This week, Aaron and David take listeners behind the headlines to break down the explosive growth of fraud in programs like Minnesota’s Somali-run daycares and Medicaid housing services, and the human cost of underregulated refugee resettlement.

They explore the influence of billionaire-funded gender ideology initiatives, shifts in family courts, and victories in red-state policy reforms. They also touch on the political implications of Ohio’s lieutenant governor candidate picks, the ban on AI in higher education, and US actions against Venezuela’s narco-state regime.

Neuroscientist, educator, and bestselling author Dr. Jared Cooney Horvath joins the podcast to reveal why classroom technology may be undermining your child’s ability to learn. From 1-to-1 laptops to constant smartphone access, he explains the research linking screens to lower cognitive performance, disrupted memory, and weaker problem-solving skills—and why banning phones can boost learning by up to 11 hours per week and slash behavioral problems by 80 percent.

Jared also uncovers the hidden motives behind the tech push in schools, the “mode effect” that makes handwriting far more effective than typing, and why teaching kids how to think beats teaching them how to use tools, even in our high-tech world.

More About Jared Cooney Horvath

Jared Cooney Horvath (PhD, MEd) is a neuroscientist, educator, and best-selling author who specializes in human learning and brain development. He is the creator of The Learning Blueprint, an international award-winning program helping educators and students understand how learning actually works.

Jared has conducted research and taught at Harvard University, Harvard Medical School, and the University of Melbourne, and has worked with more than 1,000 schools around the world. He is the author of six books, has published over fifty research articles, and his work has appeared in The New Yorker, The Atlantic, The Economist, Harvard Business Review, and ABC’s Catalyst.

Jared currently serves as Director of LME Global, an organization dedicated to bringing cutting-edge brain and behavioral science to educators, students, and communities. To inquire about working with him, or to learn more about his international award-winning Science of Learning programs (The Learning Blueprint for Teachers & The Learning Blueprint for Students), visit lmeglobal.com.

📢 TALK TO US

We want to hear from you! As a valued listener, your feedback is critical for us to keep The Narrative insightful, relevant, and helpful. If you have a particular guest, topic, or question you'd like us to cover, let us know! We’ll answer your questions on an “Ask Us Anything” episode later, so send in your questions now.

👉 Leave us a voicemail or text at 614-769-7077.

👉 Email us at thenarrative@ccv.org.

To learn more about Center for Christian Virtue and to get involved, visit CCV.org.

⭐️ HOW ARE WE DOING?

If you've found any episode of The Narrative insightful, let us know by leaving a review or rating! It helps us to know what you're enjoying and brings the podcast to other listeners, meaning you're helping equip your neighbors to understand today's hottest cultural and political topics. So, thank you!

🔎 ABOUT THE NARRATIVE

The Narrative breaks away from the script to cut through the typical media narratives and helps you understand the root causes of today’s culture and political controversies.

Join Center for Christian Virtue (CCV) President Aaron Baer, Policy Director David Mahan, Communications Director Mike Andrews, and world-renowned experts as they dissect current issues and events from multiple angles and viewpoints, equipping you to be a critical thinker on some of the hottest topics today.

Support the show: https://www.ccv.org/donate

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Who actually deserves credit for founding America? Your eighth-grade history class probably didn't give you the whole story.

For the first Narrative episode of 2026, Mike and David sit down with author Cynthia Scott to answer this question with insights from her book, Celebrating God, Our Founder, at America’s 250th Birthday.

Together, they explore:

• How early settlers prayed their way to America and governed themselves using biblical principles.
• Why pastors were once the primary thought leaders in American communities.
• How the First Great Awakening unified the colonies and laid the groundwork for independence.
• What national repentance could, and should, look like as we approach America’s semiquincentennial.

Americans are once again talking about repentance, prayer, and God’s role in our history. This renewed conversation suggests that our Divine Founder hasn't given up on our nation yet because, as John Adams wrote, "Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious People. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other."

More About Cynthia Scott

Cynthia Scott has led prayer initiatives across Pittsburgh and beyond, including citywide gatherings, prayer for national events, and a daily prayer call for the nation. Passionate about honoring God and praying for revival in America, she has written numerous prayer guides. Celebrating God, Our Founder, at America’s 250th Birthday reflects her conviction that God’s providence shaped the United States and calls believers to honor Him as our true Founder and help to shape our future through prayer. Cynthia resides near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

📢 TALK TO US

We want to hear from you! As a valued listener, your feedback is critical for us to keep The Narrative insightful, relevant, and helpful. If you have a particular guest, topic, or question you'd like us to cover, let us know! We’ll answer your questions on an “Ask Us Anything” episode later, so send in your questions now.

👉 Leave us a voicemail or text at 614-769-7077.

👉 Email us at thenarrative@ccv.org.

To learn more about Center for Christian Virtue and to get involved, visit CCV.org.

⭐️ HOW ARE WE DOING?

If you've found any episode of The Narrative insightful, let us know by leaving a review or rating! It helps us to know what you're enjoying and brings the podcast to other listeners, meaning you're helping equip your neighbors to understand today's hottest cultural and political topics. So, thank you!

🔎 ABOUT THE NARRATIVE

The Narrative breaks away from the script to cut through the typical media narratives and helps you understand the root causes of today’s culture and political controversies.

Join Center for Christian Virtue (CCV) President Aaron Baer, Policy Director David Mahan, Communications Director Mike Andrews, and world-renowned experts as they dissect current issues and events from multiple angles and viewpoints, equipping you to be a critical thinker on some of the hottest topics today.

Support the show: https://www.ccv.org/donate

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.