Social Studies Teachers' Decisions Around Politics in the Classroom in the Trump Era

• In Event: 21.061 - MTCC Roundtable Session Five
  In Roundtable Session: 21.061-6 - Politics, Knowledge, and Classroom Instruction

Abstract

This study explores social studies teachers’ thoughts on the role of politics in the classroom in the Trump era, as well as which topics they consider too political for inclusion in an American History curriculum. Using semi-structured interviews and photo-elicitation devices, we examined the experiences and perceptions of six secondary social studies teachers across multiple contexts (district size and setting, teacher demographics, school demographics, and unionism). Preliminary analyses suggest that teacher identity and teaching context may have a meaningful impact on how teachers respond to the current political climate, and influence which topics teachers consider controversial when making curricular decisions.

Author

• Jerry Jameel Wilson, University of North Carolina