Current Issues

Students learn about and discuss the alt-right, its relationship to the Trump administration, and online cultures of hate.   

President Trump's federal budget plan would greatly increase military spending, and slash spending for other programs. Students explore the budget with a quiz, readings, and discussion.  

Democracy doesn't begin and end in the voting booth. In readings and discussion, students explore tactics people are using to pressure their elected officials, including the Tea Party on the right and Indivisible groups on the left.   

Students learn the definition of "transgender," discuss the controversy over ensuring safe access to bathrooms for transgender people, and consider ways they can be allies or upstanders for transgender students.   

Students learn about and discuss the debate over Obamacare, a Republican plan to replace it, and single-payer health insurance.   

With Republicans gaining control of all three branches of the federal government, unions are under increasing attack. For students, this raises some pertinent questions: What are unions? Why are they important? And how will the attack on unions affect working people in our country?  

Students discuss key issues in the evolving story over links between the Trump administration and Russia with a short quiz, reading, and discussion.  

In this lesson, students will reflect on the value of knowing American history, practice their research and writing skills, and learn more about the abolitionist Frederick Douglass.   

This lesson explores how, historically and today, love combined with nonviolent action has helped people fight injustice and work towards what Dr. King referred to as "the beloved community."  

Questions loom over whether President Donald Trump can avoid conflicts between his business interests and the interest of the people he represents. In two readings and discussion, students consider how past presidents have tried to prevent conflicts of interest, how Trump has addressed this concern...