With the race for the White House heating up, political issues are fresh in everybody’s minds, and tongues. Charged political discussions are inevitable, and even though the classroom is an excellent place to exchange ideas, teachers should avoid revealing their own politics. Whether or not partisan political discussions have a place in the classroom is debatable, but it is certain that teachers should not be taking sides.

Teachers have a high degree of influence over their students. A particularly charismatic educator could easily sway his students to his own belief with charming oratory. Education is about giving students the tools to analyze the world and form their own opinions; it is not about feeding students pre-formed opinions. Teachers have a responsibility as educators to present information in the most unbiased way possible, and associating with any political stance, however subtly, is doing the students a grave disservice.

Furthermore, many communities, including our own, have a strong political slant, and it is far too easy for teachers to start making assumptions about student beliefs. Making assumptions about student beliefs in class discussions creates misunderstanding and miscommunication, not trust.

Even with students with enough self-confidence to shirk off the influence of a particularly political and opinionated teacher, there is still an important issue at hand. A student with a stance that is orthogonal to the teacher’s will feel as though contradictory ideas are not welcome in the class. Politics bring up our strongest, basest emotions, and open disgust for an unpopular president or constant mockery of a political group can easily make students feel as though their ideas and beliefs are under attack. At best, the teacher and student can accept the difference in opinions and move on, but as is common with such emotionally charged subjects, arguments are nearly inevitable. Because the teacher is such a potent authority figure in students’ lives, personal animosity between teacher and student can only result in a tough school year for the student.

In order to uphold the philosophical ideals our education system is based on, neutrality and fair representation of ideas is crucial. By eliminating any and all kinds of bias, we only stand to ensure that students receive the fairest, most impartial education available.

—Unsigned editorials represent the majority opinion of the staff (assenting: 37; dissenting: 8)