Joe Crowley: “I think in many respects teachers are doing these things already, too, in an informal way, inspiring young people, but…”

“I think in many respects teachers are doing these things already, too, in an informal way, inspiring young people, but they are not getting everyone. It is almost impossible to get everyone. I daresay if this bill became law, we are still never going to get everyone, but I think we would get a lot more than we are getting right now. There would be more accountability on these issues. I certainly remember teachers that influenced my life in so many, many different ways. But one of the things I see that is missing today in my district is a lack of a sense of involvement by young people in the community. I do not see the volunteerism. I do not see the dedication towards voting, being inspired to want to get out. That is not universal, but I do not see enough of it where we see young people wanting to get out and vote, wanting to learn who their elected officials are, what the process is about. I am almost amazed sometimes when I go to a school and teach, like many of us do, a little government class. They have some ideas and some concept. They are obviously learning. But they have not put the whole thing together yet. That is because they do not think they are living it. They are learning about it, but they are not living it. They are not really going out to the community and putting what they are learning in schools together.”