Page 192 - Powerful Social Studies for Elementary Students 4th Edition

164 Powerful Social Studies for Elementary Students
realizing that mail carriers and most teachers do work for the government (Hess & Torney, 1967; Moore, Lare, & Wagner, 1985).
More recent studies have reinforced and extended these findings. They again indicate that children’s thinking about government focuses on leaders and face-to-face command- ing rather than hierarchies of offices and levels of government. Children generally emphasize either or both of two main ideas: government as a source of authority and power over people’s actions and government as a benevolent resource that protects us, solves problems, and helps people in need. Most children are not very clear about who does what, but they share a general perception that the nation, state and/or local com- munity are run by competent people who take actions as needed to protect the health, safety, and general welfare of the citizens. A few display naiveté in describing the extent of governmental benevolence or the motivations behind it (e.g., keep the streets clean to protect birds from choking), and a few others display resentment against governmental exercise of authority (e.g., enforcing eviction notices), but most speak matter-of-factly when describing the nature and functions of government.
About half of primary students know that the president is elected. Others assume that the vice president moves up or that the new president is appointed by the previous pres- ident or some committee of knowledgeable leaders, based on display of competency (making good decisions, giving good speeches) and virtue (works hard, keeps promises). They do not assume that the office is hereditary. Thus, even young children who do not yet know much about our form of government already have learned that our country is neither a monarchy nor a totalitarian state and have been conditioned to view it as a meritocracy. If asked to draw comparisons with kings and queens, children often depict monarchs as basking in the trappings of inherited luxury, while depicting presidents as working long hours for the good of the country during their limited time in office.
Most children convey a positive view of laws, depicting them as needed and helpful. However, their rationales tend to be limited to keeping us safe (traffic laws) or ensuring a well-ordered society and preventing chaos (laws against crimes). They rarely speak of laws as securing people’s rights or making sure that they are treated fairly. They often are unsure about whether or how new laws might be introduced or older laws might be changed. When they are aware of particular laws, these tend to be laws regulating the behavior of individuals rather than commerce, corporations, or governmental processes, especially laws of special interest to children (focusing on bicycle safety, seatbelts, smoking, alcohol, drugs, or weapons).
Children are more aware of judges today than in the past because of the popularity of courtroom settings, both fictional and realistic, on television. They generally depict courtrooms in which the judge (rather than a jury) is the arbiter who decides which side wins the case and what subsequent actions will be taken. They depict judges as pre- siding over their courtrooms by banging their gavels, lecturing defendants about their behavior or questioning them about their motives, or questioning witnesses to clarify what they saw. If children mention other courtroom actors (e.g., juries, attorneys), they usually depict them as judges’ advisors or helpers rather than as people with their own unique roles to play in deciding cases.
Children usually do not think or know much about where the money to pay for gov- ernment comes from. If asked, younger children are likely to say that the government (and more specifically, the president or governor) gets money from banks or prints whatever money is needed. Later they begin to understand that money to pay for gov- ernment comes from the people but are vague about how the process works. They may not know or use the term “taxes.” Those who do may understand “taxes” as bills to be paid, but may confuse them with utility bills or house or car payments. Even those who
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