Podcast Classroom Guide: Driver education and the role of government in public safety
In this podcast episode Mike Dunbar and Anna Brown discuss whether students should have to complete an official driver education course or if the state should let parents teach driver education at home.
Length:
Podcast includes 9 minutes about a bill to change New Hampshire’s driver education requirements, 3 minutes about a bill to ban pets from the driver’s seat.
Key concepts/standards
- Trust and legitimacy in representative forms of government
- SS:WH:8:1.1: Explore how leaders have attempted to achieve political legitimacy using methods and rationales, e.g., the Divine Right of Kings, military power, or popular elections. (Themes: E: Cultural Development, Interaction, and Change, H: Individualism, Equality and Authority)
- SS:CV:8:1.2: Analyze the major arguments for and against representative government as distinguished from direct democracy, and discuss how, in a representative democracy, minority rights are protected. (Themes: B: Civic Ideals, Practices, and Engagement, E: Cultural Development, Interaction, and Change, H: Individualism, Equality and Authority)
- The impact of a small number of votes in elected governments
- SS:CV:8:4.1: Describe and analyze ways Americans can effectively participate in civic and political life at the local, state, and federal levels, e.g., problem solving, public engagement, or voting. (Themes: A: Conflict and Cooperation, B: Civic Ideals, Practices, and Engagement, J: Human Expression and Communication)
- SS:CV:12:4.1: Demonstrate responsible practices within the political process, e.g., registering to vote or taking civic action. (Themes: B: Civic Ideals, Practices, and Engagement)
Discussion questions
- What are the pros and cons of allowing parents to teach drivers education at home?
- What are potential unintended consequences of allowing parents to teach drivers education?
- Who would stand to benefit from this bill becoming law?
- Why is drivers education important? Should New Hampshire do away with these requirements entirely, and simply allow students to take the drivers license test without additional classroom requirements?
- Do you support letting parents teach their children drivers education? Why or why not?
