Government determines the way our country, our state and our cities run.
Government makes laws that all of us must obey and creates rules about almost everything connected with our daily lives.
Laws and rules are needed to make sure everyone is treated fairly, that all of us our safe and that the things we need like a place to live, sidewalks, streets, schools, electricity and water work right.
I'm just a kid. Most of the time I'm at school.
What does government have to do with that?
How did that school building get there?
If you go to a public school - the cost of the building and running your school is paid for by government. Most of the money for operating schools comes from local government (your city or town). But state government and even the federal government pitches in money to make sure that every child has an opportunity to get a good education.
OK so it's not McDonalds... the school cafeteria is still really important!
Your grandparents probably remember the time when schools did not have cafeterias or serve lunches to students. The national School Lunch Program was started in 1946 right after World War II ended. The goal of the school lunch program was to improve children's nutrition and also a way to use up the leftover canned food that was originally created for our soldiers in the war!
Today, more than fifty million American kids buy their lunches at school!
Government even decides what you will eat for lunch! The federal government has experts who know what foods are best for us to eat. In fact, they are the ones who came up with the Food Pyramid. The federal government makes the rules to insure that all children receive a well-balanced, healthy meal for lunch every day.
The next time you pick up your tray at the cafeteria - look it over. You will find at least one serving of meat or some other source of protein, two servings of fruit and/or vegetables, one serving of a grain product like noodles, spaghetti, or bread, and milk.
Besides setting the menu for school lunches, the federal government also pays for some kids' lunches. Sometimes families find themselves having hard times and may not have the money to pay for their children's school lunches. When that happens the federal government takes care of the costs to make sure these kids get a good school lunch.
What do these kids do in the summer for food if their families are having a hard time? Well, more than 15 million kids receive free lunches even during the summer - all paid for by the federal government!
Did you know that the second week in October every year is National School Lunch Week? Even though you don't get to eat your favorite foods everyday at school - try to remember (and even appreciate) your school cafeteria and that your government works hard to make sure all kids get nutritious food to help keep them healthy and strong.
Is the government in my classroom?
You bet! Government even decides which books you use in your classes and what you study.
Unlike some other countries in the world, the United States does not have a national curriculum. What that means is the federal government does not decide what every school in every state will teach.
State government decides what you will be taught in your school. In fact, every child in Oklahoma schools takes the exact same test once a year to make sure everyone is learning the same things.
State government also decides which textbooks you will use. The books that are used in Oklahoma may be different than the books used for the same class in some other state.
Government also sends money to your school to pay for the books in your media center, the equipment in your science class, and the PCs and Internet connections in your computer lab.
Your teacher also has rules set by the state government that determine if he/she is qualified to teach. Each state government has its own requirements for teachers and a test that they must take before they can teach in your classroom. In fact teachers have to get a license to teach just like drivers have to get driver's licenses before they can drive.
So now you know that teachers have to go to school and have to pass tests to get to teach - just like you! (One more terrific thing - teachers also get report cards! Even your school gets a report card! State government looks at how your teacher and your school are doing so it can submit a big report to the federal government.)
Well now you know that government is in your school. What about other places in your town?
Buildings.
It takes a lot of planning to make sure that a city is organized in a good way. People with a job called city planners create the masters plan for each city. Their plans determine where houses will be built, where businesses and malls will be built and where manufacturing facilities and other industrial sites will be located. City planners also consider how many schools, parks and churches will be needed in your city.
Government also creates rules called building codes to make sure each home is built in a way to be safe and energy efficient. Many of these rules are set by a federal government agency known as the Department of Housing and Urban Development or HUD.
HUD also makes sure all public buildings are designed to be handicap-accessible so people in wheelchairs or who have other disabilities can use all new buildings.
Library.
Have you ever gone to the library with your parents or your class to check out a book or look at a video? Government helps to pay for libraries, their materials and their programs.
Libraries have more than just books to read! Libraries also provide a central place for communities to preserve historical documents and materials. Most libraries also have rooms for special classes, city lectures, and voter registration centers.
Media.
Although most newspapers, television and radio stations are owned and paid for by individuals or companies, government helps pay for public radio and television. In central Oklahoma we watch public television on OETA.
Public radio and television provide news and important educational programs in addition to movies and other entertainment. Government does not pay for everything for these stations so it's important for the public to support them with contributions so they can continue to operate.
Fire Department.
Have you ever met a fireman? Has a fireman ever visited your school? The cost of operating a fire department is paid for by city government.
Being a fireman is a full time job in cities that are large enough to support a paid fire department. In smaller towns and in rural areas the firemen are volunteers. That means they have other jobs, but when there is a fire, they drop everything to come help.
City government pays the salaries of full-time firemen and pays for the buildings, equipment and firetrucks they need to do their job. In small communities, city and county government pays for the equipment that is needed for the volunteer fire department.
Firemen do much more than just put out fires. They spend a lot of time teaching people how to prevent fires and what to do in case of a fire. They also inspect buildings to make sure they are safe as they can be and to make sure there are working smoke detectors in the building.
Police.
Did you know the first police department was founded in 1844 in New York City? You probably know what the police do but did you know there are many different kinds of police officers and that different kinds of police are paid by different kinds of government money?
The police in your city or town are paid for by city government and are responsible for enforcing the laws of your community. Their most important job is to make sure your community is safe. They do this by issuing traffic tickets to people who are not driving safely and by investigating crimes and arresting the people who commit them. The local police also work with schools to educate kids on many things including bicycle safety, stranger danger, and the dangers of drugs.
The sheriff and sheriff deputies help local police department by watching over rural areas that don't have their own police departments. They are paid for by county government.
The Oklahoma Highway Patrol is our state police force. They are paid for by state government. Their job is to make sure people obey the speed limits on highways, investigate accidents, and help people who are having trouble on our highways.
There are even police officers that are paid by the federal government. These include the United States Marshalls and the FBI (Federal Bureau of Investigation). Their job is to protect the federal courts and help states find prisoners who escape from jail and flee to other states.
Health.
There are several kinds of health care that are paid in whole or in part by government.
City and county government help build hospitals to make sure that everyone
can get to a doctor when they have an emergency or get sick.
The federal government also helps to pay for health care for children, the elderly, poor people, and people who are disabled.
The government even helps to pay for shots that kids need to keep from getting serious
disease like smallpox and the measles.
Citizenship: What happens if there's something that government is doing that I don't like?
How can I change what's going on?
The most important thing you can do is become a registered voter so you can participate in elections and make a difference in the way things are done.
Voting is not just a right. It is a privilege.
Voting is the most important example of freedom in the United States.
There are many places in the world where people do not have the right to vote.
When you vote you make sure your opinion is shared with the people who make decisions on your behalf.
How do you qualify to vote?
You must be a citizen of the United States and be at least 18 years old.
There are many reasons to vote.
When you vote you help determine who will represent you in city, county, state, and federal government.
When you vote you help determine how the government spends its money and what services receive more money than others.
When you vote you make sure your voice is heard on how things are going run in city, state, and federal government.
When you vote you can make changes in your town, in Oklahoma, and in Washington D.C. You can vote to have more computers in your school. You can vote to have better roads and highways. You can vote to have more parks and public swimming pools. There is no limit to the importance of your one vote.
If you don't vote you give up your
chance to make a difference.
Don't let that happen.
Mark it on your calendar.
On your 18th birthday - Register to vote!
Be a good Citizen!
