Low Literacy Voters Struggle to Cast Ballots in the Face of Restrictive Voting Laws
Ask Students: What are some ways literacy tests have been used to block people from voting in the past, according to this interview?
Summary
Watch the video and complete the questions below. For a transcript of this story, click here.
Discussion Questions
- How many people struggle to read in the U.S., according to this story?
- Who is interviewed in this story, and what is her background?
- What are some ways literacy tests have been used to block people from voting in the past, according to this interview?
- Why do some current state voting laws limit the ability to vote for people who have difficulty reading?
- Where are some of these new voting laws going into place?
Focus Questions
Do you think it’s important to make sure everyone that is eligible to vote should be able to vote without obstacles? What are some ways to remove these obstacles?
Media Literacy: How can you find out more about the problems faced by voters who have difficulty reading? You can check out Aliyya Swaby’s (interviewed in this story) original article here.
Learn About Your Local Election Laws
Look up the voter laws in your own state. Which of these laws might be an obstacle for people with difficulty reading? What are some ways to remove barriers for such people so that they can vote? To find out about election laws in your state as well as upcoming elections, start here.
2024 Election Lesson Plans and Resources
Explore our election resources to engage your students in learning about the election process and its significance at every level. Discover lessons on election fundamentals, laws, security, current events, youth involvement, and historic U.S. elections.
Republished with permission from PBS NewsHour Classroom.
PBS News Hour Classroom helps teachers and students identify the who, what, where and why-it-matters of the major national and international news stories. The site combines the best of News Hour's reliable, trustworthy news program with lesson plans developed specifically for... See More
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