Meeting every Friday morning, Edina High School’s Political Science Club provides space for politically minded students to have respectful and nuanced discussions about politics, current events, and social issues.
Senior and club Co-President Bridgette Roberts said that the club’s main goal is to avoid having party-focused discussions.
“I think we’re doing a pretty good job of not grouping into two parties or saying well, ‘I’m a Democrat, or I’m a Republican,’” Roberts said. “I think everyone understands that political beliefs are such a spectrum, and [naming] two parties doesn’t encompass everything. We all are able to criticize and review and reflect on both sides of the political spectrum, whether or not we associate with one more than the other.”
This objective allows for a diverse makeup of the club’s members. “I think the people we have in our club definitely reflect the demographic of the Twin Cities and we do have the full political spectrum represented,” senior and Co-President Sonia Deshpande said.
Roberts mentions that this diversity of political ideology is represented even in the leadership of the club.
“It’s good to have [multiple viewpoints] because otherwise, the conversations can get a little boring,” Roberts said. “when [someone says], ‘well, I actually disagree,’ it really opens up the conversation more. It gets me more excited…and then it just makes just everything so more engaging.”
A typical meeting begins with the club’s presidents choosing a topic ahead of time to begin the conversation with. Typically the topics flow naturally from one issue to the next. “Maybe we start in education, [then] go over to healthcare, because things are all intertwined. There’s so many other factors that [play] into it that you know you need to address,” Roberts said.
A club centered around political discourse could quickly get heated. “We definitely have to keep it moderated. I don’t say we limit our speech, but I think everyone in the room is mindful of other people’s opinions,” Roberts said
According to freshman Layla Scoll, a new member of the club, this respectfulness of opinion creates a “competitive” yet “welcoming” atmosphere.
Members of the Political Science Club feel that it is important to have groups that create safe spaces to have conversations about politics and social issues with respect, while simultaneously embracing openness to diverse ideas and opinions. “I think if you’re interested in current events, in making a change somehow, in activism, in any way, it’s a really good club to your opinions and meet people who are either like-minded or who disagree, and just have a conversation about something that’s not super academic,” Roberts said.
This piece was originally published in Zephyrus’ print edition on November 4, 2024
