Why Teachers Cannot Remain Neutral About the Presidential Election

*Presidential politics in the high school classroom: Saying Trump’s comments are unacceptable is not political indoctrination. It’s teaching. VL

By Ray Salazar, The White Rhino (4 minute read) 

The Chicago Public Schools Code of Ethics prohibits teachers from engaging in any political activity while on the clock. Therefore, teachers are expected to remain neutral in their political views so as not to indoctrinate students. We cannot wear political buttons or display endorsements of any candidate. This makes sense. Students should think for themselves and develop their own politics.

But—no—I’m not remaining neutral during this presidential election. If students ask me who I’m voting for, I say fervently, “Not Trump!”

It’s absolutely appropriate for teachers to discuss what we believe and who we support and why. It gives students a chance to also voice their opinions. I don’t wear my “Vote for Pedro” button at work. That’s not cool. But we have to let students see it’s acceptable to talk politics and controversial issues.

I make sure not to make my political views THE lesson of the day. To keep us on track if they ask me about my views while we study a political speech, I say, “I’ll tell you right before the bell rings.”

As educators, we need to take advantage of political elections to help students explore and evaluate political agendas and rhetoric. So we walk a fine line. We’re expected to show the good side and bad side of both candidates.

A balanced view isn’t easy during this election. Usually, the typical exercise involves a chart. One candidate’s policies go in one column with rows for immigration, education, jobs, abortion, etc. Students compare and contrast what makes sense to them.

But this political season isn’t typical.

Still, people might say that if we show the bad side of one candidate, we have to show the bad side of the other.

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In so many instances, Trump’s rhetoric and logic—or lack thereof—should stand clear to students as something unacceptable: his generalizations of Mexicans, his attack on Muslims, his vulgar comments about women.

The controversies that haunt Clinton, her email server, Benghazi, her husband’s infidelities, the emails against Bernie Sanders, can only be explored with a great deal of background information that, honestly, would be difficult to accurately compile. (I only have so much time to prepare lessons.)

Plus, in English classes. . . READ MORE

Since 1995, Ray has been an English teacher in the Chicago Public Schools. In 2003, Ray earned an M.A. in Writing, with distinction, from DePaul University. In 2009, he received National Board Certification. His writing aired on National Public Radio and Chicago Public Radio many times and have been published in the Chicago Tribune and CNN. For thirty years, Ray lived in Chicago’s 26th Street neighborhood. Today, he lives a little more south and a little more west in the city with his wife, son, and daughter.