Wautoma Area School District
Approved 03/14/02
A. The presentation and discussion of controversial issues in the classroom should be on an informative basis.
1. The teacher shall guard against giving a personal opinion on sectarian or political questions, or any other controversial issues until the students have had the opportunity to do the following:
a. Find, collect, and assemble factual material on the subjects.
b. Interpret the data without prejudice.
c. Reconsider assumptions and claims.
d. Reach his/her own conclusions.
2. By refraining from expressing personal views before and during the period of research and study, the teacher is encouraging the students to search after truth and to think for his/herself. The development of an ability to meet issues without prejudice and to withhold judgments while facts are being collected, assembled, weighed, and relationships seen before drawing inferences or conclusions; is among the most valuable outcomes of a free educational system.
B. The policy can best be described by listing three basis rights of the student:
1. The right to study controversial issues that have political, economic, or social
significance on which, at his/her level, he/she could begin to have an opinion.
2. The right to study under competent instruction in an atmosphere free from bias and prejudice.
3. The right of access to all relevant information freely available in the school or public libraries.
C. Emotional criticism and the promotion of a cause within the classroom are inappropriate and unscholarly. The teacher’s attitude should be that of the true scholar that is truth-seeking, open minded, and tolerant.
D. This policy is cross-referenced with 411-Equal Educational Opportunities.
