Nov. 23. 2017

At Central Kitsap High School, 56 percent of students polled say they pay little to no attention to politics. 24 percent of students say they pay a moderate amount of attention to politics, and only 20 percent of students say they pay a moderately strong or strong amount of attention to politics.

This is not a good thing.

“In the next ten years who’s going to be the people replacing these seats in elections? It’s going to be us when we’re grown up,” says senior Connor Lowe, “I think we should get a head start on getting information… [and] finding what we would support.”

Many teens may not be paying attention to politics because we don’t think we need to, says Lowe.

“It doesn’t directly affect them right now,” he explains, “Most of us are still living with our parents, so when new legislation gets passed or a new tax gets passed it affects more our parents or not us, we’re not affected.”

A survey conducted by Stage of Life on U.S. youths reported that 83.5 percent of teens pay attention to politics. Senior Treys Neptune says it may be due to student’s busy schedules.

“Students tend to be busy with other schoolwork and clubs and sports,” he says “So it can be hard…to make time for watching the news.”