ABOUT COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS: Community Connections is a lesson collection designed for adult learners and community colleges, with the goal of inspiring student civic action. This might be respectful debate or conversation about a local issue, planning a community event, or a creative project that helps connect local, national and global issues.
To use this lesson: First, watch the video and answer the questions below as a warm up. Next, choose one or more of the activities under "Take Action" that best fits your classroom. Or, use the segment above to inspire your own original classroom activities — the spirit of these lessons is to connect current events to actions that make your community a better place for everyone!
SUMMARY
President Trump gave federal agencies a deadline this week to implement a large-scale reduction in force. The order would not only lay off thousands more government employees but eliminate positions altogether. Lisa Desjardins takes a look at the history of the civil service and the attempts to change its size and influence over time.
View the transcript of the story.
Key terms
meritocracy — a social system, society or organization in which seeks positions are awarded based in ability or proven merit, not because of their money or social position
WARM-UP QUESTIONS
- How many civilian workers does the US government employ?
- Who was the president that cut 20% of the federal workforce?
- What was the purpose of the 1833 Pendleton Civil Service Act?
- When did Bill Clinton and Al Gore take office?
- Why is the Trump administration's approach to slashing the federal workforce different from the Clinton administration?
FOCUS QUESTIONS
The Trump administration's approach has left many Americans confused and divided on their opinions of government workers. According to polls, the majority of Americans believe the government is doing too much while also believing that federal workers are essential.
Why do you think Americans have such conflicting opinions of government? Do you think ? Explain why or why not.
Media literacy: Federal workers include everyone from mail carriers to lawmakers. Think of federal workers in your community. How could you find out how your own community might be affected by cuts? Where does federal spending support your community?
TAKE ACTION
Many in the U.S. think of the federal government and federal agencies as all being clustered in Washington, D.C., but there are federal buildings and workers all throughout the U.S.
Use this resource from the General Services Administration to find out what federal offices are doing in your community. Do you know if they've been impacted by federal cuts? How do you think your community would be effected if the offices near you closed down entirely?
Then use this activity with a focus on local news about federal cuts. As a class, debate which cuts you think might have the biggest impact on the local community.
Watch the video below to learn about how federal cuts are affecting workers in Missouri.
Read this Educator Voice piece to learn how dismantling the U.S. Department of Education, a federal agency, would affect teachers and students.
This project was funded under the 2024 Leonore Annenberg Civic Mission of the Nation Initiative, sponsored by the Leonore Annenberg Institute for Civics. LAIC is a project of the Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania.
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