Civic Learning Round-Up: December

In this series, Citizens & Scholars compiles the best recent articles, reports, and research from around the civic learning field. Stay up-to-date on the latest news, trends, and developments in efforts to build effective citizens. 

New Report: Young Voters in 2022: Black and Non-College Youth Were Underrepresented

CIRCLE‘s analysis of 2022 exit poll data and population data highlights that white and college-educated youth remain overrepresented among midterm voters.

In their analysis,  they compare the demographics of young voters to the demographics of all young U.S. citizens ages 18-29.

The article highlights 4 key findings: 

1. White youth were overrepresented among voters in 2022 and have been since 2006. In contrast, Black youth are consistently underrepresented among voters.
2. That pattern is driven in large part by an overrepresentation of white women, who make up 27% of all citizens in that age group but 33% of the youth electorate, and an underrepresentation of Black men: 7% of young citizens but only 4% of young voters.
3. Among and across all racial groups, youth who have not attended college were heavily underrepresented among voters in 2022.
4. Many of these patterns of underrepresentation can be traced back to structural barriers and ongoing inequities in young people’s civic education and engagement.

Read the report

Youth Civic Development 

• How Gen Z Could Transform American Politics | FiveThirtyEight
• Near record-high numbers of young people voted during the midterms, signaling a possible shift – or exception – in voting trends | Houston Chronicle

• Student power in Georgia: Young, engaged and determined to vote | Bradenton Herald 

• How Gen Z is changing the politics of funs in America | Op-Ed, wbur
• Gen Z might finally turn young voters into a political power | Op-Ed, The Washington Post
• Run GenZ takes credit for helping keep Iowa a deep red state | AXOS Des Moines 

• Gen-Z Shifts the Tide to Halt Midterm and the Red Wave | Marist Circle 

• Josh Shapiro’s Campaign for Pennsylvania Governor Got a Boost From Daughter Sophia | Teen Vogue 

• Young Voters Showed Up—Now Comes the Hard Part | The Institute for Citizens & Scholars

• What America’s politicians get wrong about young voters | Vox

Higher Ed & Campus Life

• The Apolitical University: Should institutions remain neutral on controversial issues? Is that even possible? | Chronicle of Higher Education

• Reimagining Democracy Through Student Activism | Inside Higher Ed

• Reset this: Change how we teach civics in America | Op-Ed, The Hill

• Friendships Can Heal Campus Divisions, Study Finds, and Administrators Play a Big Role | Chronicle of Higher Education

K-12 Education 

• One state is poised to teach media literacy starting in kindergarten | The Hechinger Report

• Civic education and engagement must become higher priorities | Missouri Independent

• Want less political polarization? Invest in more civics education | Lexington Herald Leader 

• Reset this: Change how we teach civics in America | The Hill 

• We Must Invest in Civics to Inform and Reengage an Increasingly Isolated America | Op-Ed, Times-Tribune 

• What’s Really Going on in History Classrooms? A New Project Aims to Find Out | Ed Week
• What Teachers Should Consider Before Using AI-Powered Tools in the Classroom | Ed Week

• Area school districts implementing citizenship test requirement | Tulsa World

 Civic Learning Field 

• We must invest in civics to inform and reengage an increasingly isolated America | Northern Kentucky Tribune 

• Center for Politics hosts annual American Democracy Conference | CBS 19 News 

• It Can Happen Here: 8 Great Books to Read About the Decline of Democracy | NY Times
• Is American democracy breaking? How would we know? | Christian Science Monitor 
• Repairing America’s Broken Democracy: Bridge Alliance Members Take Action – Morgan Rako, COO at College to Congress | City Biz 
• US Constitution is still worth defending and protecting | Op-Ed, The Post and Courier  

• Pitt-Johnstown announces partnership with K-12 schools for civic education, literacy | The Tribune-Democrat