Opinions

It was off topic, but the discussion was intriguing. Students were talking about the validity of Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama’s vision of hope and his concerns for the urban poor. The teacher was passionately lecturing the class on the importance of experience and Hillary Clinton’s past work in government and advocacy. When the teacher was finished preaching about Clinton’s concern for air quality after 9/11, the students fired back with their knowledge of Obama and his potential. Shouts, rants and insightful comments were exchanged as the entire class was involved in the fiery debate over the electability of each candidate. Just another typical day in Spanish class.

Every now and then, my teachers will sneak their thoughts on current events into their lessons. Maybe it’s a light joke about the war in Iraq or a comparison of 20th century cartels and Walmart, but this commentary is an inherent part of many lessons. It allows teachers to give personal insights on a topic while making class discussions interesting and relevant to the world. Many teachers try to prevent their own opinions from seeping into discussions. In a discussion on the death penalty, my law teacher attempted to contain her opinions to allow a free exchange of ideas, asking only a few guiding questions. She would stop abruptly when she realized her questions were revealing her opinion.

Sadly, not all teachers have as much consideration for free discussion. I have heard teachers dismiss students’ ideas and call them ridiculous. I have had teachers who preach strongly against certain policies, events in history and politicians without any grounds or giving students the chance to question their arguments.

When a teacher goes from impartial mediator to political pundit, there is a problem. There is a difference between sparking discussions and simply promoting personal opinions, and teachers must realize that difference. According to the Department of Education’s policy on class activities, teachers must “assist their students in developing the skills to ascertain the truthfulness of information, distinguish fact from opinion, and engage in discussions about controversial issues while demonstrating tolerance and respect for those who hold divergent views.” It is disappointing that some teachers can’t control their opinions.

A teacher who espouses a view more than necessary is counterproductive. Discussions are supposed to allow students to share their thoughts on a controversial issue. Teachers are supposed to encourage the flow of different ideas and help students analyze them. If teachers blatantly express their opinions and shoot down the arguments of students who oppose them, discussions become very limited.

It is even more counterproductive when a teacher’s opinion is not relevant to the discussion or, in some cases, the class. While discussions often stray from the subject because teachers attempt to make the class engaging and connected to current events, they must make sure students, and they themselves, stay on topic.

We see pundits on television and hear them on the radio every day—we don’t need them in our classrooms too. We don’t need a teacher to tell us which candidate’s stance on public health is stronger or whether a policy is right or not. They should be wary of the line between fact and opinion and be careful not to allow their opinions to dominate a class. Teach, don’t preach.