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Write Your Member of Congress
Through SGAP’s parent company, National Write Your Congressman, you can use the Constituent Opinion Ballot to write your members of congress about key legislation underway. NWYC provides small businesses with nonpartisan information and research on top issues and pending legislation in Congress.
America’s Legacy Book
The Foundation of Freedom
Written for middle and high school students, the new “America’s Legacy” book focuses on the text and history of the United States’ Founding Documents, including the Constitution, Bill of Rights and Declaration of Independence. Additional sections cover the elements of citizenship (how to be a good American citizen); the three branches of government and separation of powers; and excerpts from great American speeches. Interesting “Freedom Facts” and SGAP infographics are included throughout the book.
About Us
Established by National Write Your Congressman in 1992, the Student Governmental Affairs Program is a national nonprofit organization headquartered near Dallas, Texas. SGAP brings U.S. government and civics to life through a monthly newsletter that educates K-12 students about current legislation in Congress, presents pro/con perspectives from both sides of the aisle, and asks them to vote on the issues. SGAP supplements classroom instruction with nonpartisan educational materials that teach responsible citizenship through active participation. SGAP’s civics educational program is received by students in all 50 states and D.C., with about four million students having participated since its inception.
In 2019, SGAP received an Honorable Mention in the National Category for the American Civic Collaboration Awards (“Civvys”). Developed by the Bridge Alliance Education Fund, Big Tent Nation, and the National Conference on Citizenship in 2017, the Civvys Awards are among the most high-profile and visible aspects of the civic renewal movement.
Organizations We Partner With
Featured SGAP Infographics
2023 Student Voting Results
2022 SGAP Year in Review
2023 SGAP Year in Review
2022 Impact Survey Results
2023 Impact Survey Results
2022 Student Voting Results
Presidential Demographics in the 21st Century Infographic
Divided Politics in America Infographic
Political Parties Infographic
What’s New
Ideas for Teachers May 2024
Issue 1: TikTok Ban
- Should TikTok be banned in the U.S.? Why or why not? What alternative solutions do you suggest?
- Although they’re owned by the same company, China’s version of TikTok offers a child-friendly version, with educational videos and a time limit that isn’t offered in the U.S. Do you think it’s possible China is using TikTok to influence a generation of American youth?
- Is TikTok merely a fun video app, or something more insidious? If you were a parent, would you allow your kids to use the app? Why or why not?
- The TikTok app contains a great deal of private information about American users and this data is stored offshore. But is it futile to worry about Chinese government surveillance in an age where all big tech companies (and the U.S. government) are spying on us anyway?
- Should American federal or state governments ban TikTok on government devices? Why or why not?
SGAP Newsletter May 2024 (TikTok Ban + Ukraine Aid)
Lawmakers Introduce Legislation to Implement 32-hour Workweek
IN MARCH, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Rep. Mark Takano (D-CA) introduced the “Thirty-Two Hour Workweek Act” in their respective chambers. If passed, the legislation would amend the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 to reduce the standard workweek from 40 to 32 hours per week for non-exempt (salaried) employees.
Over a four-year period, the legislation would lower the threshold required for overtime pay, from 40 to 32 hours; require overtime pay at a rate of 1.5 times a worker’s regular salary for workdays longer than 8 hours; and require overtime pay at double a worker’s regular salary for workdays longer than 12 hours.
Due to technological advances in automation, robotics, and artificial intelligence, Sanders says U.S. businesses can now afford to give employees more time off without cutting their pay.
Teacher Spotlight on Chris Elliott (New Haven, IN)
As a veteran teacher and published author, Chris Elliott—who teaches U.S. history and government at a public high school in New Haven, Indiana—says he’s seen a number of changes as a result of the tense political climate.
“Public education is being scrutinized again,” Elliott says. “Much of that scrutiny—CRT, mask mandates during Covid, banned books, etc.—is based on misinformation. Recognizing this climate, I don’t shy away from assignments and discussions covering potential powder keg topics, but I ensure that I remain politically neutral in the classroom.”
Elliott believes that teaching youth how to engage in constructive dialogue with people who hold opposing views will be even more important in the future. “We should continue to encourage rich dialogues about sensitive subjects,” Elliott says. “In my government classes, we recently held discussions on Supreme Court cases about gay marriage, abortion, search and seizure laws, religious rights in public school, and gun control. The kids love it!”
Ideas for Teachers April 2024
Issue 1: Liquefied Natural Gas
- Read the White House statement on why the Biden administration temporarily paused exports of LNG (link above). Do you agree with the decision and its rationale? Why or why not?
- What are the arguments for and against the U.S. continuing to export liquefied natural gas (LNG)?
- Environmental activists argue that furthering U.S. LNG exports is incompatible with our climate commitments because they will lock in fossil fuel consumption to the detriment of renewable energy sources. How would you respond to their position?
- Rep. Maxwell Frost (D-FL) has said that climate advocates who fight LNG projects are heroes. “I can only hope that we build off Biden’s pause to get to a green, clean future,” he said. If Rep. Frost was (or is) your congressman, what would you write to him in a letter?
- What is an example of an energy source that is renewable and has less environmental impact than fossil fuels?
SGAP Newsletter April 2024 (nuclear energy + liquefied natural gas)
Back in the Saddle Again: U.S. Voters Face Election Rematch
ON MARCH 5, U.S. voters participated in the Super Tuesday contests, resulting in both President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump securing their respective parties’ nominations for president, setting up a déjà vu of the 2020 election.
Shortly after Super Tuesday, GOP presidential candidate Nikki Haley announced she was suspending her campaign, leaving Trump with no major opponents left to block him from becoming the 2024 Republican nominee.
For the first time in more than 60 years, the 2024 presidential election will be a rematch, forcing U.S. voters to choose between the same two presidential candidates from the 2020 election.
The last presidential rematch came in 1956, when Republican President Dwight D. Eisenhower again defeated Adlai Stevenson, the Democratic opponent he had four years prior.
The 2024 general election promises to be a bitter fight, with both candidates facing more negatives than they did in 2020—Trump beset by legal woes and Biden confronting multiple criticisms, including the hyperinflation of today’s economy. Both candidates are older—Biden is 81 and Trump is 77—and deeply polarizing.
As the two campaigns pivot to the general election, voters face a choice between candidates whose differences reflect a nation split not just by political preference but also by profound social, ideological, and cultural divisions.
Ideas for Teachers for March 2024
Issue 2: Social Media Safety
- In your own experience with social media, have you encountered rude or abusive behavior from others? What do you think is a good solution to this problem?
- Should the social media platform itself be responsible for the behavior and comments of users? Why or why not?
- Do you believe Section 230’s protections for big tech companies need to be revised? If so, what changes would you make?
- Do social media networks cause more harm than good? Why or why not?
- How does the Bill of Rights’ First Amendment protect free speech in the U.S.?