I voted!

In this class, I've been forced to think about education and public policy in ways I never have before. As I begin to develop a new perspective on what it means to live in a democracy and to be a productive citizen, I am beginning to understand why it's all so important.

For a long time, I've tried to deny my (for lack of a better word) politicalness. I knew that I was passionate about certain issues but I thought they were matters of humanity, compassion, and tolerance. Politics seemed to imply deception, contention, and controversy, of which I wanted none of. Now, however, I think I have learned that in being passionate about certain causes and fights, you become inherently political.

The first big push for me was animal rights. I have been a vegetarian for four years now and it all started with a video I watched online about the terrible conditions animals suffer on factory farms. Last year, I took a seminar on Ecofeminism and Vegetarianism, from which I learned of the correlation between all forms of oppression; although it took some time to admit it to myself, I now consider myself a proud feminist. I declared my minor in Women's Studies and have dedicated myself to advocating for animal, women's, and GLBTQ issues especially.

A few months ago, I began to get really fired up about the election. I urged my friends and family members to register to vote, to vote in the primaries and to educate themselves. While his stances on the issues of women's reproductive health and gay marriage - the most important issues to me - cemented my endorsement of Barack Obama, I urged my friends to learn about all the candidates and to pick the one they thought was best. The important thing, I would say, is that you vote, and as long as you know why you're doing it, I don't care who you vote for. When friends told me that they simply weren't "into" politics, I'd still tell them I wasn't either, in denial of the obvious. It's not about knowing politics, it's about knowing what you stand for, and who stands with you, I told them.

However, last Tuesday, I finally came to terms with it: I am very much political in everything I do. And you know what? I'm glad I am. I'm proud to be in a place in my life where I know what is important to me and to live in a time when it's ok for a woman to have a voice in government, to influence others to be active citizens as well. When Obama won, I realized that I have the power to make changes in the way people around me act and think, and that together, we could do wonderful things.

Getting back to this class: it has been fascinating to learn about educational policy at such an important time in US history. I think we can all agree that change needs to happen for public schools, and I have faith that we picked the right man for the job. The more I learn about educational systems, the more passionate about them I become. I cannot wait to become a teacher and to take all of my passions with me, and to hopefully take part in a change for the better in public schools.