This fall, the 2024 presidential election between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump will dominate headlines and social media feeds — but also school hallway conversations, lunch table debates, and teachers’ lesson plans. Many recent graduates and current students will cast a vote for the first time in their lives.
In collaboration with Headway, a new initiative at The New York Times, Chalkbeat has been posing questions about the presidential election to educators and high school students since February. We have heard from nearly 1,000 students and 200 teachers across the nation.
We will take you into a few educators’ classrooms this fall. Teachers shared stories of feeling overwhelmed by the amount of misinformation brought into their schools, particularly from what students hear and see on social media. While some shared frustration with a lack of interest from their students in elections, many expressed admiration for how engaged young people are at this moment.
We heard students who live in diverse school communities ranging from rural Tennessee and Indiana to urban Chicago and New York City. Many young people who wrote in are now high school graduates and can cast a vote in a presidential election for the first time. Some expressed feeling disillusioned by the voting system or said they’re too busy to pay much attention. But many told Chalkbeat and the Headway that they are highly interested in this election and want to see more of their peers engaged and represented in the outcome.
Over the next eight weeks, Headway and Chalkbeat will ask students and recent graduates a series of questions about how they are relating to the election and share their responses. We will publish stories from recent graduates and current students who will vote in a presidential election for the first time, and we’ll tell you which issues are having the greatest impact on how they cast their ballots. We’ll also take you inside schools, where the election cycle will shape classroom discussions in real time, and share stories from educators navigating this pivotal moment with their students.
Students: If you’re ready to participate, the challenge starts here.
We’re excited to hear what you have to say. Educators, please feel free to share the questions with students you know. If you have any questions or thoughts, reach out to DearHeadway@nytimes.com and community@chalkbeat.org.
Read more about the 2024 presidential election from Chalkbeat:
- Ending the U.S. Department of Education: What it would mean and why Trump and Project 2025 want it
- Kamala Harris is running for president again. Here’s what to know about her education record.
- In Tim Walz, many teachers see themselves — and an opportunity
Caroline Bauman is the deputy managing editor for engagement at Chalkbeat.
