Eons ago, when I was studying to become history, civics, and English teacher, the professors were quite adamant that as educators it was our responsibility to remain neutral—apolitical—when teaching or discussing politically charged topics in the classroom.
The reasoning for this was twofold: to avoid influencing the minds of our students, and to provide an environment for objective discussion and debate. We were told to never—yes, never—share personal and/or political opinions. Over the years, I know I’ve broken the “no opinions” rule on a number of occasions, but I’m deeply conscious of doing my best to play the role of the apolitical teacher.
In our current climate of political polarization in North America—I’m in Canada—I think it’s essential that as educators we be apolitical—to create safe environments for student learning and to provide a space for students to share and discuss facts, foremost, rather than opinions.
BEING APOLITICAL IN THE CLASSROOM
1. Communicate your intentions to parents and administrators: Communicate with parents and administrators about any teaching you may be doing on the topic of a political event or topic. If necessary, write a letter home regarding the specifics of this intent, emphasizing your desire to exist as an apolitical facilitator in the classroom.
It’s no secret that educators at both ends of the political spectrum have gotten themselves in hot water by assuming their political lessons and/or resources were appropriate, until others voiced contrary opinions. Teaching about politics and/or politicized topics requires excellent communication and transparency to ensure success (and possibly, continued employment).
2. Avoid sending political messages: Depoliticize any social media accounts you may have, and keep all your social media accounts private. Leave all political or politicized messages at home—don’t wear clothing representative of a political group or message, and remove any media messages associated with political parties or topics from your classroom or vehicle. Essentially, strive to avoid blatant messages that could create political conflict at work or in the classroom.
3. Swap opinions for facts: Never share your own personal political opinions with students or staff regarding controversial political topics. Instead, share information and facts from a range of reputable sources regarding political events or topics. This sharing could take the form of news articles, websites, videos, or social media posts. The key is to share a range of facts from reputable sources and allow students to form their own thoughts regarding the topic, free of influential opinions.
4. Talk it out: Allow students to ask questions about political topics or events in class, either by anonymously writing a question or sharing one verbally. Then break students into groups to research possible responses, providing support by directing them to appropriate sources.
