justplainbil

Just Plain Bill

What can I say to my students?

We’re at that time of the year when we honor the memories of two famous presidents, George Washington and Abraham Lincoln. In schools around the country, there are class assignments that recognize and honor the lives and leadership provided by these two great men.

I’ve been teaching children of all ages for many years. When a 10-year old student recently asked a question concerning words or actions he felt were unacceptable from our current president, such as calling someone names, using belittling language, and making fun of someone, I was challenged to provide an appropriate answer.

I believe that our country is strong enough to deal with the occasional period when our leaders may not reflect the values I cherish in our constitution and the functions within each branch of our government, but something has eroded our collective conscience.  

I’ve not seen many suggestions concerning how to answer the student’s question, and in that regard, I feel our educational leaders are lacking in not stepping up to these types of questions and helping educators – and parents – respond appropriately. I know with certainty in some elementary schools, students aren’t even allowed to talk “politics”.

How would you respond to the student?