The rapid thumps of hearts beating with thrill, the rejuvenating scent of exhilaration in the air, the movement of gliding past people swiftly. This is not a group of kids whizzing through a ski run—this is a group of 26 PHS students receiving an exclusive, behind-the-scenes tour of the Capitol Building in Washington, D.C.
In the years following students’ return to in-person classes after the COVID-19 outbreak, questions about parents’ role in education and curriculum development—and the appropriateness of discussing controversial topics such as sex and gender orientation in the classroom—have come to the forefront of political debate.
A bill recently introduced in Congress, the Books Save Lives Act, seeks to answer some of these questions. Sponsored by Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.), this bill would classify discriminatory book bans as violations of federal civil rights laws, require public libraries and school libraries to maintain diverse book collections, and ensure that schools have trained librarians.1 This bill, along with similar acts such as California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s recent bill that would prevent school boards from banning books, is one response to a rising tide of states and politicians supporting stricter policy on what some view as inappropriate content in schools.
READ: Full Text of the Books Save Lives Act
On March 28, 2022, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed HB 1557, the Parental Rights in Education Act, into law. Opponents have referred to the law as the “Don’t Say Gay” bill.2 The law states, “Classroom instruction by school personnel or third parties on sexual orientation or gender identity may not occur in kindergarten through grade 3 or in a manner that is not age-appropriate or developmentally appropriate for students in accordance with state standards.”3 The law was expanded in May 2023 to extend the prohibition on sexual orientation or gender identity instruction through eighth grade.4 Since the Florida law’s passing, legislators have passed similar laws in North Carolina, Arkansas, Iowa, and Indiana.5 The increasing popularity of such bills indicates that there is a growing population of citizens who believe that education regarding sexual orientation and gender identity should be left up to parents and guardians, or at least not up to schools.
One of the leading parental rights groups in support of these kinds of bills is Moms for Liberty, a conservative political organization that defines itself as “Moms, Dads, Grands, Aunts, Uncles, and, Friends … dedicated to fighting for the survival of America by unifying, educating, and empowering parents to defend their parental rights at all levels of government.”6 In addition to supporting legislation similar to HB 1557, Moms for Liberty has also organized multiple demonstrations at school board meetings around the country, galvanizing parents and other concerned community members who believe that schools are overstepping their bounds in how they educate children. The message of Moms for Liberty has spread into the presidential race as well, with former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, a former presidential candidate, partnering with the organization. “Parents have one job and that’s to get this right for their kids,” said Haley. “And we have to fight for them to make sure that they get that.”7
WATCH: “Republican Presidential Candidate Nikki Haley Says She’s ‘Excited to Partner’ with Moms for Liberty on the Campaign Trail,” from Fox News
One of the more controversial stances that parental rights groups such as Moms for Liberty have taken in recent years is that of banning certain books from schools. Supporters of such measures argue that parents have a right to know what sort of literature is being presented to their children in school classrooms and libraries and to have a say in whether or not material they find questionable should be allowed to stay. This increased pressure by parents, school administrators, and lawmakers has led to a sharp increase in the number of books removed from schools in the past few years. According to a study from PEN America, there were 5,894 instances of book banning in U.S. schools between 2021 and 2023.8 During the 2022-2023 school year, there was a 33 percent increase in such instances from the previous year.9
WATCH: “Debate Over Content in School Books Intensifies at Pine-Richland,” from WTAE
The banning of books and laws such as HB 1557 has drawn criticism from opponents who argue that they are discriminatory toward the LGBTQ+ community and disrupt and degrade students’ learning environment. There have been efforts at both the state and federal levels to prevent book banning in schools, including bills such as the Books Save Lives Act. Some students who oppose greater restrictions in classroom content have protested by staging walkouts or creating banned book clubs.10
As the 2024 presidential race heats up, it is likely that the national debate about the role of parents in student’s education and related issues will intensify. For those who believe parents should have a greater role in education and curriculum development, this may mean increased scrutiny of books in schools and reviews of educational materials in the classroom. And for those who view these actions as discriminatory and harmful, there may be a greater sense of urgency to block or roll back such actions.
Discussion Questions
As always, we encourage you to join the discussion with your comments or questions below.
Close Up is proud to be the nation’s leading nonprofit civic education organization, working with schools and districts across the country since 1971. If you would like to partner with us or learn more about our experiential learning programs, professional development, or curriculum design and consulting, contact us today!
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On January 31, Harvard and Stanford Universities released the Education Recovery Scorecard, an assessment of student achievement following the COVID-19 pandemic learning loss.1 The report detailed the gains third- through eighth-grade students in 8,000 school districts across the country have made in their math and reading scores.2 The Education Recovery Scorecard results show that there has been significant recovery in these two subjects, though more needs to be done to help students reach basic levels of proficiency.
Students struggled when schools closed and pivoted to remote learning. These disruptions had real effects on students’ ability to learn foundational skills in the classroom. Last summer, I wrote about the National Report Card decline in history and civics scores in the 2022 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). Reading scores were also down three points, mirroring scores from 30 years prior.3 Math scores dropped five to eight points, their largest decline since the test began in 1990.4 During the pandemic years, students lost an average of half a year of learning; since then, they have recovered only between a quarter and a third of that time.5 This can have a compounding effect; once you’re behind, it’s easy to fall even further behind unless there’s serious intervention.
Signs of Student Improvement
The 2023 data gives reason to be optimistic about the post-pandemic learning loss recovery. While the 2022 NAEP scores were historically bad, the Education Recovery Scorecard shows that, rather than continue to decline, math and reading scores have actually started to increase. Even with these gains, many states’ scores still fall well below the national average and students still struggle to reach the proficiency levels for their grades. Only one state, Alabama, has surpassed its pre-pandemic math levels, while only Illinois, Louisiana, and Mississippi have reached their pre-pandemic reading levels.6 Those pre-pandemic scores were often not great to begin with, so despite the improvements, students are still generally underperforming in both subjects.
The pandemic worsened existing inequalities, widening the achievement gaps between richer and poorer students. Students from richer school districts scored higher and made stronger improvements than students from poorer ones.7 Even within the same school district, this was true for richer families and poorer families.8 During the pandemic, students who were behind in math and reading fell even further behind. Low scores sunk even lower. As scores recovered this past year, students with lower scores faced an even deeper hole to climb out from—one that they are still stuck in today.
Reasons for the Pandemic Learning Loss Recovery
It was feared that the pandemic would permanently leave students behind—that once they lost learning time, they would never be able to fully make it up. However, the return to in-person instruction and innovative methods by teachers, administration, and school districts have succeeded in starting to get students back on track.
Schools have cut down on truancy, expanded tutoring opportunities, implemented after-school and summer school programs, and even increased the length of the school day.9 “This did not happen by accident,” said Adrienne Battle, director of Metro Nashville Public Schools, whose students scored among the highest in math and reading according to the Education Recovery Scorecard. “Many, many people were involved at all levels across the district.”10
Though most education decisions are made at the local and state levels, the federal government sets goals and provides some funding to support schools. The actions schools have already taken, with much success, align with three major educational goals set last month by President Joe Biden’s administration: increasing school attendance, providing high-dosage tutoring, and increasing summer learning and after-school learning time.11
Schools across the country have also made use of federal funds—more than $122 billion—to aid in their recovery, though these funds will run out in the fall.12 There’s always a need for more money, more time, and more resources, especially now as many public schools find themselves underfunded and struggling to support their students.13
Continuing the Trend
What a student learns and achieves today affects their quality of life in the long run. Low scores can correlate to lower wages, fewer opportunities, and a higher likelihood of unemployment or incarceration later in life.14 That’s on top of the challenges students currently face in the wake of the pandemic: increased levels of stress, anxiety, and loneliness.15
Educational achievement impacts the U.S. economy and our ability to advance and compete as a nation. On a global level, math scores for 15-year-olds ranked 28th out of 37 among similarly industrialized countries from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.16 There will always be a need for skilled workers and a well-educated population that can think critically, analyze information, and problem-solve to improve their own lives and their communities. Without these foundational skills, individual people—and the country—fall behind.
The results of the Education Recovery Scorecard show that learning loss recovery is possible when multiple groups of decision-makers prioritize childhood education as the urgent issue it is. The improvements we’ve seen are good, but third- through eighth-grade students are generally still lagging behind. “We’re slowly recovering,” said former Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings, “but not fast enough.”17 Students still have a long way to go to reach basic levels of understanding in math and reading. This is just the first step in helping students make up what they lost so they can ultimately meet and exceed the proficiency standards for their grade levels. Schools must maintain this momentum with sustained support to accelerate this upward trend.
Discussion Questions
Other Resources
Related Post
As always, we encourage you to join the discussion with your comments or questions below.
Close Up is proud to be the nation’s leading nonprofit civic education organization, working with schools and districts across the country since 1971. If you would like to partner with us or learn more about our experiential learning programs, professional development, or curriculum design and consulting, contact us today!
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What is the Child Tax Credit Proposal?
There is an ongoing bipartisan effort in Congress to pass legislation that would provide financial support for families with young children. The bill would allow parents and guardians to receive a larger tax credit of up to $2,000 with the entire credit being refundable. This would provide some families with an additional $700-$1,400 dollars each year.1
The House of Representatives has already passed the bill. The Senate is now considering it.
WATCH: “What’s in the Bill to Expand the Child Tax Credit?” from PBS
What Would the Child Tax Credit Bill Do?
According the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP), this bill would benefit roughly 16 million children and would bring approximately 500,000 children out of poverty. In the first year:
The Child Tax Credit bill would impact different families in unique ways according to income, the number of children they have, and whether or not they are single-parent families. According to the CBPP, these are some examples of the ways in which families could benefit:
READ: “Child Tax Credit Proposal: Impacts by the Numbers” from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities
What Are Legislators Saying About the Bill?
Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), the chairman of the Senate Finance Committee and a lead author of the bill, said, “Fifteen million kids from low-income families will be better off as a result of this plan, and given today’s miserable political climate, it’s a big deal to have this opportunity to pass pro-family policy that helps so many kids get ahead.”4
Sen. Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), the ranking member of the Senate Finance Committee, said that the overall bill does not yet have his support but he is working with committee members to make changes. “We have not resolved everything yet,” he said. “I hope we are able to get a bill, and I’ve been working on this bill for three years.”5
Rep. Danny Davis (D-Ill.) expressed frustration that the bill doesn’t do more. “You know I’ve been told that a half a loaf is better than none,” he said. “This isn’t even half a loaf, but I’m going to vote for it because our families and businesses need help.”6
“The tax bill we are considering today contains several wins for families and our economy, but one piece falls short. The child tax credit expansion would still leave behind millions of kids in families that need it the most,” said Rep. Suzan DelBene (D-Wash.). “I will still continue leading the effort to fully expand the child tax credit.”7
Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.) also expressed anger at the bill not going far enough. “This bill provides billions of dollars in tax relief for the wealthy, pennies for the poor,” she said. “Big corporations are richer than ever. There is no even split.”8
Some lawmakers have argued that the bill goes too far. For example, Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) said, “What is a refundable tax credit? It’s welfare by a different name. We’re going to give cash payments, checks, to people who don’t even pay taxes.”9
What Are Others Saying About the Bill?
Steven Hamilton, a professor of economics at The George Washington University, said, “We know that the child tax credit is an incredibly effective, well-targeted mechanism for delivering relief to families with children.”10
Responding to criticism that the bill is too small, Nikhita Airi of the Urban-Brookings Tax Policy Center said, “Even a small boost of income can pay really big dividends.”11
The American Enterprise Institute, a policy think tank, argues that the Child Tax Credit bill would lead to people leaving the workforce because of the tax credit. They argue that because the bill does not have a work requirement, some families may earn more from the tax credit than from work, which will lead people already in poverty to give up on jobs that might eventually help them increase their earnings.12
What Comes Next?
The bill now goes to the Senate, and it may be sent back to the House if significant changes are made. As the arguments outlined above show, there is still work to be done to develop a bill that can pass the Senate. This is a good time for the public to make their voices heard and express support for or opposition to the bill by reaching out to their members of Congress.
CONTACT: Reach out to your elected officials about this or any other issue!
Discussion Questions
As always, we encourage you to join the discussion with your comments or questions below.
Close Up is proud to be the nation’s leading nonprofit civic education organization, working with schools and districts across the country since 1971. If you would like to partner with us or learn more about our experiential learning programs, professional development, or curriculum design and consulting, contact us today!
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On Sunday, February 4, a bipartisan group of senators unveiled a compromise bill intended to address border security concerns and to provide further funding for Ukraine’s military defense against Russia.1 In this post, we will examine the immigration-related contents of the compromise legislation and explore different perspectives about the border security bill.
What Is in the Border Security Agreement?
The border security bill includes $20 billion in investments to:
Additionally, the border security bill would increase the scrutiny of those seeking asylum to screen some applicants out of the process more quickly to preserve resources.3 The goal of many of the provisions connected to the asylum process would be to reduce the wait time from 5-7 years to six months. Over the next five years, the agreement would allow an additional 50,000 immigrant visas each year and would establish faster pathways to permanent status for people from Afghanistan who resettled in the United States.4
FURTHER READING: White House List of Provisions in the Bill
In addition to these provisions, the bill would give the president the authority to close the border if the number of migrant encounters exceeds 4,000 per day over the course of a week, and would automatically close the border if the number of encounters exceeds a daily average of 5,000 during a week or exceeds 8,500 on any single day.5
WATCH: The Associated Press Outlines the Senate Bill
What Are Supporters of the Bill Saying About the Immigration Provisions?
Although this border security bill was developed in a bipartisan manner in the Senate, there is no guarantee that the bill will pass. Advocating for the bill, President Joe Biden said, “It will make our country safer, make our border more secure, treat people fairly and humanely while preserving legal immigration, consistent with our values as a nation.”6
Sen. James Lankford (R-Okla.), who was a lead negotiator on the bill, argued that fellow Republicans who are skeptical about the bill should appreciate that the legislation “clears up a lot of the long-term issues and loopholes that have existed in the asylum law and it gives us an emergency authority that stops the chaos right now on the border.”7
Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (I–Ariz.) was also a lead negotiator on the border security bill. “America is and continues to be a bastion of hope for true asylum seekers,” she said. “But it is not an open door for economic migrants. It has been, as we know, exploited dramatically by cartels in the last four to five years.”8
What Are Opponents of the Bill Saying About the Immigration Provisions?
This bill faces scrutiny both from progressive activists and from conservatives and supporters of former President Donald Trump. For example, Leah Greenberg, co-executive director of Indivisible, a progressive organization, said they oppose “bringing back failed Trump-era immigration policies, and we oppose handing a future Republican president new powers to inflict their cruel agenda on migrants and asylum seekers.”9
“I am still reviewing the text of this proposal, which was constructed under Republican hostage-taking and refusal to fund aid for Ukraine without cruelty toward immigrants,” said Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.), a progressive member of the House of Representatives.10
Sen. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), who is a leader of the Republican Party in the Senate, said, “Joe Biden will never enforce any new law and refuses to use the tools he already has today to end this crisis. I cannot vote for this bill. Americans will turn to the upcoming election to end the border crisis.”11
Former President Trump, the leading Republican candidate for president, also opposes the bill and urged congressional Republicans to not pass the bill. “This is a gift to Democrats, and this, sort of, is a shifting of the worst border in history onto the shoulders of Republicans. That’s really what they want. They want this for the presidential election, so they can now blame the Republicans for the worst border in history.”12
What’s Next?
The bipartisan border security bill already appears to have stalled, as many Republican legislators have said they oppose the bill. “Any consideration of this Senate bill in its current form is a waste of time,” Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) said in a joint statement with Republican leaders on Monday. “It is dead on arrival in the House. We encourage the U.S. Senate to reject it.”13
President Biden is continuing to push for the border security bill and will likely campaign on the issue. “Now, all indications are this bill won’t even move forward to the Senate floor,” said President Biden. “Why? A simple reason: Donald Trump. Because Donald Trump thinks it’s bad for him politically, even though it helps the country. He’d rather weaponize the issue than actually solve it.”14
Discussion Questions
Related Posts
As always, we encourage you to join the discussion with your comments or questions below.
Close Up is proud to be the nation’s leading nonprofit civic education organization, working with schools and districts across the country since 1971. If you would like to partner with us or learn more about our experiential learning programs, professional development, or curriculum design and consulting, contact us today!
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WASHINGTON—The Close Up Foundation, through its National Network of Schools in Partnership (NNSP) division, brought students and educators to the nation’s capital in January for parallel three-day civic engagement conferences aimed at forging actionable plans for transforming their schools into civic hubs for community engagement.
Student Symposium: Forging Future Leaders
The Community Impact & Civic Leadership Symposium for students kicked off with an NNSP Impact-a-Thon, where students were given two hours to plan and film a 30-second video centered on the prompt: “How do we persuade politicians to pay attention to youth voices like the media pays attention to Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce?” The students rose to the occasion, with video vignettes covering a wide range of issues from podcasts sparking student awareness to the power of local protests.
In between study visits to memorials, student workshops featured young adult leaders detailing their paths into civic service. These included an origami-based strategy to influence policy issues by Close Up Manager of Student Programs Reese Arthur and a Zoom presentation by 2ndF Director of Impact Derek Rhodes on how he was inspired to tackle food insecurity in his community.
The impact of the Symposium culminated in the final day’s student presentations, action plans meticulously crafted by students to address community issues such as teen participation in school board elections and the protection of voting rights. Students later presented their action plans to educators at the corresponding NNSP Annual Conference.
Kimberly, a student attendee from McLean, Virginia, reflected on the experience, “We collaborated on identifying problems in our community and planning community engagement.” When asked how the Symposium fits her broader studies, she responded, “The biggest takeaway was collaboration on identifying problems and solving them. Everyone’s thoughts matter.”
NNSP Annual Conference: Equipping Educators for Impactful Learning
While entrusting their students to the instruction of Close Up staff and speakers, the NNSP Annual Conference offered educators a myriad of subject matter experts from the world of policy and education. Alice Siu, associate director of Stanford’s Deliberative Democracy Lab and a Close Up board member, shared studies on deliberative democracy and explored how artificial intelligence impacts the classroom. Close Up Manager of Professional Development Sante Mastriana took teachers through an exercise for facilitating nonpartisan classroom discussion on current events.
The civic engagement conference featured tangible examples of creating classes and programs that are not only engaging but also thought-provoking and stimulating for all students. Attendees immersed themselves in small workshops, larger keynotes, and panel presentations, further amplifying the impact of the shared knowledge and strategies.
“It’s so energizing to be surrounded by educators who truly believe that civic and community engagement experiences are essential in a student’s education and overall academic experience,” said Blake Kohn, a senior advisor at Close Up and executive director of the NNSP division.
Close Up and NNSP Impact: Fostering Civic Engagement
The dual impact of the student and teacher conferences underscored Close Up’s commitment to fostering civic engagement and empowering both students and educators. By crafting a collective civic vision and providing educators with tools for impactful teaching, this week in Washington, D.C., marked a turning point for many of these school communities who can now champion a more vibrant, interactive, and meaningful approach to civic education.
NNSP is a division of Close Up, with 200+ member organizations that include schools, educational access and enrichment programs, and policy and education reform groups. Longtime partners before merging in 2023, Close Up and NNSP offer curriculum consulting, professional development for educators, and Impact programming for schools and organizations seeking to enhance their community and civic engagement programs.
For more information, email us at nnsp@closeup.org.
Amidst the mosaic of national debates surrounding climate change, economic justice, and public health, there is a growing focus on the intersection of these issues and the design of our communities. The overwhelming majority of U.S. households own at least one vehicle, and the number of vehicles registered in the United States has continued to rise in recent years.1 Some argue that car dependency is a symptom of the design of American cities, others argue that it’s the cause.
Climate scientists have made the case that continued suburban sprawl and car dependency are detrimental to fighting climate change, and that urban life leads to a smaller carbon footprint.2 With Americans moving to the suburbs and out of urban and rural areas in greater numbers, many urban theorists and planners have been working to find ways to make cities more desirable places to live. Some communities around the country have already implemented radical programs with some measures of success.3
Highway History and Reckoning
The design of many U.S. cities is due to political battles in the early 20th century, when cities expanded rapidly. Typically, these cities expanded outwards rather than upwards. Many urban planners chose to build large highways to facilitate the movement of cars into and out of city centers each day.
In 2022, Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg announced a $1 billion program, Reconnecting Cities, to help rectify the harm caused by 20th-century highway projects, particularly to lower-income areas and communities of color.4 This initiative, part of a larger investment in infrastructure by President Joe Biden’s administration, offers federal aid to cities and states that wish to add public transit, bike lanes, and/or highway crossings, or even partially remove highways.
The association of highways with racial justice drew some attention in the press, echoing a history of citizen action against highway construction in the 1950s.When the U.S. Bureau of Public Roads originally published the blueprint of the Interstate Highway System (all 41,000 miles of it), some Americans in larger cities pushed back on the urban redesign out of fear that the highways would disrupt or destroy certain communities. Citizens protested, blocked construction, and filed lawsuits. These efforts became known as the “highway revolts,” and they took place in cities around the United States, most notably in Washington, San Francisco, and New York City.5
In recent years, some have pushed for the outright removal or urban redesign of the freeways that cut through the center of cities. One city that paved the way for urban freeway removal was Rochester, New York.6 The I-490 Inner Loop, a freeway that closely encircled downtown Rochester, was built in the 1950s and functionally divided the center of the city with a massive trench to bring commuters in and out of downtown. Starting in 2014, the city closed the eastern portion of the loop and began to fill it in with dirt, then paved a wide avenue with bike lanes, storefronts, and new housing in the form of apartments. The goal was to make downtown Rochester a more livable place. The popularity among residents was mixed, but the city considers the project a success and says it plans to remove further sections of the loop. Rochester transportation specialist Erik Frisch called the project “a bit of a proof of concept.”6
READ MORE: “Can Removing Highways Fix America’s Cities?” from the New York Times
Fifteen Minutes or Less?
Another concept that’s been gaining traction is the “15-minute city” design. Rather than requiring a personal vehicle to commute to work or school, go to the gym, visit friends, or buy groceries, residents of a 15-minute city design could reach all of these essential amenities within approximately 15 minutes by foot, bicycle, or public transportation. Internationally, Paris has led the charge on redesigning cities to dramatically reduce the need for personal vehicles. Mayor Anne Hidalgo championed the concept as a means to reduce emissions and fight climate change, and it was a major part of her reelection campaign. Streets were closed to vehicular traffic, old buildings were converted to housing or retail and office space, and new parks were built.8
TThe 15-minute city design concept was conceived by Carlos Moreno, a professor at Sorbonne University of Paris. Moreno advised Hidalgo for the Parisian effort, and now his ideas have spread to North America. Cities such as Cleveland, Portland, and San Jose have all expressed plans to redesign with this concept in mind.7 Fifteen-minute city proponents argue that denser neighborhoods can help urban planners make better use of land and allow people to live closer to work, school, and other amenities, so many are starting the effort by removing zoning ordinances that only allow for the building of single-family housing.
READ MORE: “’15-Minute City’ Planning is on the Rise, Experts Say. Here’s What to Know,” from the Washington Post
Highway removal and 15-minute city redesign have drawn detractors as well, both in the public sphere and in government. Critics argue that implementing the 15-minute city concept in the United States is considerably more difficult than it is in other countries, as our cities were largely designed during the automobile era. The transition would be very complex and resource-intensive, challenging social and economic habits and needs in American culture such as dependency on cars and perceptions of urban and public spaces. Highway removal projects also face opposition in some areas where they’ve been proposed. Rochester’s highway removal took two decades to get started, and it faced less opposition than it would have in other places (the portion of the highway removed carried very little traffic).
Still, urban redesign projects are often popular among Americans, especially younger generations, and may drastically change our cities in the coming decades.
Discussion Questions
How to Get Involved
Local city planning meetings are often open to the public and allow citizens to voice their opinions on new proposals. Check to see if there are any meetings in your community!
Related posts
As always, we encourage you to join the discussion with your comments or questions below.
Close Up is proud to be the nation’s leading nonprofit civic education organization, working with schools and districts across the country since 1971. If you would like to partner with us or learn more about our experiential learning programs, professional development, or curriculum design and consulting, contact us today!
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WASHINGTON—The Close Up Foundation partnered with A Starting Point (ASP) to bring students from Maryland and Virginia to the White House on January 30 for a wide-ranging discussion with administration officials about youth civic engagement and policy priorities relating to energy, the environment, and the economy.
Approximately 60 students and teachers took part in the event, which included remarks by White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre and a Q&A with Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm and Deputy Secretary of the Treasury Wally Adeyemo. ASP’s co-founders, actor and director Chris Evans and actor and director Mark Kassen, moderated the discussion.
“It means a lot to us to be here,” said Kassen. “There’s a lot of people who will be coming of the age where it’s their first chance to participate in democracy officially, and our goal of making sure we can help … demystify government, making people feel it’s a little more accessible, is really important to us.”
Close Up is the official education partner of ASP, a website, app, and media distribution platform that seeks to be an unbiased resource for information and civic engagement. Together, the two organizations created ASP Homeroom to educate students on pressing current issues, bring lawmakers into the classroom, and create interactive learning opportunities.
“We have been working with students for more than 50 years and creating opportunities for them to become informed and engaged citizens,” said Close Up President Mia Charity. “So, a platform like A Starting Point is a great resource for young people to get their first bites of what’s going on in politics and the issues that are impacting their lives and communities.”
Participating in the White House event were 11th- and 12th-graders in two Washington-area school districts: Virginia’s Prince William County Public Schools (PWCS) and Maryland’s Prince George’s County Public Schools (PGCPS).
As the second-largest school division in Virginia, PWCS is partnering with Close Up to implement student voice committees in all 14 of its high schools, giving students a place at the table where decisions are made. As part of that effort, Close Up has worked with PWCS students to build community, conduct facilitation training, and lead deliberations about important issues impacting their communities.
Close Up is also a longtime partner of PGCPS, one of the nation’s 20 largest school districts. In 2023-2024, Close Up is facilitating a congressional simulation series for PGCPS high school students, giving them the chance to engage with peers across the county on critical policy issues. Close Up is also partnering with PGCPS to conduct week-long summer civic engagement programs that include meetings with elected officials, workshops on political values and current issues, and college readiness seminars.
Contact us today for more information about partnering with Close Up.
GLENDALE, Ariz.—Leaders of the Arizona Cardinals, the Close Up Foundation, and Greater Phoenix Leadership (GPL) gathered at State Farm Stadium on January 17 to kick off this year’s Civics Matters Arizona program alongside community partners and elected officials from across the state.
Now in its third year, Civics Matters Arizona is an annual civic engagement initiative that connects Arizona high school students with their peers and with their government. The program, conducted in partnership by the Cardinals, Close Up, GPL, and the office of the Arizona governor, targets a geographically diverse group of high schools and organizations serving Title I communities.
Students in participating schools and organizations take part in an essay contest about the importance of civic engagement, with the winners flying to Washington on the Cardinals’ team plane for an all-expenses-paid summer trip with Close Up. In D.C., students meet with elected officials, participate in issue deliberations, and visit memorials, museums, and government institutions.
New for 2024, the program gives participants an opportunity to stay engaged as Arizona Civic Ambassadors after the trip. Using the MobileServe app, Close Up will provide students with monthly toolkits and guidance to organize their own civic engagement activities in their home communities, as well as earn the Arizona Seal of Civics Literacy for their diploma if they choose.
“Our goal is to continue to think about how we extend the impact of what we’re doing,” said Close Up Chief Innovation and Programs Officer Lindsay Greenberg. “What can students do when they get home? How do we create Civic Ambassadors who can bring what they learned and the enthusiasm and excitement from D.C. back into their schools, back into their local communities?”
Conceived by Cardinals team owner Michael Bidwill, Civics Matters Arizona began in 2022 as an effort to give students a once-in-a-lifetime glimpse of their government in action while boosting schools’ focus on civics. In its first two years, the program has impacted more than 2,500 students in over 50 schools through the essay contest, the D.C. trip, and civic engagement classroom curriculum.
“Going on this trip and meeting Sen. [Kyrsten] Sinema, for example, or shaking hands with Gov. [Doug] Ducey or hearing Gov. [Katie] Hobbs, it gives kids this experience that the government is a real thing full of real people,” said Jake Richardson, a two-time participant and social studies department chairman at Empower College Prep in Phoenix. “That sort of word spreads through a small school like mine. You can contact an elected official. They will listen to you and be interested in your ideas to change your community. That definitely makes kids sit up a little straighter in government.”
The Civics Matters Arizona 2024 trip to Washington will take place June 11-14. Rep. Juan Ciscomani (R-Ariz.) is among the Arizona leaders and elected officials who will join students for the experience.
For more information, contact us at support@closeup.org.
In the weeks since the Hamas terrorist attacks of October 7, Israel has conducted a military campaign with the stated goal of eradicating Hamas as both a military and governing organization.1 The death toll in Gaza currently stands at around 22,000 Palestinians and 170 Israeli soldiers, in addition to the more than 1,200 people Hamas killed on October 7.2 While further negotiations over a second ceasefire are ongoing (as of January 3, 2024), officials in the United States and around the world are also concerned about broader regional and global conflict boiling over.3 Many in the United States share these concerns.4
For discussion of other aspects of the conflict, please see our previous posts about Israel and Hamas, including Teaching and Discussing the Conflict, Discussing Antisemitism and Anti-Islamic Bias, and U.S. Foreign Policy Decisions.
In this blog post, the final in our series exploring the Middle East crisis, we will take a look at the region surrounding Israel and Palestine and consider the challenges the United States faces in navigating it.
WATCH: “U.S. Working to Keep Israel-Hamas War from Spreading,” from CNN
Israel-Lebanon crisis
Lebanon shares a border with Israel, and there have been skirmishes between Israel and the terrorist group Hezbollah—which is based in Lebanon—several times in recent decades. In 2006, there was a month-long war in which almost 1,200 people died.5 Hezbollah remains a potent force in Lebanon. During this ongoing war in Gaza, Israel has also exchanged fire with Hezbollah militants along and across the Lebanon border.6 On January 2, senior Hamas leader Saleh al-Arouri was killed in an explosion in a suburb of Beirut. Israel is widely believed to have carried out the attack.7
The Lebanese National News Agency condemned the killing, as did Hezbollah. Some see the strike as evidence that Israel is carrying out its stated goal to eradicate Hamas. The U.S. government continues to publicly support Israel’s actions taken since October 7.8 White House spokesperson John Kirby said, “Israel has a right and responsibility to go after the threat that Hamas poses, which means they have a right and responsibility to go after the leadership of Hamas.”9
Yemen’s Houthis
The Houthis—or Ansar Allah as they call themselves—are a Shiite Islamic movement that “has been fighting Yemen’s Sunni-majority government since 2004.”10 They are supported by Iran’s government, which is also Shiite. The Sunni-majority government in Yemen is supported by Saudi Arabia.11 One of the animating elements of Houthi ideology is to combat what they view as U.S. imperialism; they view Israel and Saudi Arabia—U.S. allies—as participants in the U.S. empire.12
In recent months, Houthis have launched dozens of attacks on ships traveling through the Red Sea. The United States has warned Iran that it might be held responsible for Houthi actions if this continues.13 Eighteen shipping companies are routing their vessels around South Africa to avoid Houthi attacks; this significantly increases shipping times and costs. As much as 15 percent of international trade typically flows through the Red Sea.
U.S. diplomat Christopher Lu said, “We also know that Iran has been deeply involved in planning operations against commercial vessels in the Red Sea.” He said the United States does not want a confrontation with Iran, but a confrontation is possible. “It can continue its current course,” said Lu, “or it can withhold its support without which the Houthis would struggle to effectively track and strike commercial vessels navigating shipping lanes through the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.”14
U.S. Involvement in the Middle East Conflict
Both the Israel-Lebanon crisis and the Houthi attacks in the Red Sea have the potential to draw the United States into more widespread, significant conflicts in the region. Already, in Iraq and Syria, there have been over 100 attacks on U.S.-led coalition forces, and the United States has struck facilities used by militia groups who are also supported by Iran.15 On January 4, the United States carried out a drone strike in Baghdad that killed at least four members of an Iraqi militia group with ties to Iran.16
Iran plays an important role in supporting Hezbollah, Hamas, the Houthis, and many other militant and terrorist groups around the Middle East. Some political leaders in the United States are calling for a tougher stance against Iran that could include military action. For example, Senator Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) said, “Without Iran there are no Houthis. … The Houthis are completely backed by Iran. I have been saying for six months now … hit Iran. They have oil fields out in the open, they have the Revolutionary Guard headquarters you can see from space. Blow it off the map. … If you really want to protect American soldiers, make it real to the ayatollah [that if] you attack a solider through a proxy, we’re coming after you.”17
Discussion Questions
As always, we encourage you to join the discussion with your comments or questions below.
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