We All Have Opinions – But Should We Always Share Them?

People have always had opinions, even if the opinions are about the most trivial things. But it seems that we have a compulsion to express those opinions now more than ever. Not too long ago the Opinion Pages of our local newspapers were the only places we could share our thoughts with large audiences. Today we have Twitter, Facebook, and any number of other social media outlets where we can bear our souls regarding our favorite or most hated politician or public policy. It's up to you to decide if this is a good or bad thing but expressing one’s opinion loud and large appears to be here to stay.

But can there be times when a person’s opinion should remain unexpressed? More specifically, should teachers express their political opinions and preferences to their students? This is one topic where it is almost impossible to be neutral. Most people are either firmly in the keep your political opinions to yourself and out of the classroom camp or anything goes and let it all hang out corner.

There are compelling arguments for both sides. In a December 2019 article by Kayla Hoang a point-counterpoint discussion offered these arguments.

Pro (allowing teachers to express their political opinions to students):

• With major events happening around the world, good or bad, teachers could take this opportunity to relate their students to what they’ve learned, providing them a clearer understanding of their material and broader perspective of the world around them.
• Since teachers are authority figures there could potentially be issues regarding how they choose to spread their ideas, but those who know how to utilize their position correctly would know to make their classroom a place of learning and opportunity rather than a place of limited perspective.
• Just as students exercise their right to freedom of speech as they express their political opinions, so should teachers. There is no reason for teachers to not be allowed to talk about their political thoughts to their students.

Con (allowing teachers to express their political opinions to students):

• Teachers occupy a position of authority in students’ lives, so the things they say in the classroom have an outsize influence on their students.
• Productive discussions can only occur when interlocutors are working together in good faith on a level playing field (a position of equal external authority) to investigate or explore an issue. In a teacher-student relationship, there is an obvious power imbalance.
• The dangers we face by allowing for political discussions to occur in environments of unequal power are forcing students to sit through exhortations in favor of ideas they ardently disagree with or teaching students one-sided, black-and-white views of topics that are inherently nuanced and debatable.

These well-reasoned arguments seem to assume that discussions will be limited to topics within the curricular framework and pertinent current events. Unfortunately, that is not always the case. We have heard about teachers taking positions far outside of mainstream parameters and expressing them in ways that could be intimidating and offensive to some students and parents. Here are a few examples of teacher behaviors that might be considered out of line.

• A New York City teacher was reprimanded over a homework question that insulted Trump.
• An Alabama district fielded complaints for a teacher's "Obama, you're fired!" caption under a Trump display.
• A video caught a Texas art teacher shooting a squirt gun at an image of Trump, and yelling, "die!"

Perhaps it would have been prudent if these teachers and their fellow travelers had taken a moment to stop and reflect on their actions by asking themselves a few questions.

• Is my expressed opinion on this topic more important than the thoughts of my students?
• Does my expressed opinion on this topic bring any clarity or further understanding of the topic to my students?
• Is my expressed opinion on this topic (and is this topic) within the bounds of the prescribed curriculum?
• Will my expressed opinion on this topic make any of my students unreasonably uncomfortable about expressing their opinions?
• Will my expressed opinion on this topic create a classroom atmosphere of open and free discussion or one of intimidation and fear?

True reflection and honest answers to these questions can enable a teacher in determining how classroom discussions will proceed. Will the teacher be a facilitator of fearless debate among students, or will the teacher merely be a sage on a stage?