Research Links and Discussion Questions for March 2021 Topics

Feb 16, 2021

RESEARCH LINKS

Issue 1: Minimum Wage
Congress.gov: H.R.603, “Raise the Wage Act of 2021”                https://bit.ly/3rJJwgC
U.S. Department of Labor: “Minimum Wage”                        https://bit.ly/3rVLUkP
Congressional Budget Office: “Budgetary Effects Raise the Wage Act of 2021”    https://bit.ly/371TmCA
National Congress of State Legislatures: “State Minimum Wages”            https://bit.ly/3p6PVAN
UC Berkeley Labor Center: “The Public Cost of a Low Federal Minimum Wage”    https://bit.ly/2MOQ1QK
raisetheminimumwage.com: “Raise the Minimum Wage News”            https://bit.ly/3pfBdaF

Issue 2: Keystone XL Pipeline
White House: “Executive Order Protecting Public Health and Environment”    https://bit.ly/3qfqTAX
National Resources Defense Council: “What is Keystone Pipeline?”        https://on.nrdc.org/3acrOg6
TC Energy: “Keystone XL” (from the company that owns the pipeline)        https://www.keystonexl.com
U.S. Chamber of Commerce Global Energy Institute: “Background Keystone XL”    https://bit.ly/2ZaixOY
The Guardian: “Biden Can Be Our Climate President by Ending Pipeline Projects”    https://bit.ly/3tMnGLt
Fox News: “Manchin Pens Letter Asking Biden to Reverse Pipeline Termination”    https://fxn.ws/3tHtjdI

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

Issue 1: Minimum Wage

  1. Do you support or oppose raising the minimum wage? If you were speaking to a person who disagreed, what is the strongest argument in support of your position?
  2. If you were a business owner, would you want the minimum wage to increase? Why or why not?
  3. What are two arguments against raising the minimum wage? What are two arguments in favor of raising the minimum wage?
  4. How is a minimum-wage worker’s life changed as a result of lifting the minimum wage from $7.25 per hour to $15 per hour?
  5. Places like New York, Oakland, San Francisco and Seattle have raised the minimum wage in their cities. Why do you think these places have raised their municipal minimum wage?

Issue 2: Keystone XL Pipeline

  1. What are some potential benefits of the pipeline? How about potential drawbacks?
  2. In what ways does the decision we make today about the Keystone XL Pipeline affect people in the future?
  3. The Biden administration cancelled construction of the Keystone XL Pipeline, but the Trump administration supported it. What might account for such differing views on construction of the pipeline?
  4. What are some of the reasons that environmentalists oppose the Keystone XL pipeline expansion?
  5. Do you think that addressing climate change is an issue that should be prioritized over creating jobs? Are these options mutually exclusive?

Research Links and Discussion Questions for February 2021 Topics

Jan 18, 2021

RESEARCH LINKS

Issue 1: Paris Climate Agreement
White House: “Statement by President Trump on the Paris Climate Accord” (6/2017)    
Biden Campaign Site: “Biden’s Clean Energy Plan” 
United Nations Foundation: “7 Reasons U.S. Needs the Paris Climate Agreement”
Climate Action Tracker  
Center for Climate and Energy Solutions: “Paris Climate Agreement Q&A”
Fox News OpEd: “Biden wants to rejoin the Paris Accord. Why? It puts America last.”

Issue 2: Dream Act
Congress.gov: “H.R. 6: American Dream and Promise Act of 2019”
Daily Caller OpEd: “Why I Oppose the Dream Act” 
Chicago Tribune Column: “Dreamers are still waiting for their nightmare to end” 
Press Democrat OpEd: “A New Year’s Resolution for Congress – Pass the Dream Act” 
Business Standard: “Google Backs Biden’s Immigration Efforts”
Between the Lines OpEd: “Immigration Reform Under Biden to Face Challenges” 

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

Issue 1: Paris Climate Agreement

  1. What is your position on climate change? Do you think it is caused by human activity or not? Outline your arguments and defend your position.
  2. Compare and contrast the pro/con congressional quotes on p. 3 of the newsletter. Whose opinion do you agree with the most, and why?
  3. Do you support the U.S. rejoining the Paris Climate Agreement? Why or why not?
  4. According to studies, disputes over the key scientific facts of global warming are more prevalent in the U.S. than globally. Why do you think this is so?
  5. Read the Fox News OpEd (link above). Do you agree or disagree with the assertions made in the article? Why?

Issue 2: Dream Act

  1. What do you think the U.S. government should do to address the legal status of undocumented immigrants who came to the United States as children?
  2. Who are the Dreamers? What requirements must they meet to be eligible for citizenship under the Dream Act?
  3. What is the most compelling argument to pass the Dream Act? What is the most convincing reason not to?
  4. Should the president have the power to enact a program like DACA if Congress refuses to pass the Dream Act? Why or why not?
  5. What solutions might students offer legislators when considering the futures of young people brought to the country as children?

Research Links and Discussion Questions for December 2020 Topics

Nov 16, 2020

RESEARCH LINKS

Issue 1: Social Media Bias
White House: “Executive Order on Preventing Online Censorship”
The Hill OpEd: “Censoring Biden Story, How Social Media Becomes State Media”
Pew Research: “Most Americans Think Social Media Sites Censor Political Views”
CBS News: “Censorship on social media? It’s not what you think”
Cato Institute: “Why the Government Should Not Regulate Social Media”
The Hill: “FCC to Move Forward with Executive Order on Tech’s Liability”

Issue 2: Universal Basic Income
Stanford University: “What is Universal Basic Income?”
USA Today: “California city to give free cash in guaranteed income program”
Andrew Yang: “The Freedom Dividend, Defined”
Pew Research: “More Americans Oppose than Favor Universal Basic Income”
GiveDirectly.org: “Universal Basic Income Study”
Pew Charitable Trusts: “Momentum for Basic Income Builds as Pandemic Drags”

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

Issue 1: Social Media Bias

  1. Read President Donald Trump’s “Executive on Preventing Online Censorship” (link above). Do you feel his action was a good solution to social media bias? Why or why not?
  2. In your own experience with social media, have you encountered social media bias? If so, what do you think is a good solution to this problem?
  3. How does the Bill of Rights’ First Amendment protect free speech in the U.S.?
  4. Do you believe Section 230’s protections for big tech companies need to be revised? How would you revise them?
  5. Do you believe Twitter’s and Facebook’s response to the New York Post article on Hunter Biden was justified? Why or why not?

Issue 2: Universal Basic Income

  1. Should Universal Basic Income replace existing welfare programs? Why or why not?
  2. If Universal Basic Income became a reality, how much should it be per month?
  3. Some people believe that giving everyone a UBI would simply lead to higher prices (e.g., inflation), defeating the entire point of it. Do you agree or disagree? Why?
  4. Should UBI really go to everyone, or would it be better to target it to those who need it most? Why or why not?
  5. Would implementing a UBI program de-incentivize people to work? Why or why not?

Teacher Spotlight on Amber Konzem (Richardson, TX)

Oct 30, 2020

SGAP Teacher

Name: Amber Konzem
School Name: Lloyd V. Berkner High School STEM Academy
City, State: Richardson, TX
Subject(s) Taught: U.S. Government, Economics, Personal Finance
Grade(s )Taught: Mostly 11th and 12th grades with some 10th grade
No. of Years Teaching: 7th year: all of it at L.V. Berkner and none of it could have happened without our outstanding faculty and staff supporting each other.
Honors: Published in TSHA Online Handbook of Texas and included in the TSHA ebook, Women Across Texas History, Vol 1.

Although she has spent 24 years of her life working with school-age students in various capacities—from subbing to working with at-risk students and scouting—Amber Konzem has spent all seven years of her official teaching career at Lloyd V. Berkner High School in Richardson, Texas.

An affluent inner suburb of Dallas, Richardson is home to the University of Texas at Dallas and the Telecom Corridor; more than 5,000 businesses have operations within Richardson’s 28 square miles. Berkner High School is one of four public high schools in the Richardson Independent School District, and it is where Konzem teaches U.S. Government, Economics and Personal Finance to 11th and 12th graders.

Teachable Moments

Konzem says she has recently engaged her students in classroom discussions on subjects such as the 2020 Presidential Election, branches of the U.S. government, and the economic market and trade. “I assisted eligible students to register to vote and several were in time for the upcoming presidential election,” she says. “They were very excited to be able to participate and vote.”

In today’s socio-political environment, now is the perfect time to teach students about civics, Konzem believes. “As students transition into adulthood, they need to have a strong knowledge of the Constitution, how the government functions, and how to initiate change when society deems it necessary as well as how our freedoms have been protected by the Amendments and how these freedoms can be lost,” Konzem says. 

Responding to the Pandemic

Speaking of lost freedoms, the COVID-19 pandemic has forced the Richardson Independent School District to make numerous changes for the best interests of the students and its faculty and staff members. Communication from the district and individual campuses to the student body, parents, staff, and community has been a vital component of the plan, Konzem says.

“Virtual learning has been a challenge for everyone,” Konzem says. “However, with the added technology the district has provided, a little creativity from both students and teachers, and a lot of patience from everyone, the beginnings of a routine is taking shape. In early October, f2f students were excited to return to the classroom.”

The school district has taken aggressive action to adjust to the current COVID environment, including requiring wearing of masks while on campus and social distancing, Konzem explains. “We have also provided face shields to all students and faculty and staff; expanded the number of lunches to create smaller groups of students in the cafeteria; and initiated a seating system in the entire building, which allows for distancing and contact tracing,” she adds.

With all the changes that have gone on in her school, Konzem says her approach to classroom management remains essentially unchanged except for having a greater sensitivity to possible social-emotional learning (SEL) issues.

“I try very hard to ensure that my classroom is a safe place for students where they have the opportunity to learn and grow as individuals—not just gaining knowledge in Social Studies but skills that can be used throughout their lives,” Konzem says. “I have an unwavering belief in my students and their high potential for success in their futures.”

Trivia Answers for November 2020 Issues

Oct 19, 2020

1: The Honorable John G. Roberts, Jr., is the 17th Chief Justice of the United States, and there have been (102) Associate Justices in the Supreme Court’s history.

2: The first Black member of the Supreme Court was (Thurgood Marshall), who took the oaths of office on October 2, 1967.

3: The first female member of the Supreme Court was (Sandra Day O’Connor) who took the oaths of office on September 25, 1981.

4: The first Latinx member of the Supreme Court was (Sonia Sotomayor), who took the oaths of office on August 8, 2009.

5: The first Justice to be fully vested as a member of the Supreme Court was (James Wilson), who took his oaths on October 5, 1789.

Research Links and Discussion Questions for November 2020 Topics

Oct 19, 2020

RESEARCH LINKS

Issue 1: TikTok
WhiteHouse.gov: “Executive Order Addressing Threat Posed by TikTok”
Commerce.gov: “Commerce Department Prohibits WeChat TikTok Transactions” 
Sen. Ted Cruz: “Deal that Fails to Address National Security Concerns”
BusinessInsider.com: “TikTok Executive Says Company Has Faced Criticism”
Fox News: “Trump’s TikTok Download Ban Is Blocked by Judge”
cnn.com: “Trump Says He Will Ban TikTok”
Issue 2: Student Loan Debt
Congress.gov: S.2235 “Student Loan Debt Relief Act of 2019”
finaid.org: “Student Loan Debt Clock”
“Warren, Clyburn Introduce Legislation to Cancel Student Loan Debt”
Student Loan Debt Relief Act Fact Sheet
Forbes.com: “Will Trump Cancel Student Loans?”
Fox News: “Dems Propose Suspending Student Loan Payments Amid COVID”

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

Issue 1: TikTok

  1. Read President Donald Trump’s “Executive Order Addressing Threat Posed by TikTok” (link above). Do you feel his action was justified? Why or why not?
  2. Do you feel TikTok poses a national security threat to Americans’ private data? Why or why not?
  3. What do you think of TikTok? Write an honest review. How does your point of view as a teenager influence your interpretation of it?
  4. What should be the federal government’s role in regulating social media? In this case, was the President overstepping his authority?
  5. Read TikTok’s statement on p. 3 of the newsletter. Do you feel satisfied with their assurances? Why or why not?

Issue 2: Student Loan Debt

  1. How do you think college debt is affecting our economy and community?
  2. What is an acceptable and reasonable amount of debt for college education?
  3. Even if students could get a quality, debt-free undergraduate education, what are the best ways to keep institutions at the graduate level, or private schools, from loading up students with unmanageable debt?
  4. Is it important to have a significant number of young people attend college, including young people that are going to require loans to afford college?
  5. How have the opportunities in the job market for someone with a degree changed in the last 10 to 50 years?

 

Trivia Answers for October 2020 Issues

Sep 17, 2020

1.  How many electoral votes are necessary to elect the U.S. president?

a.            140

b.            210

c.            270

2. Who was the only U.S. president to serve two non-consecutive terms?

a.            Grover Cleveland

b.            Franklin D. Roosevelt

c.            Woodrow Wilson

d.            John Adams

3. The first presidential election took place in _____.

a.            1777

b.            1789    

c.            1791

4. Every U.S. president since 1852 has been either a Republican or a Democrat.

a.            True     

b.            False

5. Match our country’s earlier presidents to their political parties.

No Party – George Washington

Federalist – John Adams

Whig – Millard Fillmore

Research Links and Critical Thinking Questions for October 2020 Topics

Sep 17, 2020

RESEARCH LINKS

Issue 1: Electoral College
The Federalist Papers: No. 68 by Alexander Hamilton
FairVote.org: “The Electoral College: How It Works Today”
House.gov: “Electoral College Fast Facts”
Heritage Foundation: “The Electoral College: Enlightened Democracy 
League of Women Voters: “Who Will Elect the President? Electoral College System” 
NewYorker.com: “The Case for Dumping the Electoral College”

Issue 2: 2020 Election
Vote.org: One-Stop Voting Information Site
Pew Research: “Election 2020”
Ballotpedia.org: “Presidential Election 2020”
270towin.com: “2020 Presidential Election Interactive Map”
ProCon.org: “2020 Presidential Election Site”
NYT: “2020 Presidential Election Calendar” 

CRITICAL-THINKING QUESTIONS

Issue 1: Electoral College

  1. Read Alexander Hamilton’s Federalist No. 68 (link above). Has the Electoral College system worked out the way Hamilton originally envisioned it?
  2. Is the Electoral College a good way of ensuring each voter is represented equally? If not, do you think it is important that each vote person’s vote count equally?
  3. Do you think the founders’ reasons for establishing the Electoral College system are still relevant today? Why or why not?
  4. What is the difference between a democracy and a republic? Why did the Founders dislike democratic systems? Why did they believe republican forms of government were superior?
  5. Do you think the Electoral College still functions well in the present day? Why or why not?

Issue 2: 2020 Election

  1. What is the relationship between voting and democracy?
  2. What information is essential for voters to make an informed decision about candidates?
  3. Why does campaign spending matter? What rules should exist, if any, about the claims and accusations of political campaigns?
  4. After reading the candidates’ positions on the issues, which issues are the most important to you and why?
  5. In your opinion, what are the qualities of a great leader in any political context?