Thought Response 2 by

Politics & Curriculum

nk7xwvbykt — 2025-02-20 01:34:08 UTC

Political polarization pushes schools to allow or omit certain materials and ideas from the curriculum. This can be not allowing teachers to discuss certain topics, like race, sexuality, or gender, or allowing increased religious emphasis and even counseling in schools. One of the first states to attempt bans is Florida, which is trying to remove DEI curriculum and AP African American Studies.

Politics & Pedagogy

nk7xwvbykt — 2025-02-20 01:40:58 UTC

Politics also affect the way teachers are allowed to educate their students. Because parents can be so polarized, and children often learn from their parents, discussion of anything political or current events that could be controversial could become tense and may be frowned upon. Additionally, students may feel uncomfortable sharing their points of view in the classroom due to hostility. A video viewed in class discussed how teachers can combat this by creating a safe environment and always playing 'devil's advocate', regardless of personal opinion. This stretches children to see both sides of the issue and to do their research. Additionally, we discussed using anonymous surveys so students could share their ideas without fear of rejection.

Politics & Students

nk7xwvbykt — 2025-02-20 01:47:46 UTC

Politics also significantly affects how well students are represented and served. Special education is currently a specific area under attack, both through executive orders and lawsuits against Section 504 in many states. The DPI makes many decisions that impact special education. Additionally, politics that ban materials or topics affect student representation in the curriculum they study. Many students also may suffer with DEI initiatives being attacked as well.

My Response

nk7xwvbykt — 2025-02-20 01:52:57 UTC

As a future educator, although I cannot predict the political climate or state of education in the future, I can commit to making my classroom a safe & inclusive space to the best of my ability. This can look like fostering productive discussion where students can feel like their voices are heard, choosing diverse literature, and giving my students opportunities to educate themselves about the experiences of others around them. I want to create a classroom where we explore all sides of an issue, practice empathy towards others, and become advocates for ourselves and those around us.