High School Socialist Club

[Skammunist]

Hey guys, I've decided to make a socialist club for the 2011-2012 school year at my high school. It's not going to start until August, but I already have some ideas. For example, it would be a lecture/community service club. Each 30 minute club period would consist of me explaining the basics of Marxism and socialism to people that know nothing about it. Every club meeting could have a different topic, such as imperialism, patriotism/nationalism, and socialist history. As the club founder, I'll give everybody a copy of the Manifesto so that they could follow along. Also, I plan to set up an anti-war table next to the military recruiters in the cafeteria as part of the club's activites. My question is, has anyone done this in their high school/college? Any advice you could give to making this club successful? Anything you would NOT reccomend?

Hopefully this works out, since I live in conservative Florida and my school has a lot of rednecks.

[The Idler]

Use color literature and books to attract people to your stall.
In meetings, don't just do theory or else it will be just like another lesson. As part of meetings, cover current affairs and what's in the news. Finally, organise events like protests/demos in Florida, and organise transport and tickets to a socialist event nationally at least once a year.
So for each meeting have a plan;
1. Theory
2. Current affairs
3. Protests/demos/events/conferences
In fact you could contact a nationwide socialist organisation and ask them to help, perhaps with a guest speaker at your meetings.

[Skammunist]

That's a good idea, breaking the 30 minute club period into different parts. However, I'll still have to teach socialism though. This club isn't for socialists, but rather to get a few of my friends to become socialists. This video is kind of similar to what I'll probably do for most of the period: youtube.com/watch?v=-e8rt8RGjCM&feature=related (copy and paste; I can't post links yet)

Of course, I'll make it a little more fun and interactive than that. The way I'll plan it would probably be 20 minutes of lecture on socialist basics, and the last 10 minutes discussing world issues, such as the demonstrations in Libya and whatnot. As you guys probably know, high school kids aren't exactly the most political bunch, and they're generally pretty apathetic towards most issues. I think it would be a good idea to explain socialism from a human and moral standpoint for the first few meetings and then gradually explain more complex Marxist theories and concepts as we progress.

[Decolonize The Left]

You might be interested in checking out this thread (http://www.revleft.com/vb/communist-club-high-t152775/index.html).

- August

[Sam_b]

Anything you would NOT reccomend?

Not doing every political lead-off yourself. What keeps people in organisations is being able to take charge and not be passive, being leaders if you will - it's all about cadrisation.

[Skammunist]

Yup, I'm trying to make positions such as vice-president, treasurer, and secretary. I'm already commissar, haha! The only thing is getting high school kids interested enough to want to take action.

[#FF0000]

Don't use words like "commissar". You don't want to make this a Soviet Union roleplaying society :lol:

Anyway, yes, don't just put yourself in as the only speaker. You'll have a hard time with this if it's just going to be you lecturing people who aren't socialists.

[Sam_b]

Why are you making such positions as 'Vice President' etc anyway? Surely there can be a distribution of work involved? Such practices help keep people in the group. Also a bit strange that you'd be a self appointed president or whatever.

[Skammunist]

How would you suggest the club to go? Can you suggest some fun ideas that will keep kids entertained but at the same time keep them passionate about socialism?

[#FF0000]

Well, first of all, do you have anyone else to work on this with you? Other socialists?

[Os Cangaceiros]

I'll give everybody a copy of the Manifesto so that they could follow along.

That would be a strange choice, despite it being probably the most famous communist work.

This (http://libcom.org/files/wcpw.pdf) is an OK (if simplistic, but that's the point) introduction to communist politics, I think.

[Skammunist]

Thanks a lot Explosive, I'll definately use that pamphlet you provided. The illustrations are good too.

FF, that's the thing. While I do have some friends that would join just because they're my friends, I'm really the only socialist in my classes, let alone the only one concerned with politics. That's why I believe it's important to make the club fun as well to keep them interested.

Of course, I'd try to make it as democratic as possible. Whatever they wanted to do within reason, I'd try to accommodate.

[a rebel]

if the point is to draw in new people, find any kind of injustice in your school (their not hard to find) and do something about it. If you do something big enough people will be interested and question you about it. I remember i spray painted a giant red hammer and sickle on to the walls in the gym. I did it because for some reason everyone loves to draw swastikas everywhere, and i wanted to counter act, and spread some socialism. When they caught me and brought me to the principal's office, I talked about how bad the school system was, how rotten our society (and as a result my fellow students) was. And he was hard pressed to argue because he new I was right. Afterward, random people were stopping me in the hall and asking me about it, and i think i converted a few people.

I'm not saying go and get in trouble to make a statement, but I've found it really hard to interest apathetic high school kids unless i did.

[LostDesperado]

I wish we had students like you in my school in Florida. I'm graduating soon but our school is full of republicans and rednecks..=.= But good luck Comrade.

[Old Mole]

When I was in high school we had a socialist club, it failed because we were to few and didnt have any concrete ideas on what its purpose would be. However, in those days I was a member of leftist youth and a guy I knew there started his own club in his school inspired by me. He succeded because he had a lot of easily persuaded friends, but in the end his club was meaningless since it did´nt have any clear purpose either. From my experience I would advise against being to much of a missionary, instead you should try to think about what your friends are interested in and what they need, what "their socialism" would be. My point is that the best way to create a good organisation is to include people by having their needs as a starting point. What are the major issues in the "politics" of your school?

[Skammunist]

That's a very good point Mole. I'll be sure to keep that in mind. As far as school issues are concerned, I'll probably have to think of something. I previously mentioned the military recruiters, but I don't really want to kick them out. My idea would be to present students with an alternative to joining the military with an antiwar perspective. The recruiters supply our school with federal funding, so it would be foolish to campaign against them.

[MaximMK]

Good luck dude i hope it works in my country we don't have high school clubs. My country sucks. The youth is not interested in anything and people are uneducated about political wings. They just see the parties as different colors trying to get the government.

[Smyg]

Good luck. One of my friends started a subgroup of the Swedish CWI branch at his gymnasium (I guess it compares to high school) and it worked out just fine. ;)

[andrewsplane]

The International Socialist Organization has a very active chapter in Gainesville. Get in touch and we'll do whatever we can to help out.

[Binh]

I created a group like this in my high school in the 90s. It wasn't an explicitly socialist club, although I was the de facto leader simply because I was the only one with clear politics and organizing experience. We voted on future topics and rotated who would give the introduction. We got involved with a police brutality case, petitioned against a student's unfair expulsion, and organized students and teachers to get on a bus to march on Washington, D.C. to protest Bush Jr.'s inauguration in 2001 (yes, I'm old).

In hindsight, the only thing I would've done different is try to win people to reading 1 or 2 books/pamphlets to discuss.


Key things to remember:

1. Be flexible - no one is going to really want to join a club that's overly bureaucratic or formal. In my opinion, creating positions like treasurer, etc. is a bit much, unless of course your club becomes really big/popular and you need to have elected leaders, positions, etc.


2. Be concrete - find an issue that you can rally the student body (and the teachers even) around. Organizing against military recruiters on your campus is a great way to tap into anti-war sentiment, a good way to open up the discussion about imperialism -- why do we have money for attacking Libya but none for schools, etc. Another issue I'd suggest is legalizing gay marriage, a winnable fight and an issue that has a lot of support among younger people.


3. Be democratic - if you lose a vote on a future topic, it's not the end of the world. If the club votes to do something you don't agree with (writing a letter to a dictator pleading for human rights for example), go with it anyway because people will only learn by making mistakes. The important thing is that students have ownership over the club; if it's just you telling other people why they should be socialists and you make all of the important decisions people won't stick around long.


I hope you keep updating this thread as you go through the school year. Best of luck.

[Revolutionary_Marxist]

I've done something similar, but your best chance is too go on Facebook, and try too find other leftists, and have them help you set it up. Then, if you have a Facebook or some other social networking account, create a group and advertise it a little to attract future members of the club. Also allow other leftist groups in like Anarchists, Marxists, Leninists, Stalinists, Maoists, etcetra. The more leftists the stronger you'll become. Also when you teach Marxism for the first time, discuss it easily and slowly so other people can understand it, chances are they've been filled in with propaganda b.s so they wont be convinced easily or they wont understand it the first time around. Patience is a virtue. So best of luck comrade.

[Tovarishch Chinchar]

Whoa, I've been planning on doing the same thing and I've been looking for things for us to do, so tell me how did it work out and what did you accomplish?

[Luc]

I am not sure if you guys in U.S.A. have mandatory community service hours?

You could recruit via that way by giving students opurtunities to get these done and they could pick up on some Marx while doing them.

P.S. We (Ontario) got 40 hours, it's a *****!:lol:

Good Luck with the club, great idea:thumbup1:

[Skammunist]

Chinchar, my high school doesn't actually start until two days. The first club day might be a while after that, but I will make sure PM you how it goes.

Einfach, I as well as most of my friends are in the IB program, so we have to do mandatory service hours. That is a great idea though, using service hours to draw students in. We have to do 150 hours in two years, so that works out great!