On July 24, CNN political commentator Mary Katherine Ham had a heated argument over racism with a former senator of Ohio Nina Turner live on television

These kinds of conversations occur daily between news commentators, politicians, family members — anyone who wants their opinions heard. We tend to argue for the sake of getting our point across rather than to understand opposing views.

But is any progress actually made using these approaches? Are these “conversations” if no one is listening to each other?

Many lack the skills necessary for having civil controversial discussions. So where do we start? Incorporating these discussions in the classroom using unbiased methods helps students develop and internalize these skills, which can be utilized later in life. They also shed light on the hardships that students will most likely encounter in the future. Yet teaching these topics is alarming to many teachers. They fear repercussions from their administration, community, and especially parents.

As community members, we have the power to relieve this pressure from our children’s educators. Most teachers enter the profession because they want the upcoming generation to grow and succeed in life — to enter the world feeling confident in their abilities to navigate through society. If we put our trust in teachers and their intentions, our kids will benefit more than we think.

I have researched this topic, and have found five elements that were consistently present in the articles which allow these conversations to enter the classroom effectively:

¯ Playing devil’s advocate — challenging someone to think critically about why they believe something.

¯ Providing multiple perspectives.

¯ Having open and honest discussions with the students.

¯ Connecting the content to the students’ lives.

¯ Getting students emotionally engaged

Through these practices, students learn how to analyze, critically think, critique, reflect, make informed decisions, communicate, listen, and much more. When students are exposed to multiple sides of an argument, they can interpret the information as they choose and can support their beliefs with factual evidence. Teachers who play devil’s advocate while using this approach enhance the skills listed above, especially critical thinking skills.

The last three skills listed coincide with one another. Valerie Strauss from The Washington Post writes, “There are times when silence is the voice of complicity.” Students become emotionally engaged when the content is related to their lives. Many of them face oppression daily. As teachers, we are only doing them an injustice if we don’t address that oppression. Schools can provide a safe place for teachers to open the door to reality for their students. If these skills are utilized, students will be exposed to how the world works while simultaneously coming to their own conclusions about their beliefs.

It’s important for community members to trust their children’s teachers. Creating a dialogue will allow you to voice your concerns while hearing the teachers’ intentions behind their lesson plans. Communicate with them somehow: phone calls, conferences, emails. As teachers, we impact millions of students’ lives daily. We are here to help change the world, not ignore it.

April Klusek is a Salamanca resident.