Politics In The Classroom – Where Education Meets Controversy

There is no hiding in the political climate our world is facing. Entering our post-COVID era, politics have become increasingly involved in the K-12 education system. Headlines titled “Trump 2024 Presidential Campaign”, “Latest Developments on the War Between Israel and Hamas”, “Terrorist Insurgency”, “On-Going Russo-Ukrainian War,” and more infiltrate our media, bringing about political feelings of frustration, fear, and polarization, for our generation that subsequently seeps into the nation's school systems. Schools, often characterized as environments that instill and shape students' values of moral and virtuous behavior, are turned to in this rising political climate to give comfort, explanations, and remedies to the turmoil and controversy the world is facing. Especially here at BFS, a school built on the foundational values of Quaker Spices, there is a responsibility to address and bring action to such concerns. However, when touching on politics in a school setting, it can be a thorny and a complex undertaking, given the diverse perspectives, differing opinions, and fear of indoctrination that comes with having an open dialogue. Here remains the pressing question for schools: Do politics belong in the classroom, or should education systems continue to filter the reality from our news outlets?

A school is a business; It provides students with an environment for learning under the guidance of licensed and skilled educators who work to care for and support its clientele: the parents of the students they care for. The truth for many schools, especially those that aren't independent, is that they choose not to talk about politics in a school setting or, at the very least, talk little about the general facts of a political campaign. However, schools can sometimes get away with talking about politics in a school setting by phrasing it as a humanitarian issue, bringing back the emphasis of a school that instills moral and virtuous behavior—formulating these issues as humanitarian issues cause there to be a right side regarding siding with justice, freedom, fairness, etc. So, if anything, there are ways that we can positively teach students right from wrong, using these issues and intentionally separating them from their politicalness without ignoring the politics completely. However, even then, issues arise from the intention of not picking a side, resulting in students feeling that there is a lack of understanding of the importance of taking a stance and not feeling encouraged to express their opinions.

In the end, there is no appealing to both sides, which is why it's advisable in schools to talk strictly about the facts of the matter. However, it is equally important to address what happens in our world by discussing the implications of taking a stance and giving students the opportunity to express their opinions. Through this, schools can create an environment of critical thinking and understanding, which can ultimately lead to more constructive dialogue.

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Citation: Photo

Korbey, Holly. “How Classroom Political Discussions - Controversies, Too - Prepare Students for Needed Civic Participation.” KQED, 4 Dec. 2019, www.kqed.org/mindshift/54968/how-classroom-political-discussions-controversies-too-prepare-students-for-needed-civic-participation.