SUMMARY
In a 6-3 ruling, the U.S. Supreme Court’s conservative majority struck down one of Louisiana’s majority-Black congressional districts. The decision weakens key protections under the Voting Rights Act and could open the door to broader legal challenges over majority-Black and Latino districts nationwide. Amy Howe and Amy Walter join Geoff Bennett to discuss.
View the transcript of the story.
NOTE: If you are short on time, watch the video and complete this See, Think, Wonder activity: What did you notice? What did the story make you think? What would you want to learn more about?
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.
WARM-UP QUESTIONS
- Where did the case come from that led to this decision by the Supreme Court?
- How will the Supreme Court decision impact the way Louisiana chooses its Congressional representatives?
- When was the Voting Rights Act passed, and why?
- What was the impact on Black voting rates after the Voting Rights Act was passed?
- Why did the court change its previous interpretation of the Voting Rights Act?
ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS
- How do you think the Supreme Court's ruling is likely to impact U.S. elections in the future? What do you think will be the most significant changes?
- How do you think states should draw Congressional district maps so that they are fair and representative of the voters in each state?
Media literacy: Why do you think the producers of this segment chose to bring on a Supreme Court analyst and a political analyst for interviews?
WHAT STUDENTS CAN DO
Watch the following segment from Civics Made Easy about voting rights in the U.S. Then as a class, discuss —
- What aspect of the history of voting rights in the U.S. surprised you the most?
- What existing rules around voting do you think are unfair, or should be updated?
- How can you find out what voting rights are protected in your state?
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