Dave the Teacher

Every fall since 1998, Dave Racer has taught high school students about the United States and its government.

High school students at work in Dave Racer’s American Government class

American Government—For Real!!

The course weaves significant moments and movements in our history together with why and how our government and private institutions function, or fail to. Taught from a Christian worldview with an eye on original context, it emphasizes the documents and ideas that shaped the Declaration of Independence, the U.S. Constitution and our public and private institutions, especially the nuclear family.

Alongside the theory, students study how government really works: politics, parties, the media and taxes. The whole course is now available as two textbooks, How We the People Designed our Government to Work and How Our Government Really Works.

Student Senate

This student-led learning experience is unlike any other. Students choose which subjects to study, invite expert witnesses, write bills, then debate and adopt their positions. It is a wonderful leadership training experience, and more than 500 Senators have completed it.

There really is nothing like it, and we are always looking for new Student Senators. See the Summer Senate for this year’s session, or Student Senates Across America to start one in your community.