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Current Issues Blog & More

 

The Close Up Current Issues Blog, updated weekly throughout the school year, helps teachers connect current events to their students and classrooms. We know that teaching the news can be time-consuming; by the time you find important issues and identify how to teach them, they are old news. That’s where our blog comes in: unpacking issues in the headlines by providing relevant context, links to classroom-ready news items, and suggested prompts for thoughtful discussion.

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Public Parks and Community Green Spaces

Post | June 1, 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 […]


A Tragedy in Buffalo Sparks Multiple Debates

Post | May 26, 2022

On Saturday, May 14, a gunman killed 10 people and wounded three others in a supermarket serving a predominantly Black population in eastern Buffalo, New York. The shooter, an 18-year-old white man, traveled over 200 miles to the Tops Supermarket.1 He was the apparent author of an online screed that claims the attack was meant […]


The Biden Administration Cracks Down on “Ghost Guns” 

Post | April 18, 2022

Early last week, President Joe Biden and Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco announced a final ruling to limit the manufacture and sale of so-called “ghost guns”—privately manufactured firearms without serial numbers.1   This final ruling is part of a series of measures announced by President Biden and the Department of Justice, dating back to last year, […]


The ERA 50 Years Later

Videos | March 24, 2022

During this #CloseUpConversations webinar Close Up is commemorating the 50th Anniversary of the Equal Rights Amendment.


LGBTQ Youth: Who Decides What Is Age-Appropriate?

Post | March 16, 2022

On February 22, Texas Governor Greg Abbott ordered the state Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) to investigate gender-affirming medical care provided to transgender youth as child abuse, requiring mandated reporters (such as teachers, doctors, and health care workers) to pass on that information to the DFPS.1 Gender-affirming medical care for youth typically includes […]


Ukraine and the 2022 State of the Union Address

Post | March 10, 2022

On March 1, 2022, President Joe Biden delivered his first State of the Union address. He hit on several major topics that have impacted the nation over the last year. This post will focus on the president’s discussion of the most recent and pressing global issue: the Russian invasion of Ukraine. READ MORE: The Russian […]


Criminal Justice Issues and Reform

Videos | March 3, 2022

During this #CloseUpConversations webinar we focus on current issues such as bail reform, sentencing reform, and decriminalization of drugs with guest speaker Margaret diZerega.


The Russian Invasion of Ukraine

Post | March 1, 2022

On January 26, we posted about the deteriorating situation in Ukraine. Since then, Russia has invaded Ukraine and surrounded the capital, Kyiv. More than half a million refugees have fled the country and at least 136 civilians, including 13 children, have been killed.1 What Has Happened Since Then? February 21: The Russian government recognizes the […]


The NFL Faces Heat Over Hiring Practices

Post | February 23, 2022

The National Football League (NFL) is in the hot seat again. This time, players and coaches are accusing the league of racial discrimination in hiring practices for coaches; more specifically, they claim that the NFL is biased against Black personnel for coveted coaching positions. In a sports league where most players are Black, most head […]


Should Members of Congress Be Banned from Trading Stocks?

Post | 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 […]


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