Danny Hastings

Danny Hastings currently works as a Program Specialist at the Close Up Foundation. He attended Hobart and William Smith Colleges in his hometown of Geneva, NY, where he received a Bachelor of Arts in History. Before joining Close Up in 2017, Danny worked as an organizer in Ohio during the 2016 elections.

Posts by Danny Hastings:

Social Issues

Social Spaces for Kids and Teens

April 04, 2024

Last fall, 41 state attorneys general sued Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, alleging that it “knowingly designed and deployed harmful features … to purposefully addict children and teens.”1 In January, the Senate Judiciary Committee held a public hearing to address online child safety issues.2 And this month, the House of Representatives voted […]

COVID-19

Recovering from Pandemic Learning Loss

February 22, 2024

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 […]

Education

History and Civics Scores Drop in The Nation’s Report Card

June 02, 2023

At Close Up, building civic proficiency and comprehension is at the heart of everything we do. Learn more about how we support students, teachers, and civic literacy through our programs, professional development, curriculum, and classroom resources. On May 3, the Department of Education’s National Center for Education Statistics released its civics and U.S. history data […]

Health Care

Where to Go? America’s Shortage of Public Restrooms

April 10, 2023

The United States lacks public restrooms. It’s a problem you might only notice when you need to go. Those with chronic conditions such as gastrointestinal disorders, parents with young kids, and older Americans with weaker bladders may be most affected by this shortage, though anyone who just drank a large iced coffee can find themselves […]

Historical Perspectives

Revisiting Jimmy Carter’s “Crisis of Confidence” Speech

March 08, 2023

On February 18, the Carter Center released a statement saying that former President Jimmy Carter had opted to spend “his remaining time at home” following a number of hospital stays and declining health.1 News of the 98-year-old former president’s condition has brought an outpouring of support and renewed attention to his life and legacy as […]

Government & Elections

C-SPAN Cameras on the House Floor

January 25, 2023

When the 118th Congress convened on January 3, what is usually a quick procedural vote for speaker turned into a contentious five days of voting on the floor of the House of Representatives.1 The frustrations, negotiations, and heated debates were on display on C-SPAN. Since the House could not adopt rules without a speaker—members-elect could […]

Equality

The Water Crisis in Jackson, Mississippi

September 21, 2022

On August 29, 2022, Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves declared a state of emergency for Jackson, the state capital, which was in the midst of an ongoing water crisis.1 Heavy rainfall caused the Pearl River and Ross Barnett Reservoir to flood, which in turn overwhelmed two water treatment plants that were already strained.2 Low water pressure […]

Energy & Environment

Public Parks and Community Green Spaces

June 01, 2022

In an interactive photo essay for the New York Times, journalists Ruth Fremson and Audra D. S. Burch celebrate what would have been the 200th birthday of Frederick Law Olmsted, the renowned 19th-century landscape architect. By showcasing photos of people enjoying themselves in his creations—such as New York City’s Central Park, the Emerald Necklace in […]

Economic Issues

Should Members of Congress Be Banned from Trading Stocks?

February 15, 2022

Last month, Senators Jon Ossoff, D-Ga., and Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., introduced the Ban Congressional Stock Trading Act, a reform bill that would require members of Congress to divest their stock market investments or face fines totaling the entire amount of their congressional salary.1 So, should members of Congress be allowed to trade stocks? According to […]