Civics: Teach Your Kids About the Right to Vote
Families play an important role is shaping their children to be good citizens—including exercising their right to vote. This month in Texas, there are two opportunities to talk with our kids about civics and government: there is the 4th of July, the Independence Day holiday, as well as a runoff primary election that got postponed due to COVID-19.
For more ideas about summer experiences you can do while learning at home with your kids, visit the main page, Charter a Summer of Learning.
Our Mission: Advocacy for Quality Education
San Antonio Charter Moms is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, and part of our mission is to advocate for high quality education in San Antonio. On all of our platforms, especially in the San Antonio Charter Moms discussion group on Facebook, we share news and promote constructive dialogue to help parents make up their minds about education issues and candidates. We encourage members to know who represents them at the state and local level, and know how to reach out to them to get their voices heard. However, we do not endorse candidates.
How to Exercise Your Right to Vote
Before COVID-19, I would take my kids with me when I went to vote, and I look forward to doing that again someday. Isn’t it cute when kids wear those “Future Voter” stickers?
Currently, in Texas, early voting has begun for the July 14 runoff primary election. Here are some non-partisan resources:
Bexar County Elections Department—find early voting locations and hours; download a sample ballot for your precinct
SA 2020‘s I Love San Antonio guide
League of Women Voters of Texas‘s VOTE411 guide with candidate information.
San Antonio Express-News editorial board‘s candidate endorsements
Vote Texas, from the Office of the Texas Secretary of State, including an application for a mail-in ballot
Texas Tribune information about voting by mail
Historical Documents for Civics Education
A good way to talk to your kids about our government is to look back to the original documents. Here are some online resources:
The Declaration of Independence at the National Archives
The Constitution of the United States at the National Archives
Educational resources from the National Constitution Center
“Slavery at Jefferson’s Monticello: Paradox of Liberty” at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture
“A Nation’s Story: ‘What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?'” (about Frederick Douglas’s speech on July 5, 1852) at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture
Charter Moms Chats
Watch Inga Cotton’s message on civics and teaching your kids about the right to vote on Charter Moms Chats.
For more ideas about summer experiences you can do while learning at home with your kids, visit the main page, Charter a Summer of Learning.
About the Author
Inga Cotton is the Founder and Executive Director of San Antonio Charter Moms. Ever since her kids were babies, she has been taking them to places around town, including early voting sites, as a way to shape their education.
