Millennials ignorant of the Constitution

WILLIAMSBURG — Too many of Virginia's young voters are ignorant about their system of government and are less engaged in politics, not to mention their communities.

The Virginia Civic Health Index identified gaps and gaffes in a study released this week by Colonial Williamsburg and Montpelier's Center for the Constitution. The young responders didn't know much about Jeffersonian ideals or Madison's Constitution.

Among the findings:

* Even in 2008, when an influx of young voters helped elect Barack Obama, those 18–29 voted less frequently than their elders.

* The younger the voter, the less likely to vote.

* Only 37% of younger Virginians chose “because it is my civic duty” for voting in a federal election.

* Younger voters were less likely to have attended public meetings, volunteered in their communities or donated to charity.

* Virginians under 30 had less knowledge of the Constitution and apparently less respect for it. 30% said it was time for a new Constitu­tion, vs. 7% of those over 55.

Richard McCluney, who's in charge of publications and educational programming at Colonial Williamsburg, helped work on the report. He said in an interview that civics and social studies in general have been pushed aside by renewed emphasis on math and science in public schools.

“That's due to the concern about being competitive in a global economy,”he said.

“However, while some students will go on to be engineers and some will go into business and some will go into a profession or a trade, every student, when they reach their majority, will take on the responsibility for their community, the Commonwealth and the republic.”