2:47pm Friday 12th March 2010
OAKLANDS College will continue its Question Time events with the visit of Labour MEP Richard Howitt next week.
Oaklands has been running the political question and answer sessions since January.
Tory MP for St Albans, Anne Main, was the first politician to visit on Janaury 25.
The college's A-level politics students then grilled Green Party candidate Jack Easton in February; local Labour leader and candidate Roma Mills on March 1 and Lib Dem PPC Sandy Walkington yesterday.
Hans Svennevig, lecturer in citizenship, government and politics at Oaklands College said: “Our students have relished the opportunity to meet local MPs and party candidates. It’s not every day that you get to meet them face-to-face and pose questions that are important to you and your local community.
“The experience was very valuable for our students and will help them to better engage with the subject of politics and the forthcoming General Election.”
Some of the questions posed to Mrs Main included:
Q:Should 16 year olds vote?
Mrs Main said that they shouldn’t be given the burden of such a choice, including the responsibilities that it brings with it, for example, paying taxes.
Q:Is politics corrupt, taking into account the expenses scandal?
Mrs Main said that every party had a part to play in the expenses scandal. She called for the system to be changed completely.
Q:Does class voting affect social mobility?
Mrs Main said that it depends on a person’s aspirations. She came from a working class, liberal leaning background but feels that everyone should have the duty to work and therefore provide for themselves.
Q:Should schools have the power to exclude students?
Mrs Main said that schools should be given more power to deal with unruly students and that society needs to start looking at the root causes of difficult behaviour in students.
Mr Howitt will face students on March 19 while Reverend Iain Lane of the Christian Studies Organisation and an Amnesty International representative will attend on April 22 and May 18 respectively.
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