Third party awareness
Olivier Douliery/Abaca Press from Tribune News Service
Green Party presidential nominee Jill Stein announces the formation of an exploratory committee to seek the Green Party’s presidential nomination again in 2016 during an event at the National Press Club Feb. 6, 2015 in Washington, D.C.
November 1, 2016
This election year, due to the two major party’s power many students are uniformed on third party candidates.
When we look at whether or not students believe the school system does a good job at informing on third party candidates it was often the same answer:
“No.” Natalia Medina, a PHS sophomore said. “Because everyone [students] thinks we either need to vote for Trump or Hillary.”
Students aren’t the only one who believe that the school system failed to fully inform them on other parties.
“From what I read in the local newspapers.” Vito Mastrangelo from the the Jill Stein campaign said. “Teachers and the administration do not educate students sufficiently about anyone but the two corporate parties.”
When reaching out the Libertarian Party of Illinois it was the same answer, 3rd party candidates are not adequately addressed.
Libertarian presidential candidate Gary Johnson is interviewed at the Los Angeles Times on Feb. 11, 2016 in Los Angeles, Calif. Purple PAC, which originally supported Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul, has spent $1 million on advertising for Johnson.
“The two major parties have a lot of power.” Mrs. Hedgepeth a social studies teacher at PHS said. “[They] manage to silence the 30 or more other political parties we have to choose from.”
There seems to be a lack of education on alternative candidates in the United States and specifically Palatine High. However there is hope, Palatine Political Action Club recently started and is working towards informing students on the democratic system.
