Hostile, Divisive Political Climate Ensnaring U.S. Schools
Political debate in the United States has deteriorated over the past two decades, as reasoned, well-informed dialogue has been eclipsed by hyperpartisanship, name-calling, even paranoia. But can anyone reasonably deny that the political climate today is debased beyond a point unimaginable perhaps even five years ago?
Unfortunately, this hostility and incivility has seeped into our schools. Rigorous classroom debate is one thing; verbal attacks designed to incite and divide is something else altogether, presenting educators with a new set of formidable challenges.
That’s the conclusion of a new survey of high school principals conducted by the Institute for Democracy, Education and Access (IDEA) at UCLA.
“The flow of the nation’s harsh political rhetoric does not stop at the school house gate, but instead, propelled by misinformation and social media, is fueling anger, fear and division that is negatively impacting students, schools and learning,” the report says.
Although the report is called “School and Society in the Age of Trump,” the intent, explains lead author John Rogers, professor of education at UCLA and the director of IDEA, is not to suggest President Trump singlehandedly took a wrecking ball to the nation’s political discourse.
Nonetheless, “the Trump administration has dramatically expanded the practice of demonizing opponents, as well as uses of invectives and violent political metaphors,” Rogers says.
A majority of the 550 principals surveyed are seeing an unmistakable increase in incivility over the past few years:
- Nine in ten principals report that incivility and contentiousness in the broader political environment has “considerably affected their school community.”
- Hostile exchanges outside of class, demeaning or hateful remarks over political viewpoints are increasing.
- Most disturbingly, 8 in 10 report that their students have made derogatory remarks about other racial or ethnic groups, including immigrants. Very often, students will echo Trump’s incendiary rhetoric, with “Build the Wall!” being a particularly popular chant.
As a high school principal in California noted, “students are more and more willing CONTINUE READING: Hostile, Divisive Political Climate Ensnaring U.S. Schools - NEA Today
