aren't i supposed to leave politics out of the classroom?

Teachers often assume that politics must be left at the schoolhouse door. Political topics often end up in your room anyway. If your school has a newspaper subscription that students access, politics could already be in your room. If students watch CNN 10 or another morning news program, politics are already in your room. If students are upset or worried about current events, politics are already in your room. If your students have come from another class where a political topic has come up, guess what? Politics are in your room. Politics are in your classroom if your own curriculum includes politically-oriented topics. 

Even if you are still convinced your classroom is apolitical, ask yourself: Do you view schools as a place that helps develop an informed citizenry? It is hard to achieve that goal without teaching students to analyze and respond to political ideas.

Teachers who fear political discussions generally conflate politics with partisanship. Your classroom should not be partisan, nor should you promote a specific political candidate, platform, ideology or perspective. Many school districts have explicit policies prohibit teachers using their position in this way. Even the ACLU, a staunch defender of free speech, cautions against teachers promoting specific political views. It is unethical to go into a political discussion with the goal of convincing them of your viewpoint.

It is still possible-- and indeed important-- to be able to facilitate political conversations in your classroom whether they arise intentionally or through unanticipated student contributions. Political conversations do not need to be partisan. In fact, conversations about politics can equip students with valuable skills that will help them be stronger participants in their democracy. Diane Hess and Paula McAvoy authors of Politics in the Classroom: Evidence and Ethics in Democratic Education frame political discussions as a change to help students answer the question "How should we live together?" 

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