American democracy is at a crossroads. In November of this year, the American electorate will go to the polls to decide which party should control the Congress of the United States and set policy on the federal level. Majorities in many state legislatures and governorships across the nation will also be decided. As it stands […]
Politics
Posted inTeacher Leaders
Messages from the Marches: Teaching Students Objectively
January 20, 2018, brought America the first anniversary of the inauguration of President Donald Trump. The day after his inauguration, January 21, 2017, millions of women and their male allies took to the streets to protest the things they object about Donald Trump. His campaign seemed to be filled with racism, misogyny, and vitriol. These […]
Posted inCurrent Events in Education
Barbie Doll Teachers: Is That What We Want?
Should teachers be politically androgynous? Barbie Dolls, besides lacking correct anatomy and proportions, perpetually smile-at everything. Their vapid expressions often connote brainlessness or at least ignorance. In essence, Barbie Dolls are passive, happy toys. For some Americans, the ideal image of a teacher is similar to that of a Barbie Doll: pleasant, non-confrontational, amusing, and […]
Posted inAsk a Teacher
My Coming Out As A Conservative Teacher
The phone rang, and on the other end was the principal of the elementary school I had interviewed at just a few days prior. The middle school where I had worked until the end of that school year had to lay me off due to low numbers in my special education specialty area. But, my […]
Posted inSocial Studies
6 Tips on Teaching Social Studies in a Politically-Charged Era
I’ve been challenged by parents plenty of times in my career. However, one that often protrudes in my mind is a 12-page email I received 7 years ago. In teaching about the post-Civil War Reconstruction, I shared both the late Abraham Lincoln and Radical Republican plans for what the South would look like as the […]
Posted inCurrent Events in Education
Why Engaging Students with Politics is Worthwhile
One of my friends approached me last week while at church. Now an administrator, he was a teacher who taught at Dover High School at the height of the ‘intelligent design’ debate, where a school board wanted it taught instead of the theory of evolution. He taught biology, nonetheless. In initiating the conversation, he said, “I […]
Posted inCurrent Events in Education
10 Reasons Why Teachers Should Host Political Debates
A few weeks back, I examined a hotly contested election for State Senate, and I remarked to a few friends and colleagues that it would be great to host a debate for these candidates seeking the post – and I should be the one to organize it. While all of those folks thought it was a good […]
Posted inClassroom Management, Featured, Legal, Opinion, Social Studies, Uncategorized
20 More Weeks of Blizzards: A Groundhog's Day Pred-Election
Today marks the 129th year that Punxsutawney Phil (well, maybe the 30th version of him) will come out of his burrow to either see his shadow or not, declaring whether winter will be extended by 6 weeks, or whether spring is pending. However, after today, there’s still 20 more weeks of blizzards to endure. They […]