Insights & Takeaways is Sutherland Institute’s official blog that informs the public and policymakers alike. The blog addresses important issues through the two distinct yet complementary lenses of the seasoned policy professional and the engaged citizen.
Insights: analysis, research, and informed commentary from Sutherland experts. For elected officials and public policy professionals.
Takeaways: the most important things voters need to know. For civically engaged citizens.
A key to community success: putting family data at the center
Families are directly tied to community wellbeing. To protect that wellbeing, we need to harness family-focused data.
Religious schools need freedom to hire and retain staff that support organizational mission
Supporting the mission of an organization is one of the basic tests for employment with it. The principle should rightly extend to hiring decisions of religious schools.
Biden’s education secretary should look to inclusive approach advocated in Utah
Everyone is different, and a variety of careers and educational paths ought to be considered legitimate without cutting against each other.
Biden administration’s proposed repeal of religious student protections illuminates continuing need for religious freedom
Although the formal protections of religious practice are retained in the federal Constitution (and every state constitution), the cultural backdrop is different today.
The next time good economic data hits the news, remember that families are driving it
When government leaders center the family institution in policymaking, they focus on the core financial driver of society.
Why Silicon Valley Bank failed, and what it means for Utahns
Utah banking official says that “everything we know and have learned tell us that the circumstances leading to the closure of these banks were very unique and bear little relationship to banks in Utah.”
How Congress could help make up for COVID learning loss
Originally published in the Washington Examiner. As the years during and after the pandemic have demonstrated, America is rethinking education. More families are homeschooling than ever. More states are passing flexible education choice scholarships — including...
How to remedy the West’s fractured election policies
The 2024 presidential election cycle is slowly building momentum with a new headline each day speculating on who will, or will not, announce a candidacy. As the campaigns accelerate, they will add fuel to the fire of election policy debates in the West.
Absenteeism and the success sequence
What’s at the root of chronic absenteeism in schools? How should we view this current new normal in our post-pandemic world? What do we do about it now?
He graduated from BYU. Then he battled FDR’s New Deal on the bench — 100 years later, his legacy still matters
The life of George Sutherland illustrates how character and kindness among Americans and their leaders can lead to political achievements that improve our civic well-being.
Education pluralism: The state of career and technical education
To win the working-class vote, candidates from any party would do well to take a closer look at supporting career and technical education (CTE) – the pipeline to many occupations.
Election winners should keep an eye on regulatory bureaucracy
The growth of administrative regulations undermines the American democratic principle of elected officials enacting the will of the people through policymaking.
Education pluralism: The state of public charter schools
There is a general trend toward public charter school enrollment growth in the state, and Utah can likely expect to see that continue in the coming years.
People of faith have played a longtime role in encouraging civic participation
Survey shows many people don’t want faith groups to speak out on policies and issues, but a look at our country’s history shows that may be shortsighted.
Students need education pluralism
Education pluralism is a policy environment that supports high-quality schools as varied as the people, values, needs and philosophies that exist in society, and it ensures that students have reasonable access to that variety of options.
Pandemic slide in test scores shows why we need multiple approaches to education
The variety of school options for students ought to reflect the pluralistic society we live in, where students have unique learning needs and differing family dynamics.
Are religious freedom claims all about politics? It’s not that simple
Religious teachings have implications for policy issues without being partisan. Historical examples include opposition to slavery and eugenics and support for women’s suffrage.
5 consequential Supreme Court decisions written by George Sutherland
The justice’s notable opinions covered women’s rights, racial equality, presidential authority, local zoning laws, and freedom of the press.
