For 100 years, Scholastic has been helping to inform young people about important issues facing our society and empowering them to be active participants in our democracy. Through our classroom magazines, we provide students and teachers with the tools and information they need to think critically about current events, develop a personal point of view, and express their opinions.

In creating this resource for the 2020 election, the editors of Scholastic Classroom Magazines were guided by our company credo, which states our belief in:

  • The democratic way of life, with basic liberties—and responsibilities—for everyone
  • Respect for the diverse groups in our multicultural society
  • The basic freedoms of all individuals—we oppose discrimination of any kind on the basis of race, creed, color, sex, sexual orientation or identity, age, or national origin
  • Representative government and even-handed justice that maintains equality of rights for all people
  • A deep respect for facts and logical thinking

November’s presidential election will take place in a time of enormous social upheaval, and the consequences for our nation’s future are significant. Against this backdrop, we have placed particular weight on countering false and misleading information with evidence-based truths. Every statement made about a candidate or his policies has been extensively fact-checked and vetted by a team of editors and educators.

We also have given deep consideration to how social media has shaped young people’s ability to stay connected with current events and social movements and to engage with the issues of the day. Students have more access to information than ever before. We’ve taken this into account when presenting details about the issues shaping the 2020 election. 

Young people have the power to play an essential role in our democracy. We designed this resource to help students in grades 3–12 understand how best to use their voices and exercise their rights. It is our mission to provide them with the information they need to become active citizens and passionate advocates for the kind of world they want.