What is a Political Idea?

The way one defines a political idea is debatable. One could say that any opinion that has a reasonable counterargument is a political idea. Another viewpoint could say that a political idea is something specific that has to make a change in a community as a whole. Both of these perspectives are valid, and they contribute to how a person goes about having conversations about politics. 

There are a number of political topics ranging from the environmental state of the earth to menstrual laws. These topics are widely argued across the U.S., including in our schools. English teacher Robert Tesmond explains that politics should have an impact on the well-being of different communities in the country, ultimately encouraging room for discussion in a political setting. 

“A political idea is really something that involves our community and the decisions that need to be made to better it,” Tesmond said. “I would say that politics is something important that needs to be discussed and that people will have a wide spectrum of ideas on those topics.” 

Mikva Challenge is a non-profit organization that works with schools to activate and amplify student voices on issues they care about. With the current political climate of the country, the Chief Education Officer of Mikva Challenge, Jill Bass, adds that anything can be made political. Recently mask mandates and traveling have been politically disputed due to COVID-19 and the idea of freedom. Before 2020, traveling and wearing masks would not have been depicted as a political stance. However, the climate of the world can easily change the way people view politics. 

“I think everything feels political right now, and people are so afraid of that,” Bass said. “But because of who we are, everything in this country is a political thing. People’s identities are political, walking down the street, and depending on who you are and what the street is, could be political. Everything is political.”