SUMMARY
At a time of intense polarization across the country and bitter partisan battles in Washington, some of the nation’s governors are attempting to find a way forward to solve their own states’ problems. Judy Woodruff sat down with two governors from opposing sides to talk about their call to disagree better. It's part of her series, America at a Crossroads.
View the transcript of the story.
News alternative: Check out recent segments from the NewsHour, and choose the story you’re most interested in watching. You can make a Google doc copy of discussion questions that work for any of the stories here.
Key terms
DEI — Diversity, equity and inclusion programs are organizational frameworks which seek to address underrepresentation of participants based on race, gender, ethnicity or other considerations.
WARM-UP QUESTIONS
- Who are the two governors featured in the interview?
- What initiative are the governors promoting?
- Where did Judy Woodruff meet Governors Cox and Wes Moore for the interview?
- Why does Spencer Cox believe the country needs to focus on disagreeing better?
- How does Wes Moore suggest working through divisive issues like immigration?
FOCUS QUESTIONS
How are the featured governors encouraging Americans to approach disagreements in the current polarized political climate? Do you think this initiative is important? Why or why not?
Media literacy: How can students learn to respectfully disagree? Why is it an important skill?
Alternative: See, Think, Wonder: What did you notice? What did the story make you think? What would you want to find out more about?
FOR MORE
What students can do:
Check out this other Newshour Classroom lesson for a Brief But Spectacular take on debating democracy:
Link to lesson and questions here.
Fill out this form to share your thoughts on Classroom’s resources. Sign up for NewsHour Classroom’s ready-to-go Daily News Lessons delivered to your inbox each week.
