As a student I believe that the school board should include classes into the system regarding politics with an overall unbiased opinion. The effect it has on a students brain opens them up to see the brighter picture on whats going on right now and everyone should know current events, as well as learning things about politics from the 1800s. The one problem to this is that is a teacher has a bias for one particular thing that someone else doesn't it could cause controversy. Overall, politics should be a teachable thing in classes as long as the bias in controlled
As a student, I believe that teachers should be able to talk about politics and recent events, with an unbiased perspective. Doing this will enrich a student's learning. This will allow students to apply what they are learning to current events. They will be able to connect subjects from the past to the present. Doing this will make learning easier because it will allow applicable studies. Although this is a great idea we will have to be diligent on how we do this. If we allow teachers' opinions on politics to carry over to the class it would not be good. Students should be allowed to make their own decisions on politics without the influence of an outside source. To summarize, politics should be allowed in the classroom but we need to careful to not add our own opinions and ideas.
I don't think that it is reasonable for teachers to completely steer clear of politics when teach but they should allow the students to express their own opinions and stick to the facts of both sides of an issue in order to prevent bias.
The impeachment inquiry is a good discussion to have with students because it shows the importance of something that is happening right now. Many of the teachers have elaborated on the impeachment process so that we know what exactly is going on and what laws the president allegedly violated and in Mr.Dier's case, he had his students discuss respectfully and allowed them to speak for both sides.
I personally can name the 3 branches of government and I know the basic concepts like checks and balances but if many adults don't know about this then it raises concern because these are the people that vote for things such as the president or mayor and the population controls who is in charge regardless of how educated they are.
I believe that social studies teachers should bring up controversial topics to further educate but not add any personal input. I believe that the impeachment inquiry is a teachable moment because as we become older we should know how it works especially if any of us want to pursue a career in politics. My teacher does use current politics and the impeachment process as a topic to study in class. I am able to name the three branches of government yet still struggling with all the concepts of checks and balances. I don't feel fully prepared to participate in American politics but with more practice and information I should be able to make good informed decisions
First, I believe that every once in a while there should a discussion of the impeachment inquiry and I believe that students from all backgrounds should at least experience what it feels like to be part of the impeachment process and hopefully learn the pros and cons out of this experiment. I feel like politics should be in a classroom because it guides people to who they are and what students believe in the politics field of government. It is possible that to carry out both political issues so students know what they want to believe in. I feel like students need to experience every side to know what they want to believe. No, teachers should not worry about anything because being part of a school is to learn new subjects and topics and one of them is impeachment. I feel like it is a teachable moment because there might be some people who want to study government when they are in college. It depends on the teacher if they want to teach with past or current information. The 3 branches of government are judicial, executive, and legislative. I do feel prepared about American politics because I am learning all the concepts of impeachment in my government class currently. Limited government is a form of government where there are limits in certain situations. I hope someday all of the U.S will have a class, like government, so students know what and not to believe in.
First, I think that politics should be taught in the classroom. I think that both sides need to be shown in the same light no matter what the teacher or the students personally think because to create an opinion students need to hear each side equally. If it is taught this way they should have to worry about possible pushback from parents. Impeachment is an event that rarely happens and when students follow the impeachment they can one, teach them about the functions of the power to impeach and be shown possible mistakes made now so that they may not be made again in the future. As the trial has begun we have looked at both sides of the impeachment in my US Government class and I think it has been good to see both sides in both news articles and quotes from politicians. It has been helpful to keep up because to make informed opinions and soon choices as an individual I need to be educated on the process and on the people involved. Yes, I can name all three branches, legislative, judicial and executive. I can also explain the principles of the constitution including checks and balances, separation of powers and limited government. Since I am currently enrolled in a government course I am hoping that I will feel prepared to participate in the government when I am old enough, I already feel as though I have enough knowledge to make an informed decision with additional research. I think everyone should be educated enough to make their own civic choices.
1. I believe social studies teachers should talk about politics in the classroom but to not choose a side. But on the other hand, I don't think it's possible to discuss current events without wanting to take a side. I think for the most part teachers should not worry about parents unless a real debate is happening
2. I think they should use the impeachment inquiry as a teachable moment because they could talk about the things that happened that made everyone decide that the president should get impeached.
3. My teacher talks about things that have happened throughout the impeachment process. They have started to talk about it as a learning process but have not really gotten into it. I don't think they should because I already know what has happened that caused the impeachment, also people might start to get political.
4. Yes. the three branches are judicial, legislative, and executive branches. I am not able to get down the constitutional branches because I haven't really reviewed them yet. I feel prepared to participate in an American democracy and make informed civic decisions because we have practiced that before and I have a lot of background information. Yes I do believe my school should focus more on preparing me for the civic life because we have mainly been studying the past and not current events.
In this era of politics, we have ventured forth into a volatile world of charged, emotional ideologies and rarely see non-partisan commentary, and even broadcasting in some cases. But, in saying this, a partisan view is not always synonymous with a bad view or does not mean it is false. What this means, is that although people will have their opinion on politics, it is a natural-born right for people to have an opinion, that should not keep students from encountering and discovering politics in the classroom, and from having student's worlds expanded at a young age. Of course, it is not in a teacher's duty or right to try and sway a person's opinion. But, school is most likely the only place where opinions on politics are most balanced, and they can learn about the modern-day happenings in a potluck of perspectives. Teachers play a huge part in preparing future generations, and from a young age, we want them to be educated citizens with an eagerness to learn and understand what happens in D.C., because who knows? They could be working there next. Also, teachers should not, have to worry about backlash from parents. (That is, of course, if the education of politics from teachers does not infringe on personal beliefs.) One of the head ideas from the constitution, that the framers made very clear, was the freedom of speech. So, from educating young children so that they made develop a voice, to expressing one's own opinion in a peaceful way, there is no reason to suppress them.
I believe that society needs to know about the impeachment process and the outcomes or benefits it has on our country. I believe that teachers should talk about situations like impeachment to gain knowledge if they want to be in the government field.
I think that social studies teacher should be able to talk about controversial topics because there is nowhere else that you can speak freely on some topics unless you are in Avid and you happen to have Socratic Seminar or Philosophical Chairs but that doesn't happen all the time so I think that we should discuss politics and when discussing we should not let our opinion cloud our judgments and we should speak respectful and our statements or accusations should be only facts-based and we should be able to prove it.
The impeachment inquiry is a teachable moment for students because its a good way to learn about the separation of powers and checks and balances and it is an example of rule of law if you wanted to expand on what it exactly means.
Teachers should use politics as a way to explore further in certain subjects that include the concept of politics and the impeachment process should be used as a learning opportunity because if you are learning about the Constitution you can develop more on your learning if you studied how the impeachment process works.
I am able to name the three branches of government, understand the separation of powers, limited and representative government, federalism and checks and balances. I am completely aware of all these things because I have been taught by my lovely teacher Ms. Guerin.
First, I believe that it is important for social studies teachers to address political issues. Students should learn about what is going on around them. Teachers should not need to worry about parents dislike because the topics should be presented in a neutral manner.
Second, I believe that the impeachment inquiry is an educational event that students should learn about. I believe that when learning about impeachment and the process, it is easier to understand if you can relate to the topic. I think that as long as a neutral opinion is held, that this is a good way for students to understand impeachment.
Thirdly, my government teacher has used current events and politics to help my class understand the impeachment. I think that it is easier and more interesting to learn about a topic that is important and will impact my life and the lives of others around me.
Finally, yes I am able to name all three branches of government which include the judicial, legislative and executive branches. I am able to define the constitutional principles such as checks and balances, separation of powers, limited government and federalism because of what we are learning in my government class. I feel somewhat prepared to participate in our democracy but I think that my school could help prepare us a little more. I think my school could use current events to make the concepts we are learning real and easier to understand and teach us more about registering to vote and other types of elections.
I think that learning the basics and importance of government is important and acceptable in the classroom since it is important not to be ignorant. However, politics have so many sides to them and it is almost impossible to keep the discussion at a neutral level. To respect other students' stand I think politics should stay out of the classroom. My teacher has used current issues in class as topics of discussion. The process of Impeachment is important to learn so that the students know how it works as we have done in class. Issues on Impeachment however I think should stay out of the classroom unless kept at a neutral level. I can name all 3 branches and I can understand the separation of powers, limited government and federalism, however, we have not yet discussed checks and balances. I can understand the purpose of government and how it works, so I am not in ignorance of the world around me.
1. I do not believe that social studies teachers should teach about politics in the classroom. Of course, we need to learn about the government and how it works. However, teaching about how impeachment works can be done without mentioning current events and/or giving opinions. Talking about things from the past can be tricky though. Parents most definitely should worry about pushback from parents. Teachers should not teach what is not acceptable by parents. It's like teaching a certain religion to a student that believes in a different religion. It's not okay.
2. No. It's not the place of the teachers to teach about a political subject that is not bipartisan and can be offensive to students and families. No matter how much a teacher tries to be unbiased, it's still an emotional subject for some people.
3. My teacher uses it as a teaching point but she teaches the process without really pointing at the current impeachment. I do prefer this especially since it gives me more opportunities to make up my own mind on subjects.
4. I can name the branches (Judicial, Legislative and Executive). I also have been taught about those other topics but I am out of words left to explain them.
After saying all that I still do believe kids should be taught how to talk about their own opinions and respect the opinions of others without being defensive. However, that's the job of the parents aswell.
Teachers should talk about impeachment cause students need to learn about what society they live in. they don't need to worry about backlash cause all this does prepare students. The impeachment inquiry is apart of history and needs to be talked about even if it's bad. My teacher uses as an example of teaching impeachment. The 3 branches Legislative, executive, and judicial. they balance each other like rock, paper scissors. I wish my school to prepare me more for my civics life because Politics is a big and sensitive thing and I want to understand it.
i think we should know about the impeachment because that's a really important thing to talk about and we need to know stuff that we are going to know when we grow up
I believe that it is important that social studies teachers should cover controversial subjects because it is important to keep the students engaged with new topics such as politics and it is even important to discuss their positions on the topics. If parents disagree than have a separate "flex time" that students who can participate can participate in. Of course, impeachment is an important topic to talk about, some students don't even know what impeachment is. I think that this is an important topic to talk about because it is important to find the current status. This should not be a topic that you should have to worry about studying. The reason for this is because it should be more of an extracurricular thing. My teacher has brought up current government issues such as Trump's impeachment, but does not discuss her political views on it. But I believe that it is an important discussion to talk about. I can obviously name all 3 branches easily. Checks and balances is a new topic that we are learning but I know most basic principles about it. All of these constitutional principles are what we are currently learning about and with my teacher I have a current understanding of what they all mean. I believe that all of these topics are important to learn about in your future so you have a clearer understanding of them.
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i do wish that i learned politics in class. as a 13-year-old, i wish that instead of being in history class and having to learn about the past. there's almost no reason for me to learn about the past for two reasons. it's not useful and won't ever be unless you are sitting at your desk one day and then the secret service walks in and asks YOU if you know exactly when Abraham Lincoln was born because they don't know and if you don't then it will be the end of the world. the second reason is that i would rather learn about the present and the future. also why do i have to be in neutral conversation. if i wanna tell people that i think that their ideas are stupid or ironic then i will because it's in my right to tell people that i think that they are dumb socialists that follow after Berny Sanders. So yes if anything please make it so i can stop learning about the past and learning about the present and the future so we can become more involved and informed in our country and not become informed about the old one.
Prior to reading this comment, I simply didn’t believe that politics should ever belong in the classroom. And in most cases, it still doesn’t. And it definitely doesn’t belong in the classroom as an opinion pushed onto others. But in certain classes, I believe that (civil) political discussion is warranted. The teacher in the article receives some backlash for facilitating civil discussion of controversial topics in his class, but he teaches social studies, a class where you learn about politics. The impeachment is not only relevant to the topics he teaches, but it is also a learning opportunity. It’s a way to teach his students how to have a civil discussion about something controversial, which is a skill lacking in our country right now.
According to my calculations, I think discussing today’s political events in the classroom could be BOTH beneficial and deadly. A lot of clueless students are unaware of what’s going on in today’s world and it could be a good teachable moment to explain how our politics relate to what we’re studying. That triggers me, anyway, with the strong opinions that come with politics, it may be nearly impossible to have an unbiased lesson. My experience with these events was very scary. One day when I was going to school, I thought to myself how these students have to know this information. I used to get picked on a lot a school for being a “nerd” because sometimes I would bring this subject up but Abe would just make fun of me. Sometimes I cried, but this is very serious. Therefore, the lessons are from their biased perspective. This could be harmful because uneducated students may be misinformed or swayed. On the other hand, if the lesson was unbiased, civil, and informative, like the one in the article, it would help us be more prepared to make our own civic decisions. I can answer the questions about our government mentioned in the article, however, I do not feel prepared at all to vote. I think it would be very effective if my school could perform the activities that the students did in the article without biased opinions.
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I strongly agree that it should be required to teach and inform the students about impeachment, regardless of what people say they always have their own opinions and if they feel strongly about them then what you say to them shouldn’t really affect them. In fact it would inform those who don’t know much about it and give the correct information to properly talk about the topic. For example, Mr. Dier thought the same way, he exposed his students to real time news and gave a crash course on how Trump has been accused of pressuring Ukraine to investigate his rival. He wanted to get his students to try and engage themselves into the news, because he knows most people don’t.
I do believe that politics should be discussed in social study classes. I think this because many students don’t often even know what’s going on or they may only socialize with people as the same views as them. By discussing political issues in the classroom, students can hear what people on the other side of them have to say. Some students also don’t really have a place where they can share their views so by talking about in the classroom they would have an outlet. On the other hand, a teacher may try and force their views on the students, making the conversation no longer neutral. But it really would be a good place for students to peacefully share their views.
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Although like in the article, this current event of impeachment is a great way to incorporate current events into the classroom, I do not think it should be discussed by teachers to students currently. I think this because there are many strong opinions towards our president. Some people like him. And a lot of people don't. If teachers were to talk about this because it is such a current issue, There is no way that there will not be any bias in the teachers lesson. I think there should be a minimum of a decade between current events being taught in school to make sure that there isn't strong emotion or bias from the teacher. I think that is okay for students to talk about this in school and have their teachers join in, but not be part of the curriculum that students will be graded for.
The Impeachment Inquiry is a teachable moment and politics should stay in school. I say this because students need to know what’s going on between the government and they need to know rather if they’re in safe conditions or not. We need to learn more about these impeachments and politics because if not, then we’ll have not clue about what’s going on.
In the way that this teacher is using current events I think it is alright as he seems to, based on the article, be keeping his personal beliefs out of the lesson. I think current events are a great teaching tool because it seems to get kids more engaged with the content but when it comes to politics it’s tricky because teachers like to put their own spin on it; adding their personal beliefs to the facts and if they are really passionate about it, squashing the opposite opinion.
The comment in the arctic “who is on social media just as much as Chris Dier’s students.” is a perfect example of what can happen when politics are brought into the classroom; comments like that one are made with no evidence to back them up. The NYT cannot factually back up their claim about the amount of time President Trump spends on social media compared to Mr. Dier’s students because they don't know how long Mr. Dier’s students spend on social media. When teachers are passionate about politics they tend to spin the facts to support their opinion. Schools and teachers are supposed to give students facts and methods and let them make their opinion, not indoctrinate them into taking one side or another.
I believe politics should be brought up in school with limits. It is very important for students to know who is in office and their roles in that position. Although, politics may offend some students which is why discussions on politics should remain unbiased.
One of my favorite social studies classes was in 2016. We spent most of the fall learning about presidential elections and the debate process. Of course I had learned about the election process before, but not in the way I did that year. When I first learned about elections, it almost felt disconnected. When we bring politics into the classroom it makes important issues feel like the students right now. A debate like that was very controversial, but it made everyone invested in the lesson. I like how the teacher in the article went about bringing the impeachment inquiry up in class. He made sure everyone had a chance to argue their opinion while also making sure everyone was respectful towards them. I don’t understand the problem of bringing politics into the classroom. Being scared to bring up material that the class is mainly about is completely unbeneficial towards the class.
@Emily Vogt The issue with bringing politics up in the classroom is that teachers put their own spin on things. They like to shape the facts to fit their opinions. It's a slippery slope as most kids dont have the knowledge to debate against their teachers and B don't know any better than to trust what their teachers tell them as we have been raised in a society where we aren't taught to question authority. The issue is that kids could be indoctrinated by teachers who are passionate about politics and only tell half the story.
@Yates Kirby If the teachers are telling kids only half of the story and are being biased then they shouldn't be a teacher. Teachers are supposed to teach kids everything, and every side to the story, and let kids come up with there own opinions, and keep their own out of it. And they should be teaching us how to debate, and speak your mind when the time is right. Isn't that what we do in society now. We don't just sit around with all of our ideas and opinions anymore this isn't the first century. We protest for whats right. We speak our minds and give our opinions. Yes, there are times when its wrong to question authority, but not in a classroom. That is our space where we learn, speak our mind and make mistakes. We don't just sit around and listen to the teacher even though we know what they are saying is wrong or biased, we respond back. Teachers are there to guide you and give you resources to develop your opinions.
I think that politics should be talked about in school. Students need to know how the political system works and what the roles are in that system. If they weren’t taught about it, then all of America would be otherwise oblivious. I do however disagree when it cones to talking about current representative in office, such as the president. Bring up a topic that student have only heard about form their parents is bound to cause disaster, they act like they know what they are talking about and and so they start a debacle about things they don’t know. It’s just not reasonable to talk about current politics in the classroom, when you know that there will be a debate.
I believe that politics should not be brought up in school. You never know who you could upset/offended and I just think you shouldn’t talk about it in a school setting.
i personally feel that teachers should not choose sides when they bring up political debates because there job is to teach us both sides and understand the issue. Not about what they believe because it’s our choice to choose what we believe not there’s
I believe that impeachment and politics should be in classrooms. I feel this way because it would be a great outlet for students to talk about important things that going around in the world. When students discuss their opinions with others it may cause conflict but it would cause students to see things from a different perspective. If we talk about politics and impeachment in class it would open up students minds about how they see the world. They also will have a better knowledge of world news.
I believe that things like impeachment and politics can be used as teachable subjects in the right situations. In a class like Civics or US History, it can be used to talk about our government system and things like the impeachment process. Of course it should be kept out of like math class and those kind of topics but this a place where it can fit in school
I think that the impeachment proceedings are a teachable moment. It’s just what the article says, history is being made as we watch, and students are clearly interested in it, so why avoid the subject? Being worried that talks of impeachment are offensive shouldn’t be an issue when civics classes still regularly have debates regarding gay rights or the legality of abortion.
I believe impeachment and politics should be kept out of classrooms because that is a subject that could be considered offensive to a student.Knowing about the political system is important for future reference but as a student today I don’t want to be bothered with what’s happening in the government. I want to be able to focus on passing my exams instead of being pulled into an argument about adult decisions. When I become an adult I will be involved in discussions about politics but for now I feel students should be taught how to write a college essay or apply for a job.
I do think that impeachment and politics should be taught in schools because it educates students on things they might not yet be educated about in a beneficial way. They could be getting wrong or biased information from parents or not getting any information at all. By including politics in classes, students are more likely to get viable information and stay updated with the world that they will one day be a part of.
I totally believe that it is a teachable moment. Politics are a part of life, it almost always directly affects people’s way of life. We are the future and we can’t prepare for that if we don’t know the prerequisites. Most of the people that are making the decisions right now are older, this might sound morbid but they could do anything right now and they would face the effects of it because they will die of old age before it reaches them. Younger people should be running capitol hill.
This should be a teachable moment, but should not be anything more than that. If they turned it into a whole lesson, then people will get sick of it faster and some of us might want nothing to do with it. We need to be involved and with that, we need to want to be involved with it. The way that the teacher was doing it in the article is exactly what I mean, he let everyone voice their opinions and they were fully cooperating for 90 minutes.
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When people get into political debate most people say “Ok let's just stop talking about this.” and I think that is a problem, it is ok to disagree with other people and just because someone doesn't agree with you on something doesn't mean it should be something that is kept under wraps. Politics is very important and I think the classroom is a great place to discuss it because it is a controlled environment, and many people with different views will be able to share their opinions.
After reading the article I think Mr. Dier did a great job of using Trump's impeachment inquiry as a teachable moment. He went back and discussed other presidents who had similar things happen. And the students seemed to really enjoy the discussion, someone in the class said "We have never studied anything that was unfolding live." I thought that was a great quote and it's very true. In history class we usually talk about things that happened a long time ago so I think it would be very interesting for students to learn and discuss things that are happening around them. And it's cool to discover that you are living in history!
Talking and informing students of the things happening in the world and politics is essential especially if those students will be voting in the next election. I think teachers bringing up politics and allowing students to have debates is so cool.
With the impeachment inquiry talking about that is so cool because it’s history going down right in front of us. But I understand that for teachers it could be hard listening to kids say things even as jokes and not be able to try and correct them because they can’t express their political opinion. I also think it shouldn’t be required of every student to participate because they might not want to share their opinions in today's society of hyperpolarization.
I think that it is good for students to be able to talk about what is going pin in the country. It gives us a better understanding of what today's issues are. However, I do not think that teachers should push their own political opinions on kids. I think that is the biggest problem with politics in the classroom today, but if the teachers respect the student opinions it would lead to more intellectual discussion rather than hostile ones. In the story mr. Dier thought his students should be able to know about what is going on so they would be better suited to make their own opinions later.
@Jaden Davenport
I agree with your comment made on the importance of politics in the classroom. I also agree that teachers shouldn’t push their own political views because it makes students feel as if they’re wrong to believe what they believe. For students to have a good understanding and be well educated about what’s going on in the world, it’s vital that we discuss politics within the classroom.
No matter what anyone’s opinions are on current politics, I believe that in order to successfully teach today’s kids about politics and government, they need to be fully involved in the current events for both sides. For example, the Trump impeachment debate. It was very beneficial for the kids in Mr.Dier’s classroom to be able to hear the stories, rumors, and opinions of both parties then be able to see everything in action in actual politics.
@Dawson Peck Students and teachers conversing about current events in politics seems like a good idea. Yes, it can involve students but in such a controversial time and with how split everyone is on politics i believe that current events should be kept out of the classroom to prevent teachers and administrators from pushing a certain political belief or idea onto their students. Students who are not involved with politics are vulnerable to ideas that could be forced onto students. Current events in politics should stay out of the classroom.
@Jc Speight I agree with Jc’s opinion that politics should stay out of classrooms. Most teens aren't fully informed on all aspects of politics and usually will believe whatever teachers or the media shows them. Many are uninformed and will become corrupt to the teachers opinions, leaving their brains and personal beliefs indoctrinated by the opinion of the teacher. Debates on politics are very important and a cool thing to be apart of, but this should not be happening in classrooms where we all don’t know all the facts. This is were debate clubs and clubs regarding politics come into place.
@Dawson Peck I totally agree with you. We should have these types of Political conversations with one another and in classrooms. I feel like today in this world there is so much tension when talking about politics and there shouldn’t be at all. It is healthy to have well organized debates in class. To be able to openly discuss our opinions about our system and the Impeachment. We have got to get better about talking about uncomfortable things like politics. It’s okay to talk things out and hear others views it a great way to be open and see why the other side thinks what they think. I feel it is wonderful to talk about politics in the classroom. In a respectful way of course.
A teachable moment
Everything in life is a moment that you can learn from. No matter how life shattering to how insignificant it may be, a moment can have effects that you may never realize. I believe that the Impeachment movement in today's political climate is an extremely important moment that can rock the world no matter the outcome. Not only can aspiring politicians learn from this situation, but schools need to use this as an easier way to talk about politics outside of “safe” environments such as school. In many instances at school there will be some form of moderator to help keep thing civial in most if not all group of class discussions. Classes that open up about what the current political climate and talking about the issues that face us in life that will soon affect us as soon to be adults in life.
I believe that we should teach and inform the students about the impeachment, I feel that regardless of what you say people will always have their opinions and if they feel strong about said opinion then what you say to them shouldn’t really affect them. In fact it would inform those who don’t know much about it and give the correct information to properly talk about the topic. Mr. Dier thought the same way, he exposed his students to real time news and gave a crash course on how Trump has been accused of pressuring Ukraine to investigate his rival. He wanted the get his students to try and engage themselves into the news, because he knows most people don’t.
In our society today almost everyone has a strong opinion when it comes to politics. This can lead to a lot of division and debates, leaving people scared to openly voice their opinions about said matters. In my opinion, I feel that people need to have these difficult discussions, even children in schools. If you are so stuck up about your personal opinion and refuse to examine the other side, you will never learn or grow as a person. Children need to learn how to have peaceful discussions and a school allows them to do that in a controlled and safe environment. Disagreements are a part of life and keeping children away from them will only further the stigma we have in politics. Teaching them to “agree to disagree” is an essential part of life that will help them not only in political discussions, but also in the workplace and elsewhere.
Discussion of controversial topics isn't inherently bad if it is handled with competency. The impeachment inquiry can be used as a teachable moment in civics education in using the real life scenario to illustrate the processes of government. Specifically, who initiated the inquiry and on what basis? who has the power to initiate an impeachment inquiry? what are the governmental processes involved? how does this relate to American democracy? etc. etc.
Other political issues that are only somewhat related to the impeachment inquiry (or any issue discussed in class for that matter) should be avoided. In this case, the topic is why the impeachment inquiry was initiated and how it would proceed in government, not whether one thinks that the current president should be impeached or not.
However, Mr. Dier's class had its seniors pretending to be members of Congress, and therefore were giving opinionated arguments about the inquiry. I don't think this kind of class teaching could be replicated in very many places, as it is a volatile subject, but I appreciate the maturity the seniors are demonstrating. Otherwise, I believe only a strict neutral stance can be applied at the most.
I feel that discussing politics in a school environment in a respectful, and mature manner can be greatly beneficial to both students and teachers. Students should be learning how to respect one another's opinions, listen to each other, and still debate with one another in a healthy way. By not permitting political views to be talked about in schools, it's as if teachers are promoting the message that students shouldn't learn to argue with one another and listen to each other's beliefs and points of view in a respectful way. I think it was noble of Mr. Dier to start the conversation of politics and the current impeachment debate in his classroom. There is a lot that can be learned when we sit down and listen to each other, and get the chance to hear each side of the argument in a situation.
Knowing this, I think it's important to include some political discussions such as the impeachment of our current president into classrooms across America. This will ensure that students know that it is more than okay to discuss these topics without judgment, and to have an open mind.
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In the article it says Mr. Dier let his students pretend to be members of the congress. I do think it is good for students to know what is going on around them and be given the opportunity to discuss political events along with giving their opinions on these events. Politics play a major role in everyday life. I understand politics can be quite the controversial subject but informing kids on such things like the impeachment inquiry regarding Donald Trump can better prepare them for what they will be dealing with when they are aloud to vote or give their input in a more formal setting.
I think more parents should consider talking to their children at home about political events because as a kid I like to be informed with the world around me. I understand some parents just don’t want their kids exposed to everything that can be found on CNN news or the internet itself but I think it is wrong to not prepare your child for all that’s happening in the world. The world is a scary place whether anyone likes it or not and hiding it from your child won’t change that. What I'm saying is although I understand why some parents tend to shelter their children from the news or politics I think discussing politics with kids shouldn’t be the taboo that it is today. Being informed is important and should be a right, not something a parent decides if you are ready for or not.
At my school, I think that my teachers find it important to discuss relevant political issues within the classroom because students need to be aware of what is going on in the world and know where they stand. This semester I’m taking AP US Government and Politics, we are always debating on hot topics including the recent discussion about whether or not President Trump should be impeached. I feel that talking about such controversial topics has allowed us, students, to expand our thinking, strengthen our views, and learn how to understand other’s beliefs. In the article, it talks about how a high school class in the state of Louisiana got the chance to pretend that they were members of Congress and discuss the impeachment issue. Interestingly, these students come from a very conservative town but many of the students didn’t share the same conservative views as their parents. It definitely is possible to approach political issues in a non-bias way by sharing insight from both sides.
I think discussing today’s political events in the classroom could be both beneficial and harmful. A lot of students are unaware of what’s going on in today’s world and it could be a good teachable moment to explain how our politics relate to what we’re studying. However, with the strong opinions that come with politics, it may be nearly impossible to have an unbiased lesson. My experience with teachers bringing up recent political issues in discussions has not been great because it’s usually very easy to tell which side they lean on. Therefore, the lessons are from their biased perspective. This could be harmful because uneducated students may be misinformed or swayed. On the other hand, if the lesson was unbiased, civil, and informative, like the one in the article, it would help us be more prepared to make our own civic decisions. I can answer the questions about our government mentioned in the article, however, I do not feel prepared at all to vote. I think it would be very effective if my school could perform the activities that the students did in the article without biased opinions.
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I believe that political discourse has a place in the classroom, especially with current events. Many people are afraid to talk politics in school, and simply ignore the opportunity for discussion. I very much agree with Mr. Dier, as I feel it is important for students to develop their understanding of the world. The possible impeachment of a president is something that's only happened a few times in the nation's history, and it's important that students can process the magnitude of events like the impeachment inquiry.
I believe that politics should be both taught and discussed in classroom environments. While first being taught, politics should be presented in a factual, historical way. Being taught by a (hopefully) competent teacher helps students avoid the disinformation being spread on the internet. Furthermore, it allows younger people to actively understand current political news. However, teachers tend to have political biases, and that makes this a dangerous road: many students cannot tell for themselves the difference between opinion and fact. It is up to the teacher, to ensure that the topic is being addressed in an accurate, unbiased way. Discussion, however, is a whole separate topic. Students should feel the ability to hear other people's voices and opinions, to allow themselves to sort out their own positions. Personally, I find myself more aware when I am able to hear both sides of an argument, rather than the vanilla middle-of-the-road argument. Because most classrooms tend to have at least some variety of political opinions, it is not as important to hide personal values.
Teachers should address political issues in a factual way, before allowing open, thorough discussion among students.
Teachers should never have to worry about offending students by teaching or discussing politics. Our teachers should also never be encouraged to keep their political opinions to themselves. When teachers keep their political opinions secretive it often allows them to utilize a much more stealthy ideological indoctrination. However, when teachers are fully truthful about their biases it allows the students to have defenses against any miseducation or influence.
I had two teachers, who we will call Mrs. A and Mrs. B, who both were about the same in terms of their political alignment. Mrs. A was completely forthcoming about her position in terms of politics and was willing to civilly discuss this with those who disagreed with her. Mrs. B never did disclose her political leanings, but through her attempts to influence students, it was clear how she felt. Mrs. A was commonly respected, even by those who disagreed with her completely. Mrs. B was commonly disliked for her attempts to subtly influence our opinions and never being truthful.
Teachers often feel that they are protecting their students by ensuring that their actual political leanings are kept a secret. In reality, by not being truthful about any potential biases that the teacher might have they are leaving their student wide open to be indoctrinated through subtle tactics and ideological influence.
@Anders Olsen
Check out: https://www.google.com/amp/s/m.huffpost.com/us/entry/us_5b71914ae4b0bdd0620b306f/amp
This would be a good class discussion. (And since you are in my class, you could lead it!)
@Anders Olsen
Look at NYT article: Judge Says No to Teachers’ Campaign Buttons, but Yes to Certain Politicking
link: https://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/18/nyregion/18button.html?
I’m interested in hearing your reactions to the articles.
@Anders Olsen I agree with you wholeheartedly. In our day and age, I feel in order to be more open-minded, we must know and understand the beliefs of those around us, even teachers. Teachers like Mrs. A do not seem to help students develop that open-mindedness that would help our world grow into more compassionate and caring teacher. But, on the other hand, Mrs. B, although some people may have disagreed with her, they still respected her decisions because she was so forward with her students. Those are the kinds of teachers we need.
Mr. Dier is a teacher that sounds like Mrs. B. He is openly allowing his class to argue, agree, and even settle this impeachment that is happening in the real world right now. Instead of trying to push us all into one little box like Mrs. A sounds like she did, Mr. Dier allowed his class to express their own opinions, and I feel as though that helped their class as a whole grow and understand each other. Teachers should strive to be like Mrs. B, and use Mrs. A as a bad example of teaching.
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I believe that Social Studies teachers should be allowed to discuss these political topics, much of which students are unaware about. It should be presented first factually, then I believe it's okay to debate and discuss the two sides as long as it's respectful. Discussing these political topics doesn't harm anyone, and only makes students more aware of controversies happening in the country we live in. It is preparing us for our adult lives and preparing us to become smart and educated voters. America's public school system is built so that we the people can be educated and help our country keep growing and keep adapting. Withholding a sensitive subject may seem easy and comfortable for everyone, but being exposed to these issues is more beneficial. In my experience I have noticed that when my classroom talks about issues happening in the world today, the whole class is involved and intently listening. It also is beneficial in showing a pattern of U.S government, from the past of our country to present.
I think Social studies should not steer clear of controversial topics, especially at the high school level. Young adults who in a year could be voting on these topics need to know these things. If at the high school level you are not comfortable speaking about politics that is scary. There are some places where it is inappropriate to speak of politics family reunions, weddings, birthday parties, but an educational environment where you are meant to learn, that is a place where current events even if they are controversial and political should be discussed. If history is being made we can’t just sit idly by and watch it if teachable moments present themselves. It is hard but possible to talk about politics in a neutral nonpartisan way. Speaking only in facts and as little as possible in abstract unless it is at the college level where the abstract may need to be compared. Teachers should know that parents might have push back and need to accept that. I think if you teach it in a nonpartisan way then push back will not affect you.
As someone who is pro-impeachment, I absolutely believe it should be taught in the classroom. This is an historical time in our nation. If we are taught the impeachments of Andrew Johnson and Bill Clinton in our history classes, we have every reason to be taught the current impeachment of Donald Trump. In this day and age, I think it's extremely important for young people, like myself, to be civically engaged and politically motivated. Opening up discussions in the classroom can get more people interested in politics, which is also extremely important because we are all future leader one way or another from my perspective. In a few decades, our children will come home and tell us about how they learned about Donald Trump's Presidency that day. It's only fair to us if we can discuss this now amongst our classmates, and hear each other's opinions on the matter, and learn from each other. We've discussed the impeachment inquiry in my AP Government class on multiple occasions, and I feel that I've learned a lot more about something that I was already interested in. We absolutely should be discussing this in the classroom.
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Social Studies teachers should not be afraid to discuss controversial topics within the classroom. It is important to understand that school should not teach you what to think, but rather how to think. In a scenario in which a large-scale political event is occurring, it is imperative for teachers to, rather than feed students biased propaganda, provide students with the resources necessary to make their own educated decision on the matter.
The Impeachment Inquiry is certainly a teachable moment, as discussion of current events should always be encouraged in places of discussion. Reasonable discussion, no matter the subject, allows students to advance their thinking with the inclusion of new ideas.
I have always enjoyed the classes in which current events were incorporated into the lesson. These connections allow students to align what they’re learning with the real world, providing them with much deeper thinking.
I can gladly say that I memorized all three branches of government quite a while ago, and hope to see more people do the same. It’s a shame that today, people have so many opinions whilst knowing so little about the system of which they are opinionated on. For voting, the enlightenment notions of checks and balances, separation of powers, limited government and federalism are especially important. Limited government, for example, can give one insight into the importance of a lack of centralized powers, therefore influencing their voting to look for such values.
I believe that the personal views of students should be expressed, but teachers should keep their opinions to themselves. I am not taking anything away from the teachers opinion and I do believe that they are valuable. But, it could be seen that they are pushing their beliefs on others, which could upset students and parents. Also, I think it is important that students can form their own opinions without the biases of their teachers. I believe that the Trump Impeachment is a really good thing to talk about. I think that many people will have many unique opinions on it, and it would be a really cool idea to have a healthy and controlled argument with. It is important that students have their own beliefs and can have a fun debate with others, without it getting out of hand. there is no way to learn what a healthy debate is without being taught it. It also teaches current events which is very important for everyone to know.
I think that it is important to talk about politics in the classroom. However, I think the teacher should not have a debate but instead use the class as an opportunity for students to learn the facts. It is not the teacher’s responsibility to form student’s political views it is the parents and the students who should decide. I feel like many people get very picky when it comes to what students learn about in class, which is understandable because it can make students feel uncomfortable. If someone has a different opinion than you, it is important to respect them. Politics should be included in school because if you don’t know the facts you can’t have an educated opinion so learning about it can help people form opinions.
The impeachment inquiry may be a very teachable moment for a variety of reasons. Not only is a largely publicized call for impeachment uncommon, but the dynamic of the event is important to American political theory. This event is a perfect opportunity for teachers to ask students their opinions, and for students to form them. The importance of debate and reason to the structure of America is vital, yet it is understated in modern day. Politics in a classroom leads to discussion. Discussions are the pure spreading of ideas, especially in an environment that requires an open mind, such as school. Has discussion become inappropriate? Although bias of teachers is bound to slip, this does not stop students from being able to form their own opinion. After all, is it not that all environments are spheres of political influence already? People must sprout their beliefs early to participate in the political climate as it develops. On the topic of many Americans not knowing the three branches of government (executive, legislative, and judicial), thie importance of discussion is furthered. Checks and balances assure groups do not have an overarching say, separation of powers representing the three bodies, and limited government resembles a government that does not have absolute power over its people. I wish to participate in my political environment, and wish my school did more in terms of debate and discourse. Still, I must thank my school for what they have provided in these terms.
I think that since school is supposed to make students well rounded and active members of the community ,politics should be a topic of conversation. However, the conversation should take place in a manor that accommodates everyone and where no one's opinion is disregarded. This requires a mediator that is beyond stellar. Also the conversation can serve as a great learning experience and open people to new, unexpected perspectives. The classroom seems like the perfect forum for something as such, students are encouraged in this environment and should feel like their opinion is valued. This can go terribly wrong but so can anything else, without the correct supervision. As problematic as it may seem, conversations like this shouldn't be avoided because that also contributes to the issue at hand. The first step to solving a problem is admission, which requires consulting one's true feelings and emotions as well as any motives at hand.
I believe the Impeachment Inquiry can and should be used as a teachable moment. Although it is true that the classroom is no place for forcing political views, the Impeachment Inquiry and current scandals of the Trump Administration have transcended the regular basis of democrat and republican. The fact that impeachment is being discussed must mean that there is some kind of empirical basis for it. No matter your political standpoint this situation can be used as an opportunity to learn about the Impeachment process, obstructions of justice, and how an elected official can abuse their power. In order to insure a future void of hate and corruption, it is important that we separate political processes and politics themselves. There is no need for political views to even come into play. The impeachment process is not defined to one party, and given the current situation there is no better experience for the youth to learn from.
I think social studies teachers should not focus on politics because it is a very controversial topic to discuss. It is possible to discuss current political issues in a neutral way but if the teachers ask for your opinion, it could get very heated. I do not really have an opinion on politics. Teachers ask about opinions most of the time, not facts. I get really uncomfortable and queasy because I do not know how to say. My parents do not discuss politics because they think it is a heavy topic and their opinions are different from other family members. Teachers should worry about the pushback from parents because, as I stated, parents could be very controversial about it.
@Jessica Chen
I understand that you think parents could be upset at the teachers for discussing politics in the classroom, However I think politics should be discussed and can easily become a teachable moment. Although there is a lot happening in our government right now and people are very tense when talking about politics, I think it's important to have these possibly heated or uncomfortable discussions in order to hear what other people have to say. And who knows, maybe if you had some of these discussions you might even form a political opinion for yourself. :)
I see the impeachment inquiry as a very teachable subject and I think politics should be discussed in class. I think if the teacher can show little bias that the class will be fine and unoffended. This can teach so many things and have real-life examples of them happening.
I don’t think that social studies teachers should steer away from controversial subjects I think they should have an optional discussion period and see people’s sides on the topic and what are their opinions.
Maurice Vetri 7-1
Julia R. Masterman
I think that controversial subjects should be kept outside of the classroom because I think that students get most of their political views from parents, and different parents have different views. That being said I think that when the teacher brings up a controversial political argument it triggers a very heated, I know from a lot of experience. I don't think that it is really possible to bring up a controversial argument and expect to not have a full on argument in the classroom. I don’t really think that teachers should be worried about pushback from the parents because after all it is just a classroom argument.
I do see the impeachment inquiry as a teachable moment for teachers because they can teach students how the impeachment process works and the history of it. I think that talking just about impeachment and the facts about is an appropriate subject to talk about in school but I think arguing about politics isn’t great for a classroom. I think this because all students have different opinions and people can get very offended which can cause chaos. So I think just talking about the facts is appropriate in a classroom and even some subjects students can share opinions on if there not really vital or will really offend people.
Politics I feel should be teached but not in school. There is already is so much tension in the country because of politics and school should be a place to escape that. So when you bring something that can be so aggressive in a peaceful environment it causes problems. Everyone has there own opinions and students I feel should find there own opinion without any bias. So it should not be taught in school.
I think that yes, politics is still Social Studies, I don’t think anyone under the voting age would like to decide whether or not to watching politics or political news. But, I do think that past political controversies is so good for school, since the public opinion on a topic is no more since we already know the outcome we can discuss about that. I just don’t think politics now are the best resources for supporting a side or even talking about to kids who try to distance themselves from politics. I do think the impeachment inquiry is a teachable moment, just not now with it actually happening. Maybe an older impeachment inquiry is a good lesson to learn about.
In my opinion, having a knowledge of history is supposed to inform our decisions today. Learning about what people have done in the past can lead to improvements. History is closely connected to politics, as history has formed the current political climate. Politics is difficult because many people are unwilling to change their perspective, and if a teacher is presenting information in a fashion that does not align with a student’s beliefs they can get offended or feel like they are not accepted or represented in their school. Politics is also deeply tied with emotions, as politics revolves around morals and beliefs. It can be difficult to find a balance where students can be educated about politics without being influenced, so students can form ideas on their own and come up with what they believe in. Everything has a bias, even trying to remain neutral can have an impact on the information that is being presented. I think in classrooms, if politics is to be utilized as a teaching tool, all perspectives need to be accounted for. Students should have to argue from all perspectives, even those they don’t believe in, so there is a greater understanding among people who have differing points of view. The only way to teach politics is to expose students to every possible perspective, and allow them to make an educated decision for themselves.
I think that politics is an important part of education. In my opinion, it should be taught and discussed in the classroom, as long as everyone sticks to the facts. So, in theory, a discussion about the impeachment inquiry would prove itself to be good in a classroom as a real-time example of how things in our government would work. But in this day and age, people have their own sets of facts depending on which news channels they watch. I still think a political discussion in the classroom would be helpful preparation for the real world, but it would certainly be more difficult with such varied political opinions. People’s feelings might get hurt, and their political positions might feel under attack, so the real question is, “Is it worth it?"
In my opinion, social studies teachers should not steer clear of a controversial subject because it would be a huge thing and someone would say something and right away another person is responding or even cutting them off, it will never end unless the teacher controls it. I think all teachers should keep politics out of the classroom because children hear things at home and then they hear other things at school. Therefore they don’t know what to believe. That would be chaos and that’s why I think that politics should be kept outside of classrooms. It is not possible to have a neutral political conversation because people love picking sides. When one is discussing politics with someone else there is no neutral way to explain it. As an example using Trump, he is usually right or wrong there is no neutral ground but that’s just my perspective. I’m not exactly sure because I have never seen this happen or heard of it but yes teachers should be worried about pushback from parents. This is because parents may have different political views. This is a pushback a teacher might get. Everything I stated in this paragraph is why I believe that politics should not be discussed in school.
I personally can name all 3 branche of government. The 3 branches of government or Legislative, Executive and Judicial. Checks and balances is a system where no branch of government has more power than the other two branches. Seperation of power is where each branch of government has a different responsibility. A limited government is where the government is empowered and restricted by law. I don’t think that i am ready to participate in the american democracy and make civil choices in society. I think that school schoulf prepare their student more for the real world. I think that because there will not be too much time to learn how to do the things that you will need to need to know for the real world.
I see the impeachment inquiry as a teachable moment, this is history that we’re living through right now, it would be a shame not to talk about it, some kids don’t get to talk about politics at home and school is the perfect place for it. Even if you don’t understand everything that's going on in the world right now every student has a political viewpoint and in class you have to make sure that every student knows there is no right or wrong perspective.
When politics are brought up in school I sometimes get a little queasy. I believe when teachers bring up politics, there should be a line of ok and not ok discussion. I think it’s okay if a teacher is presenting factual things about politics, like history or what is currently happening in the media. But I think the conversation of politics goes too far when the teacher asks for your opinion in a very political diverse class. I think the impeachment inquiry is a teachable moment if you are talking about what has been happening, but if you ask for someone's opinion on the topic, the person might feel uncomfortable and that’s when I feel like the conversation draws the line.
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@Gabriel LaRosa I completely agree
I believe that teachers should teach their students about the impeachment inquiry, and help moderate discussion of it. The situation provides a perfect opportunity for teachers to show students the systems of government in action, and to help teach students how to respectfully discuss an issue with someone who disagrees with you. Teaching about the inquiry prepares students for the real world, as in it people cannot just avoid issues that are sensitive or controversial and live in their own bubble.
No, I do not think that social studies teachers, or any teachers, should steer clear of controversial subjects. I think that politics can be in classrooms if the information is stated in a non-biased way, like a factual way. There are most likely other topics talked about in school that are possibly more controversial than the current events, like the impeachment inquiry. As long as the teacher is talking about the subject in an informational kind of way, instead of a biased way, then controversial subjects are fine for school in my opinion. There is definitely a way to discuss current political events in a non-biased manner. There are many topics in the past that have two sides to it, and teachers can teach those in a factual way, so why can’t we teach current events like that? It is also a good way for the students to keep up with the news, as a lot of us don’t watch the news. I also think that teachers should not worry about pushback from parents. If the teacher isn’t pushing their opinion onto their students, they shouldn’t have to worry about that. They are giving the students information.
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I believe teachers should talk about some politics, especially when we are in the middle of history in the making. It’s good to challenge people's beliefs and make them defend themselves to help them learn. It’s possible to discuss politics if everyone agrees to stay respectful, but skeptical.
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I believe that a teacher should be allowed to talk about controversial subjects. I think It is okay to talk about current events in politics. It is possible to discuss current political issues in a neutral, nonpartisan way by discussing what is occurring in politics rather than discussing opinion. I think that politics are definitely a teachable moment in the world of civics. My teacher sometimes uses current politics as a topic of study in class to relate to a social studies lesson. However, I think the issues involved in the impeachment inquiry should be left out of the classroom because many students might have different personal opinions and this could create an argument.
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I think politics should be discussed in a way that is more of an explanation instead of a debate inside the classroom because if you explain the branches of government and what each party is, or if you explain statistics from the past, there is not much to debate about since the elections already happened and the teacher could just explain what they mean. I think the impeachment inquiry is a teachable topic in school because a teacher could explain the impeachment process and they could teach students why presidents got impeached in the past without the students debating on topics-it could be just facts. This is why I think politics can be taught in classrooms.
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Well to be honest if you are to live in a country and not know what is going on is not quite acceptable. we are a country of history and what we think is right is what we go after. we as americans have to know what our leaders are doing to us and how we are going to fight or drive a solution to the matter. we should bring this topic up for consideration towards the inner beings of the US as america's future should really know how its future can occur like.
To a standard american life has its own tools but as a citizen we have rights and should take full control of it even if it means we being a year age before taking up ability to vote.
I see the impeachment inquiry as a teachable moment. Firstly, it is vital for students to be aware of current events in general. Children are our future, so why should we lead them to oblivion?Next, I notice that controversial topics are avoided in textbooks and other teaching materials, such as the Arab and Israeli conflict. However, politics is important in our lives especially because of our democracy. I believe that if we educate students more about politics we will be more likely to get involved.
I ask many of my friends on their views of politics and most say that they don't have their own convictions because it's controversial or they simply don't know enough about politics. These are students that will be able to vote as soon as in one year. Therefore, as long as the teacher remains un-biased, educating students about impeachment and possibly even more is beneficial.
I do see the impeachment inquiry as a teachable moment. It is also incredibly rare for history to unfold in front of us and have the opportunity to learn about it. I do think teachers should be willing, able, and allowed to teach about politics and the government as long as they do not let their own views taint the judgment of their students. If teachers feel they can teach political subjects in a non biased way, they should be permitted to do so without the worries of pushback from parents.
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I think social studies teachers should try to steer clear of controversial topics such as politics on certain circumstances. I myself do not find a problem in a teacher informing the class about what our government is doing to our society and how it affects us, however I do find a problem in asking the student for their opinion on the government’s actions. Personally, this makes me feel uncomfortable to share my opinion on such a controversial topic that is centered around either what my parents have said or what I have recently learned with my peers who have such different opinions and views on the same subject.
I do however think it is possible to keep a neutral political discussion but teachers need to be very wary of what they say and how they say it. Saying something in the wrong manner or not justifying something that can be misinterpreted and lead to outraged parents as well as offended students. This brings me to another topic about parent pushbacks. What a teacher or adult can say to a student may lead to an informed and outraged parent. Interfering with a person’s view on a controversial topic does not seem like a good idea for a school to do which is why I think that schools should only focus on the facts and not our opinions on the facts.
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I feel that politics should be talked about in a classroom, but not in an opinionated way. Teachers should talk about current events such as the impeachment inquiry. I just don’t think that the class should start giving their own opinions in front of the other children, as that can cause someone to be offended. Teachers should give students writing prompts to write about their opinions on the political situation. That way, they get to share their knowledge, and not have a heated conversation in the class that might offend someone.
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I do believe that the discussion of politics shouldn’t be banned in the classroom because it’s an opportunity to learn more about a topic schools normally wouldn't discuss. Talking about politics is fine on my point of view but being asked what are your views on the president is a very discomforting question. The actions of the current president are very controversial but, being asked them and having an honest view will gradually build envy between you and others. Agreement is a rare thing when it comes to politics since there are so many different views but having a discussion is possible to obtain. Yes 100%. Even in my house should we have a very strict rule on our political beliefs. I will admit I have gotten upset about a teachers' views on the black lives movement in America. Teachers now should be careful about who they talk about a student might feel downhearted because his views might be unaccepted or wrong.
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I can indeed name the three branches (Legislative, Executive, and Judicial). I can definitely explain constitutional principles. Checks and balances are the way we ensure that no one person should ever exercise total control of the government, by means of making sure that too many elected people elected by completely different people as well as people who assess anything and everything’s legality all have to approve anything that major (an amendment). Limited government means that we will never have a command economy, or the government ruling over everything. Federalism means we have a centralized government controlling all foreign relations and intervening with states when need be. I feel prepared of American democracy and civic decisions, in fact I believe we need to lower the voting age. If you, in many states, are tried in the adult judicial system because you have enough responsibility, and in all states, can drive at 16, why can you not vote? There is no logical reason I can see without raising these age restrictions that you should not be able to vote. However, my school is a top 50 school nationwide. However, this means my school is an exception. I do think that most schools do not do enough (certain clearly bad choices of candidates and no matter how you look at it have some people saying… incorrect things about their actions, like soybean farmers saying they’re taking a hit for the team, which would be wrong. Everybody is taking a hit from this trade war.)
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I think that our current sitting president should not be impeached. Why they do it officially now. For crying out loud the presidential election for 2020 is close to a year away. Its not like her money laundering. He is just asking if their is any information on his future democratic presidential candidate, Joe Biden and his song. I agree with teacher discussing out politics. The reason why is because the youth honestly does not care and is not informed enough to know. You can avoid topics like this, especially if your to sensitive. Grow up and listen to nothing new for a change and be updated.
I see the impeachment inquiry as a teachable moment. Students can understand how an impeachment process works even better because they can watch it right before their eyes. It is rare for a teacher to have such an opportunity to teach such an important thing. It may not be appropriate if it becomes very biased, but otherwise, it is fine. Also, teachers shouldn’t be worried about pushback from parents because kids have the right to know what is going on in the world, and the right to understand it.
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I think that teachers should teach controversial subjects, but stay opinionless. I believe that learning about government and how it works will be important later in life, and using current events to do that is excellent. I don't believe that talking about politics always requires an opinion though and that bringing an opinion into the conversation can make it uncomfortable for those with different views on the subject. It is possible to talk about politics in a nonpartisan way when you only talk about the facts. I think that if a teacher does not voice their opinion then there is no reason to worry about any pushback.
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@Miles Ottinger I agree with the fact that teachers should remain opinionless if they decide to teach about this because this is a very important topic and people need to be educated about politics. If a teacher has one side it might offend people and start an argument, but if they remain opinionless than the discussion should run smoothly. We have conversations like this in our class and mostly remain a normal conversations but like most conversation discussing two different sides there will be some disagreement.
The Impeachment should be teachable. Any student is going to care about a current event that is happening,more than an older or hypothetical situation that means nothing to them, and something so exciting as a possible impeachment is sure to make them pay attention.Personally, I have noticed an attempted bubble around schools when it comes to politics; many topics that are at all related to our current government have become taboo unnecessarily, and I don't believe that the impeachment is any different. Students will hear about this from there parents, friends, social media, or any other communication that they have access to, and accurate information from a school is a great way to give students a good understanding of their own government.The Impeachment Inquiry is a teachable moment that will benefit the students in learning the curriculum, as well as allow them to stronger form an opinion based on facts and knowledge.
Even though discussing politics in class can lead to offended peers, it is important to discuss political views and events in school. Throughout your life, there will always be people who hate you for what you believe in and people who have opposing political ideas than you. You have to learn to accept and embrace this. I personally believe that schools should start helping teens develop their own political views and become active in the political world using their owns opinions. I think that hearing what my classmates and friends have to say about politics is helpful for me to come to my own conclusions but consider what other people have to say. I'm not saying that we have to have full debates and arguments about politics, I am just suggesting letting a few personal comments and perspectives flow through the classroom when discussing political events throughout our world.
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@Reese Sanderson I agree with what you wrote. Everyone has their own opinions, and should stand up for what they think is right. What you say about letting a few personal comments is great, but the people saying it should be a little bit more careful, as it can still really hurt people's feeling.
I do think that these topics should be talked about in class because students typically don’t care to watch or hear about this news otherwise. Though, arguments may get heated these topics are important for students to know what’s going on in the world currently. If they don’t learn about now they’ll be behind when they become adults. These topics are what runs the world and it is important for students to understand them, otherwise they won’t know what to consider when they are allowed to vote. Teaching them in school also might give insight to other students’ opinions. Heated arguments aren’t necessarily bad either. They happen everyday, whether it is about politics or not. What I’m trying to say is that students knowing about current events is vital for their and the country’s future.
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I do see the impeachment inquiry as a teachable moment in classrooms because it is a momentous case and I feel that it is easier to understand complex things like the government if there is a clear visual, such as the impeachment. It is also a rare event, and probably only happens once or twice in a lifetime.
I believe that it is important for the next generation (the students) to know about these things and how they occur and what went wrong to eliminate as many mistakes as possible in the near future.
But in my opinion, it is also necessary to keep this topic as neutral as possible because students or teachers might feel uncomfortable or prosecuted if they share their personal opinions and find out that they are alone in their opinion. Or parents at home might hear their child repeating things at home that they talked about in class and think that their child’s teacher is brainwashing them.
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@Adelaide Thank you! Last year I told my parents about CNN and they did not like it!
I think controversial subjects should be allowed to be discussed in classes, as long as the teacher doesn’t try to influence the kid's opinions. Kids' knowledge of such subjects is usually linked to their parent's knowledge, so I believe children should have the right to know what's happening and hear the news froo\m an unbiased viewpoint. The way to discuss politics in a neutral nonpartisan way is to state the pure facts and let the students develop their opinions based on those facts. That way information will be given to the students, and they will have the freedom to look at it the way they want to. Parents have no argument against their students learning facts without opinion unless they don’t want students learning the facts, and I don’t think any parent wants their kid to live in ignorance. My literacy teacher will often bring the topic of politics, but she never states anything besides pure facts, and she doesn’t make any of us discuss our opinions about it. I think that it would be greatly beneficial if children learned about the facts of politics in class, and let their opinions form based on facts.
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I think that the impeachment inquiry is definitely a teachable moment and should be studied in the classroom in an appropriate way only though. I say this because in the U.S. we have a democracy and people are allowed to speak their minds freely. And lately there has been major controversy for what to do to better this country, coming from both political parties. As a student who has to take history and government classes as do many others, I feel like being informed on the state of our country is important. These types of topics are never or hardly ever talked about because people feel like they'll be or get offended. But, there could be guidelines regarding certain ethical aspects that you can't discuss when you are discussing politics. And this way you can still have a chance to be educated on the political state of our country. So, with this all being said politics would be a good idea to study in the classroom, especially regarding the new impeachment inquiry.
I believe politics should be studied in the classroom appropriately. Highschools offer many courses, including classes like Current Affairs, U.S History etc. Students choose to take these courses, knowing that they are studying what has happened in their country. Discussing politics does not have to be too deep. If something like a possible impeachment, which will go down in history, is taking place and a teacher believes it would be valuable to spend some time on it, then it can be done in a non-offensive way. Discussing politics can be just like discussing topics that happened previously in history, by using strictly facts. Your history teacher doesn’t ask you your opinion on whether you like everything about the Constitution or not. You just learn what it is, how it functions, and move on. Politics can be the same. Instead of getting angry and having to insert opinions which will never align with anyone else’s, we should be able to learn the facts. Who or what group wants him impeached? Why do people want him impeached? What has he done to support our country? In what ways has he made our country worse? Not everything has to be personal. I personally would feel a lot better about discussing politics and entering the political world as I turn 18 soon if I knew anything that was going on around me. If I were given facts of current affairs in school, I could then contemplate them for myself and form educated opinions. Politics should be discussed, but in the right way.
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I think that the impeachment inquiry is a teachable moment that should be discussed in school. Politics are an important part of life in the United States because of the participation that all people are allowed to have. It is important to teach students how to participate in politics, so when the time comes, they are able to do so. I think that politics should be included in class, but there is a right and a wrong way to discuss this. I think that teachers discussing the current events should try to reveal information in a non biased way to allow the students to form their own opinions without the influence of the teacher. Evaluating current events allows students to become more engaged in their learning because they may be able to participate in the subject being discussed. As long as teachers are able to discuss the current political events in a non-biased way, I think that politics are an important topic in schools.
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@Isaac Tawyer
I agree with you that politics are an important topic for students to know about, as it is something that you are expected to know about as an adult. It's a good point that if students aren't taught about this they won't be able to participate later in life. I also would agree that it is best to teach students about politics with a non-biased approach, because allows them to formulate their own opinions and ideas, rather than simply believing in things because they were told to. If students are going to just be told exactly what to think about this kind of topic, then what's the sense in even teaching it?
@Isaac Tawyer
I agree, I think that politics should be discussed in school in a non-biased way. Like you said, politics are a large part of life in the United States, and by talking about it in school students are being prepared for when they will ultimately be involved in votes and elections themselves. You also make a very good point that when being discussed in class, the political topics should be introduced by the teacher in a non-biased way. It is more valuable for the students to learn to form their own opinions that to become shadows of their teacher's values and opinions. Politics are definitely an important topic that should be discussed in school.
Is the Impeachment Inquiry a Teachable Moment? Or Should Politics Stay Out of the Classroom?
I think that politics should be welcomed into classrooms throughout the United States. While in today's world politics are often a highly anticipated conversational topic whether it be with friends, family, peers, even on holidays it appears to be a tradition. I think that as members of this society that abide by the government, we should be involved and be properly taught the facts to form a general opinion on what is right and wrong. As teenagers, some of us who are going to be able to vote in the next election, I think it is important to learn about politics, and where better than in school. My only concern however, is bias teachings whether on purpose or accidental. Almost everyone educated adult has their own political views, and if they are going to be teaching kids about the concept of politics, then there is a good chance that there views will reflect on those of the students. As a soon to be seventeen year old, I have made some general ideas of my political views, but I have not yet learned enough to talk fluently about politics, nor can I claim I support the Democratic or Republican party. That being said, politics should be allowed in the classroom, but they should be taught in a non bias way, where disputes are handled maturely and without frustration.
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@Dillon Driscoll What you said is great, but some people could be seriously hurt/offended by other people's comments. I think that you should teach politics, but in a factual way, with maybe a few opinions, but none that are too deep. However, for the most part, I agree with what you said
Politics as a whole is a very important subject within our world no matter occupation, future, or belief it is still a part of our life. No matter what a basic understanding will be needed in adult life no matter the actions taken, so if the outcome of being apart of politics is always the same why not include it within the classroom. All it will do is delay the inevitable. Now that being said we still need to think of the cons and how to prevent them, like teacher bias, or heated argument among students. Now no matter what these inconveniences are still worth the trouble of better understanding, and the first rule or idea to learn should be to respect everyone's opinion no matter what it is, everyone has a right to speak their mind or think their thoughts, its been a core precept since before our founding country. Now to stop the bias of teachers it should never be a lecture of politics more as a discussion by History teachers explaining its importance and English teacher perhaps explaining the morality or even deeper description of those ideals. In this way there won't be an enforcement of the teachers ideals onto the students, and makes students more aware of what their world is going through estate a certain mind that is open to discussion and explanation in the political world which are both desperately needed. Therefore to restate schools and teachers should definitely use modern political events as teachable moments.
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@Fares J Bourote
In our country I do agree that politics are an extremely important topic for young adults to be knowledgable about, but I do not believe that high school is the right time to begin teaching us students about topics like our president and his possible impeachment. I respect your opinion on this being the right time to begin learning, but realistically I do not agree that students at this age are mature enough to have valid and reasonable conversations with eachother. This stems from the fact that most students political opinions come from what there parents have to say at the dinner table. Therefore I believe that college courses should be offered on politics for all students where these young adults can have responsible and respectful seminars with adults with a background in mediation.
@Fares J Bourote I think you made a good point when explaining how when students are adults politics are going to be a world which they may be consumed in. As you said if we don't teach it we just "delay the inevitable". I agree that teaching it now could be beneficial for young people because they are the future of this country and understanding politics is very important in taking care of it.
@Fares J Bourote
The point you made about making sure students know how to respect one another in regards to politics is a very important topic in the classroom. Teaching students about respecting each other's opinions in the classroom is something that they will take with them as they grow up and enter the adult world. By introducing politics into the classroom, not only will students have an awareness of current events, but they'll also learn important life skills, which you mentioned.
I don't think politics should be a group discussion, nor should it be one that is taught & given opinion on by the teacher. My experience with politics in school haven't been much. Politics is too touchy of a subject for most people to be able to have discussions about without emotions getting in the way of actual conversation. Doing solo work on politics is different. Trying to learn about the world and the way things happen through current political events is a great way to do it. Reading about events can keep you informed and let your opinion be formed by information, while discussions can lead to emotional outburts and people getting angry about different topics. I think it is important for teachers to teach about current politics & let them be known, but I think it is just as important to let everyone form their own opinions & not be swayed by a group or others reaction to your opinion. It is important to practice forming an opinion like this because it is a useful skill to have as a voter & as a part of a community.
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@Nicholas Rideout
I agree with you Nick. I agree with the point that people should form there own opinion and not be persuaded by others and also how curernt events should be discussed without taking a side in order to help the student develop an opinion. If teachers were to tell students what side to take than they should lose there job because the student woun't know the information to counter the belief without the counter being told to them.
@Nicholas Rideout I agree that when teaching students about political processes, teachers should take an unbiased position for the sake of giving students the most comprehensive understanding of the topics. This way, students have all the facts, and they can decide for themselves what to believe. However, this does not mean that discussing politics with a whole class is a bad thing. Introducing students to debating and discussing political issues is important for their development into politically active adults. The purpose of a teacher being unbiased is not to shield the students from new ideas; it is to act as a moderator who can guide the conversation to include multiple opinions.
@Nicholas Rideout I liked your point about politics being too touchy of a subject to talk about in school. As engaging as politics are, they can lead to disputes going too far and sometimes people taking the argument personally, which is not healthy for a school environment. Learning how to form opinions and get the right information is useful, but sharing political opinions will not better the student in any way.
In controversial times likes these, I believe teaching politics is very essential and important to discuss. However, it is commonly known that debate, especially in this topic, can get out of hand. I think teachers should leave room to discuss what is going on today. The example given in the articles shares a teacher having her students debate themselves on the topic of the recent impeachment inquiry. This type of lesson certainly calls the teacher to judge her students on whether or not they would be able to respectively argue with their peers. This lesson, though I believe it is the best way to learn, can lead to trouble. The teacher would have to be careful in choosing which classes are able to do this. Some students may be more passionate about the subject and could possibly offend another classmate. There are ups and downs to this form of learning, though it would have to be the educator’s judgement on the students. I personally wish there was a class designed to discuss current events. What happened back in the 1700s is only so important. What is happening right now could affect our futures and, I believe kids my age should understand what is happening today.
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@Evis Bleta I agree completely, especially to your point that we are it is not as important to learn so many things from centuries ago than it is to learn about what is happening today. I do believe that both things are extremely important, but current events are definitely not getting enough attention in the school curriculum. I think that the amount of time spent learning history from far in the past is important, but too high compared to the very small amount of time that we spend learning about current events. So many kids grow up knowing more about Copernicus' Heliocentric Theory than the most recent presidential debate. I think that school should focus a lot more on the topics that are more current and relevant to us in today's day and age because many young people are uneducated on current events, and what is happening in the society that they live in, but they might know all about Louis XIV's financial policies, which frankly, is not even close to as important as knowing about the world that they live in. So, I definitely agree with what you said and I think that it is a very good point that we need to focus much more on things that are effecting today's society so that kids in school will be able to understand the world they live in.
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@Evis Bleta I agree with the points you have made in your response here. It is so important for young students to learn about the current events that are constantly happening around them due to the impacts they will make on the futures of said students. Although the controversy and fighting regarding current events can cause a lot of different emotions and prompt varied responses from impressionable young students, it is important to understand that the real world is not going to shelter you from the aggressive realities of everyday events and politics especially will not be sugar coated. I agree that it would be very beneficial to have a class about current events that educates about what is happening in the country, it would not be biased in the way that many student debates can become. Students should be able to understand current events and the possible impacts on their future.
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@Sydney Wantman Thanks so much! I’m glad you agree. This topic is very important to me and I appreciate seeing students who want to learn about today. I love how you went into detail about the topics we are discussing in class today. Though learning about the history of the world is important I agree that some topics are outdated. Thanks for the response!
When it comes to controversial topics, such as politics, in the classroom, I think they should be talked about. One of the main reasons I believe that politics and the impeachment of President Trump should be talked about it because it is happening in real time and in some way affects all of our lives. Although students and people may have different opinions and choose opposing sides of the argument, it is important that we are educated on the way our governmental and political system works, especially is something like the impeachment of Donald Trump is happening and it is a valuable learning moment. As well, in future history classes, students will be taught about other presidents who were impeached as well as Donald Trumps impeachment so if we talk about it happening in real time, then it should not make a difference as to whether or not it should be talked about while it is happening. One the students side of the argument, I feel as though some students have not really formed a political opinion and most of them are based off of their parents views, if they even know them. However with this, there is the chance that some parents might be opposed to the idea of talking about current events in the classroom because they feel as though it might corrupt their child or put an idea in their head that they don’t agree with. I still believe that politics and current events should be talked about in the classroom to overall better the students and teach them valuable lessons.
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I personally think that social studies teachers should teach politics in the classroom. I think politics is something that is very important, and often times people are not as educated as they should be on them. Because some people are not too educated on politics it can lead to making decisions based off of what other people think, instead of their own opinions. It is very important for students to learn about politics in the classroom, because when they are older and get the chance to vote they will be able to make a smart choice. Also, I think that the impeachment inquiry is a teachable moment because it is important for students to know about what is currently going on in society. Often times what we learn in school is very textbook based and we do not get the opportunity to learn about current problems that are going on in the world. Some people argue that political and controversial ideas should stay out of the classroom, but I disagree. This is just the reality of society and students should be exposed to it while they are young.
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@Jordan Brodsky I agree with you that politics should be taught in social studies, but in my opinion, I blieve it should stop there. I think that politics are a very touchy subject, and allowing your learning environment to be filled with negative energy is not the best move for a teacher. Politics are extremely important, and I wish we learned about them more in class. However, I think that all discussion, debates, and opinions should be kept to yourseld. Politics are something that ruins freindships, relationships, and overall creates an environment where noboyd can connect with eachother because of their personal views. @Jordan Brodsky I agree with you that politics should be taught in social studies, but in my opinion, I believe it should stop there. I think that politics are a very touchy subject, and allowing your learning environment to be filled with negative energy is not the best move for a teacher. Politics are extremely important, and I wish we learned about them more in class. However, I think that all discussions, debates, and opinions should be kept to yourself. Politics are something that ruins friendships, relationships, and overall creates an environment where nobody can connect with each other because of their personal views.
I believe that as a student learning about the the United States History and government, allowing the topic of politics to be brought up in class would be beneficial. While teachers should refrain from giving their opinions regarding the current debates for ethical reason, providing unbiased facts surrounding current politics would allow for students to understand both perspectives. Allowing students to debate and communicate about the major decisions being made in office would allow for students to become educated in the field of politics, especially in classes that involve topics surrounding government and current affairs. If students were given the opportunity to bring up politics in class, their own opinions surrounding politics could begin to form without the bias of a parents perspective and ideas. Current students are the future of politics, they will soon be the ones voting and making important decisions regarding the government. That is why it would be beneficial to begin the conversation of politics in a classroom where their own ideas and opinions can be formed and created.
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I think it is important that students and teachers keep a small portion of current conflicts in the classroom. Soon enough the freshman in high school will be voting, and being an active member in politics. It is important for them to not step into that world blindly. By talking about, and debating heavy topics in classrooms student get a view on how to handle the situations, and how every opinion is valid. However, the teacher need to control the amount, and the extent of the topics talked about because they don't want the conflict to stem outside of the classroom. It is important to know where to draw the line. Politics and other current history need to be talked about so that people are educated, and have an understanding of how to properly debate. At the same time the conversations need to be controlled, and organized to keep the environment friendly.
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I think the topic of Trump being impeached should be discussed in class. Though politics are very controversial, as long as students are being given unbiased information and all students are allowed to give their opinion, it seems like there are no problems. I think the events that are unfolding now are making history and as students and most adults we should be educated on what is happening. As young adults we are all going to be eligible for voting soon. I know many of my peers do not care for or understand much about politics. I think this is why a large amount of young people do not vote. What they do not understand is that their older adult lives will be affected in the future. Being educated and having more voters can only benefit both sides of the political parties.
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@Sofia S.
I strongly agree with you. I believe that it is important that young adults are engaged in politics. I believe that students should be taught both sides of an argument with out being swayed one way or the other. I think that each topic should be taught neutrally. Students can see the other side of politics that they do not necessarily get to see at home. If politics are taught in the class, then students will be more cultured and up to date with their country. As an American student, I think that we should learn about our government. This way when we do get to vote in a couple of years, we will be well informed, and ready to make our impact.
@Sofia S. I agree that talking about politics in school as long as the information is unbiased is a good idea. I think that you're right to say that many high school students do not care or just do not understand politics so they just chose to ignore. I think that having a teacher present the information with them and talk about it with them using language that they can understand will help teens become more aware what goes on in their country.
@Sofia S. I also think that politics should be discussed in schools. I think people sometimes forget that their adult lives will be affected by these votes, so it is important to use your voice when you get the chance. In order for them to use their voice to the best of their ability, they should have some sort of understanding or form of education so they can create and develop their own ideas and opinions. Also, like you stated, as long as the information is unbiased, I think class is a great way for students to learn about politics.
I believe that the personal views of students should be expressed, but teachers should keep their opinions to themselves. I am not taking anything away from the teachers opinion and I do believe that they are valuable. But, it could be seen that they are pushing their beliefs on others, which could upset students and parents. Also, I think it is important that students can form their own opinions without the biases of their teachers. I believe that the Trump Impeachment is a really good thing to talk about. I think that many people will have many unique opinions on it, and it would be a really cool idea to have a healthy and controlled argument with. It is important that students have their own beliefs and can have a fun debate with others, without it getting out of hand. there is no way to learn what a healthy debate is without being taught it. It also teaches current events which is very important for everyone to know.
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@Carly G. I agree with your perspective that teachers should not share their political opinions in class, but students should. We don't want teachers to pressure us into believing what they believe, even if they don't mean too.
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I think discussing politics in class is an extremely valuable way to apply the skills and history we learn in school to relevant topics in our own lives. In my opinion, politics can and should be presented in a nonpartisan manner by the teacher. Students should have the chance to think through more serious issues in their lives and bounce ideas off each other in school without feeling pressured to feel a certain way. Diversity of opinion is useful for building critical thinking skills, debate tactics, and confidence in students, and politics is an excellent jumping point to open the table to a variety of ideas and values. However, a teacher is someone with a lot of authority and influence, especially in high school, when our opinions on political issues are not fully formed, therefore sharing or forcing their opinion upon students is detrimental to allowing students to make their own opinions. School is an environment in which we should be encouraged to develop our own ideas and beliefs, using the skills and knowledge provided to us, not a place where opinions are pushed upon us. For this reason, I think it can be invaluable to open up discussions to politics in the classroom in a neutral setting, giving students the opportunity to ground their own beliefs in facts.
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@Catie Nemeskal I agree with your ideas. Students should be exposed to these topics because it will help them to grow and improve their skills as people. It will also prepare them to understand what will be happening in the world that they will soon be in after high school and college. I also agree with the idea that teachers should remain as neutral as possible. Our opinions are developing as we learn more and more, but if a biased person is teaching it to us, we won't get the chance to hear the other side of the issue and be closed off to this one opinion. Conforming student opinions to what people want us to believe won't be beneficial to society, and for these reasons teachers should be unbiased when discussing these topics. Thus, I agree that teachers should teach us about what is going on, and encourage us to create our own opinions on these subjects in politics today.
I think that the impeachment inquiry is a teachable moment. I think that it is important for high school students to be up to date with current events. The impeachment inquiry is one of these events that are important to know about because events like this have happened in the past and will probably happen again in the future. To see these events in real time and to be knowledgeable on them can help students in the future when issues like this come up again. I also think that when current events can be applied to a class, like in Mr. Dier's world history class, it can help students learn the topic better. To be able to look at what you are learning in real time and watch it unfold like this can help students understand a topic more clearly. I think that teachers and students have to be careful when discussing politics because it is such a controversial topic, but if there are rules set for a class, it should be allowed. I think the teacher has to make it clear to all the students the rules and expectations that should be followed when discussing politics. I also think that students and teachers should be allowed to express their opinions in class without fearing that there will be judgement. Although it can be controversial, I think it is very important to teach high school students current events especially if they coincide with the content the students are learning.
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@Lauren Covello I agree that politics should be allowed in the classroom, because it can coincide with content that students are already learning. I think people, especially teachers tend to shy away from talking about politics because they fear it will cause controversy. However, it's important to include current events into learning, because a student can see it happen right in front of them. The student will most definitely understand a topic if it's happening in real time. I think it's also a really important point, that we do have to be cautious discussing politics, and make sure we are respecting others views although we might not agree.
In my class, it's usually our literacy teacher that talks about politics, not our social studies teacher. Either way, I think that teachers should steer somewhat clear of controversial subjects like politics. What I mean by this is that I think that teachers should steer as far away as possible from politics so that there is no controversy part to it. For example, teachers can talk more about straight facts, not opinion based perceptions, thus leaving home being the safest and most appropriate to talk about politics in depth with personal conclusions.
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I believe that teachers should keep politics in the classroom and I wish for the school to teach us more about it. Although I don't really like sharing my opinion about politics out loud, I would rather share it in writing. Because my family doesn care about politics at all, I rely on my school giving my facts and information on it. Even though I don't really care about politics, I would still like to know some things about it. I want my school to teach more about politics and its process because I feel as though it would help us be more prepared in the political world when we grow up. Also, it helps us make good decisions to vote for good people and to weigh the consequences and the advantages.
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I think politics is a very important topic. Especially in school. This is because knowing our political system and how it works is necessary in children's later lives. Politics can be talked about in a nonbiased way. If you teach the current events more as facts rather than taking people’s opinions you won’t offend anyone. As far as parents getting mad I think that there is no reason to get mad if you talk about it objectively. I think school has prepared me for my civil life well. I know I can make responsible choices that I think benefit the country. However, I think it isn’t the same for many other schools and that more lessons on civics should be taught.
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Social Studies teachers should steer clear of SOME controversial topics BUT it is okay for some. I think politics is a fine topic to talk about in school. Students can be taught about the government and the people in the government and what is going on in politics today. You can’t just blind people of what is happening in real life, right now because it could affect them. It is possible to discuss politics in a neutral way. Just don’t ask about what side people are on and if they think what is going on is good or bad or correct or incorrect. If you talk about politics in a more factual way, such as “This is what is happening now” instead of “The impeachment inquiry is a really good idea and who agrees” Politics can be a touchy subject if you are too opinionated around a group of kids in all different backgrounds with parents of different backgrounds and beliefs.
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I think that politics should be presented in a factual way, but not discussed. Students can learn about the steps in the impeachment process, and about the government. I just don’t think that people’s opinions should be discussed as it can hurt people’s feelings and maybe even offend people on what they think is right/wrong. As there really isn’t any right or wrong in politics, I think that the classroom can become very heated on this topic, so it shouldn’t be talked about. However, it is a great learning opportunity for people on the government and how it operates.
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@Daniella Liang I completely agree. If you don't talk about politics in a neutral way, people can get upset but if you talk about politics in a factual and neutral way that is what NEEDS to happen. Some people only know about politics because they have been talked about in the classroom. Kids shouldn't be hidden from what is going on in everyday life.
History is being made; it would be a shame to not be a part of it. If we always stay clear of controversial subjects, it would be better off to live under a rock for some time. Everything in history is controversial, from abortion to Japanese encampment camps. However, if we are not aware of these events. then we will repeat the same patterns again and again. If teachers are afraid of the feedback of the parents, how can they every teach their students what is important in their current lives? What type of lives will students lead if we are not even aware of our current situation and position in the world? To be blind towards current politics means to be blind towards worldly events. It is not possible to discuss political issues in a nonpartisan way but that is the point in discussing it: to grow the political viewpoints of the future generation. The students today will be the leaders tomorrow, and to be aware of politics is never a bad knowledge to have. Many students today have a political viewpoint, which will lead the politics of tomorrow. History teachers have the responsibility to teach history, and what better way to interact with students than with the generation they live now? Teachers did not to live in fear, but should rejoice that they can connect history with the times we live in. The present today will be history tomorrow.
Students should be exposed to politics as much as possible in order to help them grow into active political participants. This means that in schools, students should be learning about the way the government operates and the types of political processes that are used. In elementary schools, the impeachment inquiry can be used as an example to teach about what impeachment is, and why it is a part of our political system. In middle and high schools, students can delve deeper into the reasons behind the inquiry, and even engage in debates around the issue. By discussing the topic in depth, students are exposed to the political processes that adults engage in, and are given practice in thinking through and forming their own ideas in terms of politics. This practice helps young students into adults who have a concrete understanding of the government. This understanding and early engagement can also help students to identify issues they care about, which is important for producing activists and national change.
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