by Beth Pellicciotti, Civics Education Portfolio Director, LWV or Washington 

In March 2020, Spokane League member Marilyn Darilek and I presented to an American History course in one of the Spokane high schools. Topics included the history of voting, the Centennial of the League of Women Voters, and ratification of the 19th Amendment. Before our presentation, the history teacher reported a current event: all San Francisco Bay Area public schools were closing due to COVID. We gasped—it seemed unbelievable. A few days later, all the Spokane Public Schools moved online.   

Now more than two years later, I was back in a classroom, facing four classes of civics students. It was good to be back! Here is what I presented and what I learned from students. 

Students like stories about people and their history of voting. I showed students a picture of my mother-in-law at age 100. I told them she was born in 1917 and had been disenfranchised at birth. Why? Students remarked that she looked very good at 100 and asked how she kept her face from becoming lined. They added that she had been disenfranchised because of gender. 

I told them to steel themselves because they would see my high school graduation picture from 1968. When I was 18 in 1968, I couldn’t vote in the upcoming presidential election. Why was I disenfranchised?  They responded, “age.” I asked, “What was the contentious war at that time that led to the argument about voting age?” Students knew the argument: young men were being drafted to fight in the Vietnam War but were not old enough to vote.   

The civics teacher then shared a story about his first time voting in 2000; it took weeks to determine who won the presidency. He stressed to the students, “You will always remember the first time you vote for president. Your year will be 2024.” 

Students also like to share stories about their own lived history. When we discussed the importance of voting locally, I showed a picture of my presenting to an 8 a.m. civics class in December 2019.  At that time, I asked students, “What elected body determines that we be in school at 8 a.m.?” That was a tough one to answer, but after a few tries, students answered with the school board. However, everyone in that early morning class was sure that their own class schedules would never change. 

And then I asked this current civics class, “Did your school schedules change in 2020?” A number of students responded, “We were online and then we attended school on alternate days.” I asked, “Who makes these important decisions?” The answer again was the school board. It is in their job description to respond to emergencies. I added, “Vote locally. The decisions that local public officials make are very important—they affect you directly.”    

It was good to be back in civics classes. I shared my stories, the teachers shared theirs, and students had a few of their own.