Opinion

This college invited young people to shape our democracy

Elders have made it a popular sport to trash young people for their supposed lack of political knowledge and disengagement from our democracy. The more generous among the detractors typically lay the blame for this on inadequate civic education in the schools and the poisonous effects of social media.

Having taught at university for two decades, I reject this indictment as untrue. My classrooms have been full of deeply committed, public-minded students — on all sides of politics — searching for effective ways of repairing the world.