Quantcast

Betty's Blog

Timely Teacher Talk

Sponsored Links

Should teachers remain neutral on hot topics?

Being neutral on important issues is a hard line to walk in the classroom.  Students question teachers constantly on how they plan to vote or how they feel about current topics in the news.  Legislators in Arizona want to force teachers to keep their opinions to themselves.

In any class, any issue could be discussed as long as the instructor is neutral on the issue and not telling you what your conclusion should be," said the bill's author. 

Of course, teachers need to be careful and not turn their classes into forums where they get to express their ideas and influence others to join them.  The article on Teacher Magazine's Web Watch mentions concerns that some have about the repercussions of making this bill into law.  Could it stifle class discussions and "require educators to bend over backwards to stay on politically neutral ground--for example, by presenting the argument that global warming is not real?"

This is why some students still think their teachers live in the school and aren't real people.

Posted: Wednesday, February 21, 2007 9:05 AM by Betty

Comments

missionimpossible said:

Does Arizona require schools to announce the Pledge of Allegience or play the National Anthem every day or every week?  Are they prepared to make sure that teachers stay neutral on that topic?  That would mean an in-depth discussion of the 1st Amendment and giving the students the knowledge at K4 that it is not a requirement to stand and/or recite for either of those activities.  In fact, it is their constitutional right to refuse.  And no teacher can require a reason.

Although I would personally support this type of legislation based on the above example, it would definitley make things more complicated in general.  But maybe that is what needs to be done.  All sides of an issue presented and the students decide which they agree with....creating an informed populace!  But then teachers would have to be comfortable presenting ideas that are opposite of their personal beliefs in a way that is not biased.  I've done it and it isn't exactly comfortable, but it does lead to more critical thinking.  It helps if your coworkers disagree with you and both adults can be respectful in their presentations. :)

# February 22, 2007 6:20 AM

dalmom said:

I don't think neutrality is ever possible.  Silence is not neutral.  I've also had teachers who indoctrinate.  The trick is finding the line between sharing your views, especially if asked, and not limiting students' views.  It is the critical/creating thinking piece that is often left out of standards - at least tested standards.  

# February 28, 2007 9:33 AM
New Comments to this post are disabled.