Sharon McMahon

Sharon McMahon is a civic educator, author, speaker, and media personality known as “America’s Government Teacher.” A longtime government and law educator, she explains history, government, current events, and misinformation through her Sharon Says So platform, The Preamble newsletter, podcasting, books, and public speaking.

One Semester of Civics Cannot Sustain Democratic Agency

In an Aspen Ideas Festival session with Kelly Corrigan, civics educator Sharon McMahon argues that American democracy is weakened by civic ignorance, thin school requirements and an information environment where charisma often substitutes for accountability. Her case is that civics cannot be treated as a one-semester subject: citizens need enough knowledge to understand power, evaluate sources, tolerate disagreement and act without giving in to despair.

The Aspen InstituteJun 30, 202619 min read