Up First briefing: Iran war; Trump; Student loans to Treasury; Hamas Recent studies show the U.S. is slipping further from democracy. And, the Trump administration plans to transfer federal student loans from the Education Department to the Treasury Department.

By Boaz DvirAssociate Professor of Journalism, Penn State UniversityIt’s a scene that’s played out in K-12 schools around the country in recent years. Unprompted, a student expresses her thoughts or feelings about a difficult issue, such as the Iran war. A murmur spreads through the classroom.