One of my frustrations about public school, and one of the (many) reasons we ultimately left, was the concern that teachers were hamstrung about talking meaningfully about hot issues. I was concerned that the kids weren’t learning how to have productive discussions with people who disagree. It felt like conversations in the classroom were verboten.
To the extent “conversations” happened, they were very carefully crafted to the point of quashing debate.
Kiddo is in private school now, and discussion of political issues definitely happens in his classroom. I can’t tell if it is too much or too little, or how much disparate voices are quashed. Probably varies from teacher to teacher.
Right now, it seems like there is a reckoning going on in prep schools. No one can or should deny that prep schools are the epicenter of privilege in this country. It doesn’t make them evil, but it does require them to be thoughtful what they do with what they have - resources beyond belief, impressionable student minds, talented teachers, alumni networks, etc. what I see in my kid’s school is an attempt to listen and change and spend money and resources to do better. It takes time, people will miss their marks, over-correct, under-correct, anger people on all sides.
I kinda see the demonization of prep schools as a red herring. No one would need to care if public schools were adequately funded to give all children the opportunities they deserve and an equal shot at life. That’s where the battle should be. Give people like me a reason not to flee public schools.
So long as the conversations are being had in the classrooms and the boardroom, in homes, on the playing fields, etc, I have faith we will figure it out. When I hear people say things that shut down the talking, that is when I worry. There is some of it on display in this thread, and it seems to be trending generally in the US and worldwide.