In this edition of CLP’s Current Events page, we felt it necessary to acknowledge the elephant in the room: these are troubling times. Recently our staff sat together and acknowledged our varying individual experiences. As a small collection of folks, we represent a few different generations, various faiths and ethnic backgrounds, a realm of political sympathies, and family histories rooted in Oregon and abroad. We discussed the role of media in our lives, and how some of us remember a time before the 24 hour news cycle and social media, while others of us have endured the normalization of omnipresent catastrophic imagery.
There is a temptation to push forward without pausing because the most obvious shared descriptor among us as a staff is our belief in our creed: the best way to preserve democracy is to teach democracy. Our mission “to equip students with the knowledge, essential skills, and motivation to participate in our democracy” is elevated by providing online resources for teachers and students to safely explore current events as part of their study of participatory democracy. That said, to preserve democracy, we must also preserve ourselves and our capacity to care for each other openly and broadly.
A different offering…
So today we are looking back across U.S. history to consider the ways that communities and individuals have sustained their well-being and their faith in the democratic process during difficult and divisive times. Though studies do show that political and ideological polarization is increasing, it is also helpful to remind ourselves that the U.S. is an ever-evolving entity, and that painful moments often engender enduring positive outcomes. Across the decades and now centuries of the American experience, many writers, historians, artists, diplomats, leaders, teachers, and care providers have forged well-structured, actionable, and compassion-based response techniques that we can adapt and follow. Sometimes history teaches us what not to do, but, perhaps arguably more often, it also shows us what we can and, potentially, should do.
Essential Questions:
- What examples in American history can we draw on to examine communities responding with resilience to political turmoil?
- How can we renew our determination to preserve and practice democratic values?
- What kinds of positive, long term effects exist as a result of political turmoil?
- How can examining primary documents and personal interviews deepen our understanding of human experience and dignity in times of political upheaval?
- How can engaging with local systems of governance enhance our sense of safety and empowerment?
Vocabulary:
- Application to the Present: Using knowledge of the past to understand present-day issues and inform future decisions.
- Primary Source Interview: A first-hand, original account of an event, experience, or topic provided directly by a witness or participant.
- Resilience: The ability to adapt, recover, and grow from adversity, trauma, and stress, characterized by mental, emotional, and behavioral flexibility.
- Institutional Strengthening: Rebuilding or reforming government institutions, drafting new legislation, and restoring functioning, credible judicial systems.
- Justice and Reconciliation: Addressing root causes of conflict, promoting human rights, and establishing processes for transitional justice.
Videos:
Background Resources:
“After the Day of Infamy: «Man-on-the-Street» Interviews Following the Attack on Pearl Harbor” Library of Congress, Accessed February 03, 2026
“Collection: September 11, 2001, Documentary Project” Library of Congress, Accessed February 03, 2026
“Art, Protest, and Public Space” The Metropolitan Museum of Art, October 01, 2021
“How the Stress of Disaster Brings People Together” Scientific American, November 06, 2012
The Pandemic Divided a Friendship, a Conversation Helped Heal It” Storycorps, January 09, 2026
Recent Articles:
“‘We Have to Go Out and Touch People’: How Activism Is Tacking the U.S. Loneliness Epidemic” The Guardian, January 05, 2026
“We Are Living in a Time of Polycrisis: If You Feel Stuck, You’re Not Alone” The Guardian, January 14, 2026
“Youth Pulse 2026: Insights from the Next Generation for a Changing World” World Economic Forum, January 2026
Recent Editorials:
“When Everything Falls Apart, Can Communities Come Together?” Behavioral Scientist, October 17, 2024
“Turning Conflict Into Progress in Divided Times: Five Keys to Effective Peacebuilding” Search for Common Ground, March 26, 2025
“The Difficult Journey to Trust in Conflict-Affected Societies” Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, September 05, 2024
Lesson Plans:
Interpreting History: The Kent State Shooting (Navigating Differences and Disagreements Within Primary Sources Covering the Same Historical Event) Lumen Learning, Accessed February 03, 2026
Building Community from Chaos Rethinking Schools, Accessed February 03, 2026, Originally published in print edition, Fall, 1994
“How to Keep Supporting Students in a Hostile Political Environment” Education Week, June 26, 2025
“Reinventing American Democracy” PBS News Hour Classroom, February 08, 2024
Resources for Younger Students:
“Perseverance and Personal Best” Overcoming Obstacles, Accessed February 03, 2026
“10 Lessons for Teaching Conflict Resolution Skills” Conflict Resolution Education Connection, Accessed February 04, 2026