CHICAGO (CBS) — The students CBS News Chicago met during a social studies class at Chicago’s Amundsen High School are too young to vote, but they still have a lot on their minds.
The students talk about the topics and the candidates in class, and they have a lot to say.
Kyle Learn has been teaching social studies and history at Amundsen High School, located at 5110 N. Damen Ave., for several years. in the Ravenswood neighborhood on the North Side. When CBS News Chicago visited his classroom, he challenged juniors, and some seniors, with questions, such as how they could influence an election without voting.
Prospective voters were in strong positions as Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump campaigned against each other.
“I feel like neither side is doing very well,” junior Silas Palm said. “Both have not shown as much information as I think they could have.”
“I feel like it’s a little immature right now,” junior Michael Berkich said.
“It’s like they’re bickering with each other without really providing solutions,” said senior Tanesha Gholson.
Mr. Learn is passionate about the political process and has always wanted to share it. He asked the students what issues are important to them and made a list: abortion, immigration, cost of living, health care, economics, cost of college, climate, foreign policy, gun control.
“To motivate students, you have to show them why it is relevant,” Mr Learn said.
So Mr. Learn and his students focus on issues and identify what is important to them. The students indicated the most important topics they are concerned with this election season.
“Something that’s more important to me right now is gun control because there have been a lot of school shootings,” Michael said.
“For me, it’s definitely the cost of living,” says Tanesha.
“Equality in the LGBTQ community, and racial equality, sexual equality,” Silas said.
Mr. Learn said part of his goal is to ensure his students don’t go for the lowest common denominator when choosing the media they use to gain their political knowledge.
“Another thing is that it really shows: teaching students how to become well informed about the issues – not just based on sound bites, not just based on things you hear on TikTok – to become truly informed citizens,” he said.
Between Silas, Tanesha and Michael, only Tanesha, now 19, will be able to vote in November.
“It’s my first time voting, so it’s a little nerve-wracking,” she said.
But all three students think voting is important.
“When you’re an adult, it’s just important to vote,” Michael said, “because you put your opinion out there, you say what you want, and what you vote for can influence someone else.”
That sounds like music to Mr. Learn’s ears. For him, teaching social studies goes beyond the ‘how’ of voting; the ‘why’ is more important.”
“If you are not informed, if you are not an active citizen and participating in democracy, things are not going to look the way you want them to,” Mr Learn said. “The policy will not change in a way that benefits you.”
The students CBS News Chicago spoke to seemed to agree with that sentiment — and with holding elected officials accountable. Silas said he wants to make sure elected officials help, “and not just for their own benefit.”
