As this year marks the 250th anniversary since the Declaration of Independence was ratified, the settlement in the case involving Donald J Trump and the U.S. government has drawn attention for its symbolic figure—$1.776 billion (a tribute to the date) awarded to the United States president. While AP Government students may be aware of this event, it raises a broader question: how well informed is the rest of MHS about current developments in national politics?
In 2019, Charles Littlejohn was a contractor for the IRS when he gained access to the tax return records of numerous wealthy individuals, including Donald Trump. After releasing these “secret IRS files,” the New York Times published the findings in an investigative report which concluded that specific money-making individuals were not paying federal income taxes.
When prompted, Anna Pedersen (’27), an AP United States History student said she was unfamiliar with all of the responsibilities of the “IRS.” The acronym, standing for The Internal Revenue Service, refers to the federal agency that collects taxes and enforces tax laws. Pedersen claimed that while she is exposed to some government-related terms in class, she is “not especially inclined to research current events in government at home when [she is] not learning about them in class.” But are students still able to stay up to date with current political events when such information is not embedded in AP course curriculums?
AP Government student Alex Leonard (’26) has a strong grasp of current events, and she dedicates that understanding to “the highly informative lessons provided by [her] AP Government teacher Ms. Camacho.” Mr. Edick, an AP Gov. teacher, says if students can better understand the American government, they can more effectively engage in the democratic process. Civic literacy is a lifelong skill taught in AP Government.
As a member of the IRS who was caught leaking classified federal documents, Littlejohn was sentenced to prison for five years. In 2026, Donald Trump took action against the IRS and Littlejohn, as well as the Department of Justice. This January, he filed a personal lawsuit seeking $10 billion from the IRS for failing to protect his tax returns from the public eye. However, confusion arises when the lawsuit is further investigated; due to the fact that Trump is president of the United States, he is the head of the executive branch, which includes agencies such as the IRS and Department of Justice. In other words, this lawsuit meant that Trump intended to sue a branch he is in charge of.
On May 18, 2026, Trump dropped the lawsuit. However, the dismissal terms outlined that the government would formally apologize to the Trump Organization, and a fund would be created called the Anti- Weaponization Fund. In order to compensate American citizens who had been financially harmed in the process of investigation, this fund of $1.776 billion was to be established. This number was not accidental – 1776 is also the year the Declaration of Independence was ratified and when the colonies gained independence.
One of the ways students stay informed at MHS is through courses such as AP Government and AP United States History. Regardless, recent actions by President Trump having to do with the IRS and DOJ and the lack of awareness from MHS students call into question whether or not civic literacy is sufficiently taught and comprehended at Mamaroneck High School.
