Teaching Trump: Should teachers offer up their own politics?
It's become a flashpoint at a time when many teachers say students are more energized than ever by current events, with issues such as immigration, racial justice and transgender rights discussed not only in social studies but in other classes, the hallways and at lunch, too.
"There's a general belief in the public that teachers shouldn't be using their classroom as a soapbox but there's a ton of variation on what's allowed and what's not allowed," said Paula McAvoy, program director at the University of Wisconsin's Center for Ethics and Education.
[...] McAvoy contends shying away from political discussions in the classroom isn't the answer because schools should offer a place for young people to consider differences, challenge assumptions and form their own opinions.
Minnesota teacher Tom Schoper makes no secret of his Republican and conservative leanings (the Nixon/Agnew and Barry Goldwater posters in his room are a clue), but said he makes a point to expose students to other perspectives, bringing in Democrats, Socialists, Libertarians and others to speak at his rural high school.
Conti said she sometimes plays devil's advocate to get a classroom conversation started, but her aim is to give students the knowledge and ability to make up their own minds.
The Tuscaloosa, Alabama, City Board of Education temporarily suspended teacher Scott Johnson without pay and sent him to sensitivity training for his "Obama, you're fired" display the day after the election, saying it violated the board's policy prohibiting partisan political activity in the classroom.
Larry Paska, executive director of the National Council for the Social Studies, an organization of educators and curriculum designers, acknowledged that teachers weighing in to class discussions with their own politics can be fraught with peril.