Voters in the US can affect very little change, either by referendum or through very local representation. At the state and national level, both parties are extremely conservative with one of them actively working to roll back progress and neuter elections.
So while we’re in a situation where we are voting to preserve democracy, our young people are taught voting is how they affect change, when it doesn’t do that in state or federal elections at all.
Currently progress is very slow, and may get overrun either by civil war or the climate crisis impacting populations.