Controversial Issues and the Social Studies

Author(s): Joseph Eulie

Source: The Clearing House, Vol. 41, No. 2 (Oct., 1966), pp. 89-91
Published by: Taylor & Francis, Ltd.
Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/30180531
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Controversial
Issues
and
By
JOSEPH EULIE
THE HEART OF A DEMOCRACY is contro-
versy. When public issues are debated the
citizenry is enlightened; all sides are heard;
facts are produced; ignorance is exposed;
and, the final decision is a better product.
It may be difficult for the modern American
to realize but there was a time when people
were apolitical and left government in the
hands of a small group. This still exists in
many areas of the world and among certain
classes in our country today-a condition of
which the average teacher with middle class
values either is unaware or prefers to ignore.
But this poses the most serious danger to
our system of government. More than any
other subject the social studies are peculiar-
ly suited to train pupils to analyze contro-
versy, take part in public debate and arrive
at sound conclusions. In so doing, it pre-
pares them to govern themselves.
The excitement of studying history is that
it records the struggle of man against man
EDITOR'S NOTE
As a former teacher and chairman of
the social studies department of a large
suburban high school, the author is
aware that teaching must be concerned
with real issues instead of synthetic
matters. However, the handling of con-
troversial topics in the classroom may
become somewhat hot for the teacher,
unless he has developed the proper atti-
tude and approach. Techniques for
achieving this level of sophistication
are provided by Dr. Eulie, an Associate
Professor of Education and Social
Science at the State University College
in New Paltz, New York.
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the Social Studies
and man against his environment. One sees
the clash of opinions, empires, economic
forces, personal rivalries, civilizations and
man's attempt to understand and control
his environment. If history records struggles
of the past, the other social studies are con-
cerned with controversies of the present.
Controversial issues provide an ideal teach-
ing tool for the clash of opinion, stimulate
critical thinking, develop a respect for the
opinion of others, and are self-motivating
since they provide a maximum of student
participation and help youngsters under-
stand the exciting world of reality.
Despite the value of controversy, too many
lessons are devoted to the memorization of
simple facts, a rambling discourse by the
teachers, or a longer series of simple ques-
tions often unrelated to each other. Some
teachers are lethargic, while others fail to
discuss controversial topics out of fear of
the community. What is worse, in my opin-
ion, is the teacher with an axe to grind or
a cause to propound, who, knowingly or
not, seeks to inflict his views on his students.
Yet, no lesson is more rewarding than the
one from which students emerge continuing
their class discussion.
How dull and unreal it is to have stu-
dents constantly memorize or give the reason
why something happened. Conflicts have
two or more sides and should be viewed as
such. A case in point is the lesson concern-
ing the causes of the Civil War. The teacher
might divide the class into groups represent-
ing Southern slaveholders, Southern poor
whites, Western farmers, Northern indus-
trialists, and Northern workers. The stu-
89
90 The CLEARINGHOUSE
dents in each group would write editorials
defending their position. Not only would
a clash of opinions result but the students
would better understand the spirit of the
times. Some have looked askance at the
thought of pupils defending slavery. It is
a fact, though, that slavery had its apolo-
gists. Moreover, are we fearful that our
young people will be persuaded of the
rightness of such a cause through its presen-
tationl In all likelihood the arguments for
slavery will fall of their own weight. One
teacher of a senior class of 'slow learners'
who were studying American history selected
three students, each of whom was to defend
the North's, South's or West's views on slav-
ery, the tariff, and internal improvements
in antebellum America. After a short presen-
tation by each pupil the class asked ques-
tions. The students, who were not academi-
cally motivated, responded handsomely to
the challenge. The same approach could be
used with respect to European imperialism,
where pupils representing European nations
and those representing their former colonies
would voice opinions. Far too much 'brain-
washing' is built into our textbooks and car-
ried on in social studies classes. The War
for American Independence is taught from
the colonial point of view, and in the War
of 1812 Great Britain is also cast as the vil-
lain. The same indictment applies to the
Mexican War of 1846-48 which is invariably
seen through American eyes, even on the
college level.
Viewing history as a series of conflicts is
immensely instructive. How did the Euro-
peans and American Indians view each
other? What were the strengths and weak-
nesses of each side? Did alternative solutions
to the conflict exist? What lessons can we
learn from this struggle? Similarly, in the
labor-management struggle of the 193o's,
what were labor's aims? How did manage-
ment view this movement? What was the
attitude of the government? The people?
What enabled labor to make the gains it
did? One class in economics held a collec-
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October
tive bargaining session patterned after the
auto union's negotiations with management
in 1964. The facts uncovered and issues
raised were enlightening.
The civil rights movement of today has
been aptly compared with labor's struggles
of the 193o's. In both instances one witnesses
groups striving to improve their lot against
vested interests. Marches, strikes, speeches,
boycotts, sit-ins-they were called sit-down
strikes in the thirties-and laws played a
role and blood was shed. Conflicts should
not be relegated to history. Current issues
should play a large role in the history class.
Indeed, comparing controversies of today
with those of the past serves to give mean-
ing to each. For every conflict of today one
could find a parallel example from the past:
Communist imperialism with the older
Western European brand; the proposed
United States of Europe with the formation
of our own country; rural-urban conflict
with sectionalism before the Civil War.
United States involvement in Viet Nam to-
day finds thoughtful citizens in either the
'hawk' or the 'dove' camp. Serious attention
should be given to both sides.
It would be stimulating and informative
to understand why individuals select the
positions they do in each instance, and
there are a number of techniques through
which this may be done:
(1) Panel discussions
(2) Debates
(3) Outside speakers holding different
views
(4) Contrasting newspaper editorials
(5) Student editorials and letters to the
local newspaper and Congressman
(6) Selection from historians with differ-
ent views
(7) Cartoons illustrating contrasting opin-
ions
Students so taught should have a respect for
facts and the complexity of most problems.
Simple answers will not satisfy them. This,
hopefully, will help them become better
citizens.
1966 CONTROVERSIAL
ISSUES
Teachers of social studies must avoid
using their position to propagandize their
pet peeves and views. It is the easiest trap
to fall into. One has a captive audience with
impressionable minds who can offer little
in defense. There is a series of steps the con-
scientious and prudent teacher can take to
avoid such a situation:
(1) think through his position on an is-
sue. Only then can he avoid becoming per-
sonally involved.
(2) try to understand the reasons why his
opponents hold different views, according
them the measure of fairness he ascribes to
himself.
(3) permit complete freedom in the class-
room.
One can learn much from students. Every-
one, therefore, contributes to the learning
situation and the teacher is only a guide.
Students should be required to support
their statements with reasons and facts and
be willing to listen to those with other
views. The object of the lesson is not to pit
the teacher against the students but to look
at a problem from all sides. In a discussion
about Medicare in my high school econom-
ics class several years ago one young man
with conservative opinions ably explained
the fear, which many hold, of the growing
power of government. He made a strong
case for personal initiative and responsibil-
ity. One may agree or not with this posi-
tion but it does deal with a problem as old
as man-the relationship of government to
the individual. It was salutary for this class,
in which liberal views held sway, to have
its position challenged. Competition in
sports, industry and ideas is healthy.
In any decision educators must make, pro-
fessional judgment comes into play. One's
training and school authorities may provide
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91
guidelines but in the end it is the teacher's
judgment which will count. To every situa-
tion a teacher must bring training and wis-
dom. As it has often been said when speak-
ing of courses of study, "Curriculum is what
goes on in the classroom." So it must be
with the use of controversial issues as a
teaching device. One may expect the teacher
to have freedom to discuss them in class. In
many communities this is possible, but
would one expect this to be the case in a
bedrock segregationist community? I know
of a teacher in a fairly liberal suburban
community who received adverse reactions
from several parents when the topic of civil
rights came up in class. His principal failed
to support him on this issue. Therefore, one
can only introduce such topics after he has
sensed the temper of the community and
the support administration will give him.
To do more is to antagonize the students
and community and destroy his effective-
ness. Even in the most worthy causes the
teacher, like the Supreme Court, has to be
not more than one step ahead of public
opinion.
Permitting freedom in the discussion of
controversial issues can be the best defense
against community interference. When a
child does not know his teacher's views but
understands that his ideas are allowed to
compete in the market-place of public opin-
ion, any desire to attack the teacher is min-
imized. Moreover, a teacher who champions
a cause is labeled. Students discount much
of what he says. Teachers, whether they en-
tertain conservative or liberal views, who
have a rigid, authoritarian approach in class
are indoctrinating and not teaching. In
former times and other cultures such teach-
ing would be accepted, and possibly ad-
mired, but today's students reject it.