Every other week, GC picks out a selection of articles that are relevant to our work and to the civic education space as a whole. We at GC love to expand our learning in every aspect of what we do, and we hope you enjoy our selections!

 

The Remedy for the Spread of Fake News? History Teachers. Smithsonian Magazine.

History teachers can play a critical role in helping students learn to discern between genuine news and fictitious information that is passed off as real, this piece argues. History classes teach students to evaluate bias and perspective in historical sources, and those same skills are needed for digesting the daily news, especially on social media. For more on the topic, see the GC Civic Talk series installment on fake news.

 

Nevada High School Students Learn the Legislative Ropes and Pass Real Law. Las Vegas Review Journal.

This article highlights the accomplishments of the Nevada Youth Legislature, a 21-member body of “youth legislators” who testify at public hearings, organize youth town halls, and introduce a bill in the state legislature each year. Three bills that originated in the Youth Legislature in recent years have become law.

 

Behind The Scenes Account Of How Mental Health Reforms Became Law: Told By Sen. Chris Murphy

This blog reposts a newsletter from Sen. Chris Murphy, giving a behind the scenes account of how the Mental Health Reform Act was passed into law. Bipartisan cooperation was critical to the legislation’s success. As Murphy describes: “One of the most important decisions we made was to only add co-sponsors to the bill in pairs – one Democratic Senator and one Republican Senator.”

 

The Ideological Reasons Why Democrats Have Neglected Local Politic. The Atlantic.

This article discusses how perspectives on federalism have changed over time and with respect to changing political dynamics, and how ideology can conflict with political strategy. The balance of power between the federal, state, and local governments is complex and ever changing, with effects on many important policy issues.