精东影业

Back when she was a school principal in Kortright, New York, Krislynn Dengler saw firsthand how quickly a classroom assignment can ignite community passions. 

An English teacher in her school had distributed a handout of a story written by the survivor of a school shooting.

鈥淭he purpose of the lesson was to have the students look for language that was emotional instead of factual, to separate an issue from someone鈥檚 opinion or feelings,鈥� recalled Dengler, now superintendent of the 400-student district in upstate New York, who spoke during a recent webinar titled 鈥淐ontroversial Issues 鈥� When Classrooms Are Contentious.鈥�

But local hunters and firearms enthusiasts saw the assignment differently and took their concerns to the school board.

鈥淭hey wanted to know why it was about gun control, which really wasn鈥檛 the point,鈥� said Dengler. Still, she listened to 鈥渧alidate their concerns.鈥� In retrospect, she likened the uproar to 鈥渟itting at a basketball game where a ref makes a call. Fifty percent of crowd is 鈥榟ooray!鈥� And 50 percent is booing. We鈥檝e seen the same thing. It鈥檚 about perspective and understanding that there is another view, another side to the story.鈥�

Hearing 鈥渢he other side of the story鈥� is one of the central themes of 鈥淢ending the Fabric of Democracy: Teaching Civic Readiness,鈥� a four-part webinar series offered throughout March by 精东影业鈥檚  (CEE) and the statewide  Coalition to advance the implementation of a state constitutional measure to promote lessons on civic engagement in New York classrooms. 鈥淐ontroversial Issues,鈥� moderated by Brett Levy, the host of the Education for Sustainable Democracy podcast and an Associate Professor at the University at Albany-SUNY, was the series鈥� second installment. [The webinars can be viewed, free of charge, each Thursday from 4-5:30 p.m. The remaining installments are 鈥淚gniting Youth Civic Action: Making a Difference In and Out of School,鈥� on March 18, and 鈥淐all to Action: A Conversation with Leaders and Decision-makers,鈥� March 25.  to register to attend.]

The purpose of public education, as articulated by the founders of our country back in the 18^th century, was basically to prepare citizens who would be able to maintain the experiment in mass democracy that America had instituted back at that time.

鈥擬ichael Rebell, Executive Director, TC's Center for Educational Equity

鈥淭he purpose of public education, as articulated by the founders of our country back in the 18^th century, was basically to prepare citizens who would be able to maintain the experiment in mass democracy that America had instituted back at that time,鈥� said CEE Executive Director Michael Rebell, Professor Law & Educational Practice, in introducing the 鈥淐ontroversial Issues鈥� webinar. 鈥淛ust a few years ago, the Court of Appeals 鈥� New York鈥檚 highest court 鈥� articulated a constitutional right that each child in the State of New York has. And that right resounded back to the insight that the Founding Fathers had 鈥� and that was the insight that the purpose of public education is, as the Court said, to prepare students with the skills they need to function productively as civic participants, capable of voting and serving on a jury. But unfortunately, not all schools have made it a priority.鈥�

The webinar鈥檚 participants made it clear that reversing that trend begins with tackling tough topics 鈥� but doing so in a manner that insists upon mutual respect.

Listening is the key to creating 鈥渕utual understanding of how we differently experience the world,鈥� said Paula McAvoy, an Assistant Professor of Social Studies Education at North Carolina State University. And while people on opposite sides of an issue may never end up agreeing, gaining insight into those different experiences should be the goal of 鈥渃ourse content that might invite scrutiny from either inside or outside of the classroom 鈥� content that challenges dominant narratives in society and can touch on matters of race, gender, sexual identity, religion and ethnicity but can also be other highly-polarized issues.鈥� 

Others emphasized that same point.

I make it very clear that you can disagree with someone in the classroom, you cannot dehumanize them. We鈥檙e going to disagree with each other, that鈥檚 OK. But how we disagree is far more interesting.

鈥擜mber Joseph, eighth-grade history teacher at the East Side Community School in New York City

Amber Joseph, an eighth-grade history teacher at the East Side Community School in New York City said that hearing out others is both the lesson and the necessary condition for the discussions she leads on Black Lives Matter and other current event topics.

鈥淚 make it very clear that while you can disagree with someone in the classroom, you cannot dehumanize them,鈥� Joseph said. 鈥淲e鈥檙e going to disagree with each other, that鈥檚 OK. But how we disagree is far more interesting.鈥�

It鈥檚 important that we ask questions and then listen to the answers in order to stimulate discourse. We should recognize every opportunity for a teachable moment, not only for students but also for adults.

鈥擮liver Robinson, Superintendent of Saratoga County鈥檚 Shenendehowa Central School District

Oliver Robinson, Superintendent of Saratoga County鈥檚 Shenendehowa Central School District, endorsed that same philosophy, which he said is essential for the difficult conversations that difficult times demand.

鈥淓ducation is truly the antidote to society鈥檚 ills, which is why civic education is so powerful and necessary,鈥� Robinson said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 why it is important for us to interrogate our own thinking and to assess our biases before we engage in this important work. And it鈥檚 why it is important to empower students and listen to their voices and have objective processes and structures in place so we can stay in dialogue. It鈥檚 important that we ask questions and then listen to the answers in order to stimulate discourse. We should recognize every opportunity for a teachable moment, not only for students but also for adults.鈥�

I think there has been a cultural shift since the Black Lives Matter Movement has gained more mainstream attention and a cultural shift in my district to be more engaging with students.

鈥擫auren Collet-Gildard, a social studies teacher at Arlington High School in upstate New York

Perhaps, as difficult as this past year has been, more of those opportunities are being realized.

Lauren Collet-Gildard, a social studies teacher at Arlington High School (also in upstate New York) and an adjunct at the Bard College Master of Arts Teaching Program, said she is encouraged by the teachable moments spurred by the awakening in the aftermath of the police killings of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor. 鈥淚 think there has been a cultural shift since the Black Lives Matter Movement has gained more mainstream attention and a cultural shift in my district to be more engaging with students.鈥�

鈥擲teve Giegerich