How can Americans bridge the deep divides exposed by the pandemic? In this powerful PBS NewsHour Classroom segment, former NIH Director Dr. Francis Collins and truck driver Wilk Wilson engage in an honest conversation about rebuilding trust, empathy, and connection across political and cultural lines. Perfect for high school civics, media literacy, or SEL discussions.
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March 31, 2025
Ask students: Why did officials initially tell Americans they didn't need to wear masks at the start of the pandemic? How can trust be rebuilt among Americans, according to Wilkinson and Collins?
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Americans were sharply divided over the public health response to COVID-19, including masking, remote learning, business closures and vaccines. Five years after the start of the pandemic, Judy Woodruff sat down with two people on opposing sides of that divide trying to figure out how to move forward. It's part of her series, America at a Crossroads.
View the transcript of the story. News alternative: Check out recent segments from the News Hour, and choose the story you’re most interested in watching. You can make a Google doc copy of discussion questions that work for any of the stories here.
Wilk Wilkinson explains that many Americans felt that health officials did not do a good job of explaining how scientific data on COVID-19 would change as new research came out, which led to public mistrust of mask and vaccine mandates.
Media literacy: What is an issue in your community that people are divided on? Do you think having honest and civil conversations like Wilkinson and Collins could help people understand the other side more?
Watch the videos below to hear the perspectives of different people who lived and worked through the pandemic.
Republished with permission from PBS NewsHour Classroom.
