2240 - CONTROVERSIAL ISSUES IN THE CLASSROOM

Upper Arlington City School District

Administrative Guidelines

2240 - CONTROVERSIAL ISSUES IN THE CLASSROOM

The following guidelines are designed to assist teachers in the instruction of controversial issues in the classroom, as defined in Policy 2240.

Before introducing a controversial issue, teachers should consider:

		1.	the chronological and emotional maturity of the students;
		2.	the appropriateness and timeliness of the issue as it relates to the course and the students;
		3.	the extent to which they can successfully handle the issue from a personal standpoint;
		4.	the amount of time needed and available to examine the issue fairly.

	B.	When discussing a controversial issue, the teacher may express his/her own personal position as long as s/he makes it clear that it is only his/her opinion. The teacher must not, however, bring about a single conclusion to which all students must subscribe.
	C.	The teacher should encourage student views on issues as long as the expression of those views is not derogatory, malicious, or abusive toward other student views or toward a particular group.
	D.	Although the Board is prohibited from adopting any policy or rule respecting or promoting an establishment of religion or prohibiting any student from the free, individual, and voluntary exercise or expression of the student’s religious beliefs, such exercise or expression may be limited to lunch periods or other non-instructional time periods when students are free to associate.