids that go to school, every single student in America, no matter where they are, have imagined themselves in a school shooting either once or twice.”
Looking at their engagement in political topics like gunlaws, drugs, and abortion, most students, as seen in The Union survey. Every American should pay attention to politics be- cause of how it can affect our livelihoods and future. It is for this reason that political awareness is a crucial skill to have and cultivate.