ACLU Sues NJ DOE over H.S. Voter Registration

[chanel]

In 1985, New Jersey passed a law giving all eligible high school seniors the right to receive a voter registration form and voter education as they neared adulthood. The law required the DOE to pass regulations to effectuate the law and ensure compliance. But the DOE never did. And even when the DOE earlier this year created a minimal and insufficient compliance requirement for public schools, it still wholly ignored the rights of students at private and charter schools.

“The result is that students in 40 to 60 percent of school districts are not being educated about a fundamental aspect of our democracy, or are not receiving the tools they need to register and to vote,” stated Robert Brandon, president of the Fair Elections Legal Network.

According to Census Department figures, youths age 18-24 vote at far lower rates than their older counterparts. The past two presidential elections years have shown gaps ranging from 12 to 23 percent between the rates of youth voter registration and turnout and the voter registration and turnout of the population as a whole.

Estelle Rogers of Project Vote noted that her group is engaged in a year-long project to register 100,000 high school students in five states. “Research shows that it is possible to create long-term change by encouraging life-long civic participation from young people,” said Rogers. “School-based voter registration drives are one of the best ways of accomplishing this change,” she added.

Voter Groups Fight For Rights Of Students - Cape May County Herald

Should schools be mandated to provide "voter education"?

Side note: I believe High schools are supposed to provide selective service info as well. I don't think anyone is monitoring the compliance of that. Food for thought...

 

[California Girl]

It depends whether they are teaching them how to vote or HOW to vote.

 

[chanel]

Its a slippery slope CG. Every year a student will ask me who I am voting for and I always say that information is private. I imagine many teachers would answer that more honestly. Most kids vote like their parents. But many parents don't vote. Hence, they would most likely follow what their teacher does. I don't like it for many reasons but practically speaking, it will be another mandate put on teachers that will take away from regular instructional time. Have the forms available in the guidance office and let them read them themselves. If they are mature enough to vote, they should be mature enough to make their own decision.

 

[manifold]

I guess it's a question of priorities.

This ranks lower than math and reading IMO, but higher than how to put on a condom.

 

[rightwinger]

I think schools should give 18 year olds registration cards, information on where their polling place is and general information on the voting process. But I don't think they should receive anything more than any other citizen who is eligible to vote.

The civics part of voting should be covered in normal classroom courses required for graduation.

 

[blu]

kids should be taught the truth of our corrupt government and how to make molotov cocktails instead