Election 2016: Teaching Civic Responsibility not Politics

What are your plans for your students this election season? There is a conversation taking place among teachers this election season about how best to discuss an election that is challenging because of the divisive and inflammatory rhetoric in this year’s campaign cycle (Will, 2016).

How do teachers create a safe environment for students to discuss what is important about elections in the United States? I encourage teachers to focus on the importance of democracy and its significance every day (not just every four years). I hope teachers will use this election to discuss the role of government, our rights under the constitution, and (more importantly) our civic responsibilities. Likewise, I hope teachers will use their discussions of the election this year to help a generation of future voters understand how democracy works and how fortunate we are to live in a democracy. Ultimately, I hope we can use these conversations to inspire our students to one day be civic leaders who champion the rights of everyone. For more resources on how to talk with your students about this year’s election, click here. tlb

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