Teaching About Controversial Issues/Controversial Speakers
IMB - TEACHING ABOUT CONTROVERSIAL ISSUES/CONTROVERSIAL SPEAKERS (Middleborough’s School Committee Policy - Page 54
An important goal of the schools is to help prepare students for intelligent and conscientious participation as citizens in our democratic society. One step toward meeting this goal is to introduce students to reasoned and dispassionate approaches to the analysis of contemporary social and political issues. To ensure that these issues can be examined in an atmosphere as free from emotion and prejudice as the times permit, the School Committee establishes the following guidelines for discussion of controversial issues in the schools.
Teacher-Planned Classroom Discussions
1. Controversial issues selected by teachers for classroom discussion must relate directly to the objectives and content of courses approved by the School Committee for inclusion in the curriculum.
2. The teachers' right to introduce controversial issues in classroom presentations does not include the right of advocacy. Teachers must refrain from using their positions to express partisan points of view.
3. The approach to discussion of these issues in the classroom must be objective and scholarly with minimum emphasis on opinion and maximum emphasis on intelligent analysis.
4. Teachers must ensure that the reasoned arguments of all sides of an issue are given equal presentation and emphasis in classroom discussions.
5. Teachers may invite visitors from outside the schools to give presentations on controversial issues when the visitors offer qualifications and resources not available in the schools. All visitors are to be guided by the standards of language usage that prevail in the classrooms and by the standards of scholarly inquiry set forth above. Whenever possible, teachers who invite visitors to present one side of an issue will also invite visitors to present the other side(s).
6. In all cases teachers must obtain from the appropriate Principal permission to invite visitors for classroom presentations. Permission must be requested at least 48 hours before the scheduled time of presentation.
Please review the following updated Staff Handbook language on teaching controversial issues. This can also be found on page 43-44.
Best Practices in Presenting Controversial Issues
- We are responsible for implementing our mission: “Middleborough Public Schools will develop lifelong, empathic learners by creating an environment that is responsive to individual students’ needs and growth, providing opportunities to think critically and develop a strong sense of self, and modeling perseverance through challenges; learners who respect and have appreciation for others’ perspectives to become purposeful, productive, and positive citizens.” Therefore, we have an obligation to present topics that may be deemed controversial. Neglecting to do so impedes our ability to reach our district mission. Because exploring all sides of an issue can involve complex thinking, it is important to consider the age and developmental stages of students in selecting curricular topics and materials.
- Teaching controversial materials requires preparation and collaboration with colleagues and building administration. This includes alignment with teachers within the same grade or content area and submitting those plans to the building administration for review and feedback. Planning with colleagues to provide comprehensive lessons that address state standards and student learning objectives is important.
- Family communication is important when we are considering any curricular decisions. It's particularly crucial to inform parents when teaching controversial issues because it allows them to be aware of the topics being discussed in class and provides an opportunity for open communication about controversial subjects. This can help students feel more comfortable and engaged in the learning process while mitigating potential anxieties or misunderstandings at home. As partners in the education of all students, families should be informed of curriculum on a regular basis. This could be in the form of monthly newsletters, weekly classroom updates, and/or programs of studies.
Finally, please see the attached sample letter to use in communicating with families regarding the teaching of controversial issues that could be used after consulting with your building administration.