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Littleton Public Schools Policy |
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Policy Code INB Policy Name Teaching About Controversial Issues Adoption July 2, 1984 Revised |
Life demands constant ability to deal with the controversial; therefore, the school must offer experiences to aid students in learning to handle issues intelligently. Teaching for democratic living carries with it freedom to learn. Our democracy is based upon each citizen’s ability to reason and make intelligent decisions. Freedom to learn develops and enhances this ability and is basic to our democratic way of life.
It shall be the policy of the District to provide for study of controversial issues in order that the student may have an opportunity to study such issues in a class atmosphere void of partisanship and bias. The rights of students to study significant issues in an objective atmosphere should be protected.
A controversial issue is defined as any contemporary problem or subject which has publicly evoked opposing viewpoints on the part of any mass medium of communication or of any organized group, or any subject that arises in the classroom on which strong emotional bias is expressed by members of the classroom group.
Responsibility of Teachers
The teacher is an important member of the school staff in handling controversial issues. Teachers have the obligation to deal with such issues in a professional manner. The issues should grow naturally out of regular classroom learning situations and should be on the maturity level of the students. As many viewpoints and as much data as possible should be brought out in the discussion. Freedom of students to learn, not social action or indoctrination, should be the goal of all involved. The teacher must have a thorough understanding of the role of controversial issues in the classroom and must know and appreciate the nature and extent of the knowledge and biases covering any such issues.
The teacher has the responsibility to select issues for study and discussion which contribute to the attainment of and are consistent with the District adopted course of study, the obligation to be as objective as possible and to present fairly the several sides of an issue, and the right to express personal viewpoints when identified as such.
In making a decision to study a controversial question, the teacher should first discuss the matter with the building principal and consider the following factors:
Will both sides of the issue be adequately and fairly presented?
Is this issue within the maturity level of the students?
Is this issue of interest to the students?
Is this issue socially significant, appropriate, and timely for this course and grade level?
Is this issue one which the teacher feels he/she can handle successfully from a personal standpoint? (Is his/her background such that he/she can deal intelligently with the issue, erasing personal bias in the classroom?)
Is this issue one for which adequate study materials can be obtained?
Is this issue one for which there is adequate time to justify its preparation? (Is there time for thorough study of the issue?)
Is this issue one which will clash with community customs and attitudes?
When outside resource people are to be used in presenting controversial issues, the teacher must advise the building principal who may approve or disapprove depending upon conformity of the presentation to the District course of study.
Cross Reference: IMA, Teaching Activities/Presentations
IMA-R, Teaching Activities/Presentations
KEF, Public Concerns/Complaints About Teaching Activities or Presentations