Schools commenting on Trump

[Anonymous]

My DS goes to Sidwell and he has had many teachers make comments about the new administration. I don't know how I feel about this because although I agree with the idea that this administration is doing things that are not good for our country, I do not think teachers should express their views on to students. I've heard at schools like GDS they have had assemblies where the principle has made comments about the election and Trump in a non specific way, but does this happen in other schools? And is it okay for teachers and administrators to talk about politics, rather than fostering discussions in unbiased way?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My DS goes to Sidwell and he has had many teachers make comments about the new administration. I don't know how I feel about this because although I agree with the idea that this administration is doing things that are not good for our country, I do not think teachers should express their views on to students. I've heard at schools like GDS they have had assemblies where the principle has made comments about the election and Trump in a non specific way, but does this happen in other schools? And is it okay for teachers and administrators to talk about politics, rather than fostering discussions in unbiased way?

If he's in my DS's class, the kids (boys) are giving it right back to these teachers.

[Anonymous]

You don't think it's reasonable for teachers to share their opinion even if only to foster debate, understanding or disagreement?

Maybe homeschooling would be a better course for you so you can insulate your child from opinions about which you may disagree.

[Anonymous]

There is a difference between teachers expressing their views as their views and teachers teaching their views as the only view or belittling students who have a different view. As long as it is just the teacher expressing their own views its not an issue for me. The HS kids all know which teachers lean in which direction anyway and are old enough to understand that different people hold different views

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You don't think it's reasonable for teachers to share their opinion even if only to foster debate, understanding or disagreement?

Maybe homeschooling would be a better course for you so you can insulate your child from opinions about which you may disagree.

I do not think homeschooling is a good way to solve this. However, I think what the parent is trying to say is in the same way you would not want a teacher or you kids school to push only right-wing ideologies on to them the same so apply to left-wing. I think that schools should take non-partisan stances, but that does not mean not having civil discourse. Students should be encouraged to talk about politics at school, but they should do it expressing their own views, not what the teacher thinks or the school.

[Anonymous]

I think teachers should be able to express their views as facts, if that makes sense. For example, if a teacher told my son that Trump won the 2020 election or if the teacher said that illegal immigrants did not commit a crime I wouldn't be happy with that because that is an opinion that is being expressed as a fact. Teachers are teaching our kids everyday and our kids trust that what comes out of their mouths are true, so if a teacher did that I would be mad. However, I think teachers can and should have discussions in class and they can bring up facts and things of that nature. An example would be talking about the Pete Hegseth conformation and if the teacher brought up the evidence of him being drunk in public or his comments on women in the military, that would be fine. Teachers can express their views, just not in a way that might make some students feel singled out.

[Anonymous]

IDK, I think pardoning all of the January 6 rioters and then unlawfully firing a bunch of IGs in the the first week of his term would be worth a "what is the law? what does law mean?" conversation in a U.S. History or social studies class.

It's not ideology.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My DS goes to Sidwell and he has had many teachers make comments about the new administration. I don't know how I feel about this because although I agree with the idea that this administration is doing things that are not good for our country, I do not think teachers should express their views on to students. I've heard at schools like GDS they have had assemblies where the principle has made comments about the election and Trump in a non specific way, but does this happen in other schools? And is it okay for teachers and administrators to talk about politics, rather than fostering discussions in unbiased way?

If he's in my DS's class, the kids (boys) are giving it right back to these teachers.

Gross

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:IDK, I think pardoning all of the January 6 rioters and then unlawfully firing a bunch of IGs in the the first week of his term would be worth a "what is the law? what does law mean?" conversation in a U.S. History or social studies class.

It's not ideology.

100% agree with this; however, teachers should bring up the discussion and facilitate, but not participate as much. Bring up the question of "what is the law" is a great question because you can answer it if you agree with what Trump did or disagree. The way to make your kids want to engage in politics is if they can have these discussions and not feel judged by a teacher.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My DS goes to Sidwell and he has had many teachers make comments about the new administration. I don't know how I feel about this because although I agree with the idea that this administration is doing things that are not good for our country, I do not think teachers should express their views on to students. I've heard at schools like GDS they have had assemblies where the principle has made comments about the election and Trump in a non specific way, but does this happen in other schools? And is it okay for teachers and administrators to talk about politics, rather than fostering discussions in unbiased way?

If he's in my DS's class, the kids (boys) are giving it right back to these teachers.

Gross

"Gross?" What are you, ten years old?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My DS goes to Sidwell and he has had many teachers make comments about the new administration. I don't know how I feel about this because although I agree with the idea that this administration is doing things that are not good for our country, I do not think teachers should express their views on to students. I've heard at schools like GDS they have had assemblies where the principle has made comments about the election and Trump in a non specific way, but does this happen in other schools? And is it okay for teachers and administrators to talk about politics, rather than fostering discussions in unbiased way?

Yes it is okay to say that some of these things are not okay.

Elon Musk's Nazi salute for example should not be normalized and he has an official position in the Trump administration.

[Anonymous]

Teachers teach kids how to ask questions as much as we try to teach them information. A lot of people don't like that. If a government does something, we want the kids to ask if they think it's legal, it's right, it's effective, it has public support, how it will get through Congress, how we can pay for it, competing priorities for resources, and on and on.

That is true no matter who is sitting in the White House. People complain ENDLESSLY about their kids not getting civics to prepare them to be citizens.

Well guess what, asking questions in a democracy is a basic civic duty. Too many people think that means just spoon-feeding kids their parents' favorite partisan view. Nope.

And by the way, the delusional fantasy that saying something to a kid in a classroom means they will hear, understand, remember, and support it the rest of their life is more delusional nonsense. Teaching would be a breeze if that were true.

[Anonymous]

If teachers were telling the kids that we all should be praying to God, most parents here would be upset.

Teachers should not share their beliefs on politics or religion.

[Anonymous]

I think this discussion goes back to the idea that we want our kids to think for themselves and the school think for them. Our country is so polarized because of both sides of the aisle and the best way to ensure our kids do not struggle with the same thing is teach them how to not only think for themselves but to also make sure the attempt to understand the other view point. If teachers are saying their political views, our kids are less likely to attempt to learn about the opposing view.

[Anonymous]

I’ll never understand why conservatives are totally in favor of religious private schools but have a full toddler meltdown at the idea of teachers in other private schools discussing current events.