For the third week in a row, the federal government remains shut down as Republicans and Democrats were unsuccessful in agreeing on a spending bill. About 1.4 million federal workers are furloughed or working without pay, national parks are closed and some air traffic controllers have stopped showing up for work. Once again, leaders in Washington couldn’t agree on a new budget, causing the government to shut down.

The most recent shutdown began on Oct. 1 after Congress was unsuccessful to pass a funding plan for the new fiscal year. The Republican-controlled House of Representatives approved a stopgap measure, but the Senate, where 60 votes are required to pass such a bill, rejected it. Democrats demanded the renewal of health insurance tax credits and protection for Medicaid, while Republicans, backed by President Donald Trump, pushed for sweeping budget cuts. Lindsay Kornfeld, a government teacher, talks about what she believes is the root of the dilemma and how it’s approached in the classroom.

“This is the first shutdown in nearly seven years, but it’s really the culmination of decades of growing division,” Kornfeld said. “We look at it in class, not through a political lens, but as a failure of function. If the government exists to solve problems, why isn’t it doing that?”

According to Kornfeld, the shutdown offers a real-world example of how partisan divides can paralyze the system. 

“When we talk about democracy, this is the reality versus the ideal. Our founders created a structure that was supposed to encourage compromise. What we’re seeing now is the opposite, both sides are dug in, and the result is nothing gets done,” Kornfeld said.

While the direct impact on students is minimal because public schools are funded by the state, not the federal government, Kornfeld believes the symbolic impact is significant.

 “If you don’t know what’s happening, you don’t get to use your voice. Even if it doesn’t touch your daily life, it affects the kind of country you’ll inherit. Your vote in a few years will decide if this kind of dysfunction continues,” Kornfeld said.

For junior Ryan Sunwong, the shutdown initially seemed distant, something happening on the news rather than in his own life.

 “I first heard about it through social media. There were posts about NASA programs, medical research and healthcare projects getting delayed because Congress couldn’t agree on funding. It made me realize how connected everything is,” Sunwong said.

Essential services like border protection, air travel and in-hospital medical care continue, though often without pay for workers. Troops are still receiving checks for now, but lawmakers warn that may not last. Meanwhile, Smithsonian museums, the National Zoo and dozens of parks, including Alcatraz Island and Independence Hall, have closed indefinitely.

Still, Sunwong says most people his age treat the shutdown with resignation rather than outrage.

“Everyone’s incredibly casual about it. It’s like people expect the government to be in shambles at this point. No one’s shocked, just kind of disappointed,” Sunwong said.

 Kornfeld sees that attitude as part of a broader civic challenge. 

“When you look at polling, young people are increasingly disenchanted with the government. There’s this generational fatigue; like, the government isn’t functioning the way it was meant to. Each shutdown is another tally mark in that growing distrust,” Kornfeld said.

In class, Kornfeld uses the shutdown as a learning opportunity for students. Students examine previous shutdowns, including the record-breaking 35-day closure in 2018-2019 and compare them to the current impasse. 

“We talk about what ended those shutdowns and how this one is different. This time, the White House seems comfortable letting it drag on, even suggesting that some furloughed workers might not get back pay. That’s unprecedented,” Kornfeld said.

The Trump Administration’s stance has alarmed many federal employees. Trump told reporters last week that back pay “depends on who we’re talking about” and that some workers “don’t deserve to be taken care of.” In response, House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries argued that the law guarantees all furloughed employees their full pay once the government reopens. For Sunwong, the political standoff feels like more evidence of a system out of touch with ordinary people. 

“I think politicians are blinded by power,” Sunwong said. “They care more about proving a point than keeping things stable. They’ve forgotten what people actually need from [the government].”

He added that although all the facts are present, people themselves have to learn to connect the dots. 

“At first, I thought the shutdown only affected college funding, but when teachers broke it down, I realized it impacts everything: Medicare, foreign aid, research. You start to see how every part of the government is connected,” Sunwong said. 

Kornfeld agrees that education is key to countering apathy.

 “When students understand how something like a budget works — and how political divides can break it — they’re better equipped to think critically about the solutions. That’s how democracy stays alive,” Kornfeld said.

 Despite their varying perspectives on the matter, both Kornfeld and Sunwong see some hope in awareness. 

“When students care enough to ask why the government isn’t working, that’s the first step,” Kornfeld said. “Even just talking about it means you’re engaging with the system rather than tuning out.” 

Sunwong echoed that sentiment, questioning politicians and their system.

“I’d ask politicians how much they’d be willing to give up just to keep things stable, because at the end of the day, people just want to live in a country that works,” Sungwong said.

 As the shutdown continues, the question remains whether lawmakers and the citizens watching from classrooms across the country can find a way to restore faith in the system before the next crisis begins.