Am I being unreasonable to think the lack of political education is damaging democracy?

[HopeToFind]

I don’t think this is talked about enough.
Political understanding in the UK is often alarmingly poor, and it is allowing media bias, misinformation, and shallow outrage politics to thrive unchecked.

Too many people do not even understand the difference between local councils and Parliament, or between a council employee and an elected councillor — yet still speak with absolute certainty.
There is also a poor understanding of how taxes fund collective services such as social care, housing, roads, waste collection, and emergency services.

Political education should start in schools, not to tell children what to think politically, but to teach critical thinking, evidence, fact checking, democratic structures, accountability, and standards in public life — including the Nolan Principles of selflessness, integrity, objectivity, accountability, openness, honesty, and leadership. My school provided a subject called ‘Civics’, it gave me a basic understanding of being a citizen.

Instead, public debate is increasingly shaped by headlines, algorithms, and “keyboard warrior” commentary that is often factually incorrect but repeated confidently enough to gain traction. A population with limited political understanding is far easier to manipulate, whether by partisan media, social media echo chambers, or misinformation campaigns.

I am giving credit to Newcastle City Council for actively correcting misinformation and challenging ill-informed claims on social media. I love reading their Facebook page, where they evidence the truth. More public bodies should challenge false narratives with facts rather than allowing misinformation to spread unopposed.

Political education does happen in schools. I had it all through my education and really ramped up in high school (modern studies and politics) but these were then options I chose to persue. I did a degree in sociology with political modules and have remained interested and engaged in politics of all levels

But what about my peers? My cousin and I had the same education. Same school year same school. She has and never had any interest in politics. She found the classes boring and didnt engage.

What I am trying to say is you can lead a horse to water but cant make it drink.

Even if we had broadcasts on social media/tv/streaming saying "these elections are for XYZ. Potholes. Bin collections. Local spaces" people will still give their views on other topics.

Eventhough I am hugely engaged and involved in politics I cabt expect everyone to be and we have personal responsibility for our own education and understanding around it.

Political education does happen in schools

I’m not sure that makes me feel any better given the general lack of knowledge and understanding of the political system.

Is politics an optional subject?

I know British Values was/is a priority in primary.

Maybe there needs to be more emphasis on critical thinking?

I completely agree. Including the principles of how to hold a rational, respectful debate.

I was never taught any of this at school. Prior to algorithms and social media, it probably didn’t have as much of an impact as our own home grown media outlets were few in number so everyone had access to the same, basic forms of ‘information’ within the UK. Now everyone can watch whatever rage-fuelled content they like, all living within the same country, no wonder it has caused so much division.

I personally try my hardest to chose who to vote for based on logic. But I am no expert.

I won’t be voting today, the reason is that I stepped away from all and any political discourse about a year ago because to be quite frank, it was making me miserable. The downside to which being that I no longer have much of a clue about the political landscape in this country, or in my local ward, so I am unable to make an informed decision on who to vote for. I’ve recently dipped a toe back in, and can see it’s more divisive than ever.

Yadnbu. Some of the ignorance on here would be funny if they weren't SO proud of it!

I agree, which is why I started this thread.

Some of the very basics.

On Facebook there are some real horrors - people claiming their local councillor earns £120,000 per year. An easy google shows the same councillor has an allowance of £22,000.

Not understanding laws and thinking that politicians can make huge changes without a change in legislation.

People bemoaning the ‘government’ spending (via the Arts Council) on a local theatre -“wasting tax payers money” - when in fact the vast majority of Arts Council money, come from National Lottery profits, money from customers (not the tax payer).

I suppose everyone thinks they are an expert in every form of public office. 😆

It’s the economically illiterate freebie brigade that are the danger to democracy. People who think that someone else will pay for everything. Who have this notion of faceless rich people just waiting to be taxed to solve all their problem and compensate for their laziness.

These far left socialist types are the real and present danger.

It’s a bit like during COVID when everyone was an expert epidemiologist

When those "types" were last in power - getting on for 50 years ago now @OneTealShaker - they secured us all kinds of benefits. I assume as a good capitalist you take no weekends or paid leave of any kind, are happy to buy products that are dangerous, have deliberately sought out areas where pollution is high so that you are as sick as possible - oh and paid for all your consequent treatment directly of course?

Anyway, enough of the scarcasm, thanks for proving the OP's point.

I agree. I think a well educated person could be voting for any party, people have different needs/wants/priorities. But I also think a lot of uneducated people are voting for parties that they wouldn't vote for if they had and understood all the relevant information. Too many people are just parroting slogans they see in the media and using that as a basis to vote and try and influence the votes of others.

💯

Critical thinking, and what used to be called British Constitution. Which is all about how power is distributed among the different branches of government.

I believe British Constitution should be mandatory. It could include an element also of what is required of the citizens in our democracy.

I won't go as far as to say people shouldn't be allowed to vote if they didn't have a certificate in British Constitution.

My disabled son, who relies completely on benefits and will need significant social care to leave even slightly independently wants to vote Reform.

FFS, I despair, that is so far away from our political leanings and his own benefit that I don't know where to start.

Oh, I understand. My dad lived and worked in Europe, owned a house in Spain - and voted BREXIT😱

He was appalled that he and his family could no longer go and live in the house permanently. And after significant medical care in Germany and numerous operations in Spanish hospitals, that he could no longer expect this to continue.

TBF he was a very talented man but without a decent education. Not a big reader (except for the Daily Mail). He struggled to understand DM bias.

He didn’t think immigrants should be in the UK….
….using our healthcare….(it would be funny if it weren’t real).

He needed to understand systems, read wider, look for hard evidence of claims made.

My teenager actually argued this very point in a national final of a public speaking competition. He spoke about how young people are supposed to go out and suddenly vote at 18 when most of them have had no education about politics at all. He argued politics should be a core subject in school. He chose the topic because he realised how many of his peers couldn’t even name the main political parties, let alone what they stood for!

@HopeToFind I’m with you up until your Newcastle City Council point.

I don’t want any elected body using public money to tell us what is and isn’t misinformation, as it’s bound to be political.

Do they call out tweets that support council policy but are factually iffy, for example? Or police falsehoods on both sides of contentious issues equally?

I started off being sure I was going to vote for Brexit. Did a lot of reading up and watching debates etc and voted remain in the end. I can’t fathom why people don’t try and understand the consequences of their vote.

You should be so proud of your dc!

Surely, if he was accessing free healthcare in Spain for numerous operations, he was legally resident in Spain?

Many people (including me) are too old to have benefited from it, but in England Citizenship is compulsory in the national curriculum at key stage 3 and 4 (and I think has been for over 20 years.). I believe it’s voluntary at key stages 1 and 2).

I think the statutory programmes of study are pretty comprehensive.

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5f324f7ad3bf7f1b1ea28dca/SECONDARY_national_curriculum_-_Citizenship.pdf

Newcastle Council correct facts about policy and process. I’ve added an example. Good to educate, good to prevent misinformation and conspiracy theories!

Many council staff are bound by politically restrictive posts to ensure partiality. Job at risk for a breach.

Yes most schools add this to their PSHE lessons. I don't trust the school system to be teaching fair and unbiased. My child came home once they'd been talking about politics and she said she was pretty much bullied into agreeing anyone who voted refrom was a racist. It would be good If they were having proper conversations with students and discuss the pros and cons of each party. In reality it doesn't happen. They just pretend labour and socialism is wonderful, ow and the greens she said most kids were saying how good they are 😂 because again schools shove climate change agenda down our kids throats and brainwash them. I've shown her some of the greens policys and set her straight on that one.

I think providing facts on process is fairly safe ground.

But as soon as it gets to policy it gets onto slippery ground.

Let’s say I make a provably false claim in the process of criticizing their sanctuary city policy. It might seem fine for council staff to correct that. But unless they are also correcting false claims in posts that support the policy then it ends up being politically partial.

If school staff are showing bias, with accurate evidence, parents can follow the school’s complaint procedure and have this investigated.

Of course this demands that parents also have enough understanding of politics to evidence the bias, as opposed to the delivered politics curriculum not matching their own views.

@MissyB1 Labour are keen on voting age being 16! Heaven help us. It’s really not acceptable.