Addressing controversial issues - The Council of Europe

Controversial issues are issues which arouse strong feelings and divide communities. Issues like these can arise anywhere at any time. They vary from the local ... SkiptoContent Home Newsandevents Abouttheproject WhyaProject? Background WhattheProjectdoes Project Themes Definitions Whoisinvolved? DemocraticSchoolsNetwork BackgroundoftheDemocraticSchoolsNetwork Membersandschoolprojects JointheDemocraticSchoolsNetwork Guideforonlineactivities DSNChecklist Themes Makingchildren’sandstudents’voicesheard Addressingcontroversialissues Preventingbullyingandviolence Dealingwithpropaganda,misinformationandfakenews Tacklingdiscrimination Improvingwell-beingatschool Resources ProjectMaterials CompendiumofResources UsefulWebsites Factsheets Officialtexts Videos Glossary Contacts Youarehere: Democracy FreetoSpeak-SafetoLearn Themes/Addressingcontroversialissues/ Addressingcontroversialissues Teachingcontroversialissuesraiseschallengesforbothteachersandschooldirectors. However,beingabletodiscusssensitiveandcontroversialissuesinarespectfulwayisavitalskillinademocraticculture. Schoolsmustbeplaceswherestudentsfeelsafetoengageindebateswithpeoplewhohavedifferentopinions.Throughthecarefulmanagementofdiscussionsoncontroversialissues,schoolscanpromotefreedomofexpression,aswellasinclusion,tolerance,andhumanrightsandprevent,orcounter,theuseofhatespeechbystudents. Toachievethis,aschoolactionplanonmanagingcontroversialissues–whichprovidesstafftraining–shouldbeadoptedasapriority.   Facts&Figures 71%ofteachersandschoolleaderssurveyedagreedthatitisveryimportantthatallstudentsintheirschoolexpresstheirviewsopenly,evenwhentheirviewsmightbecontroversial.[1] Inresponsetothequestion,‘HowvaluableisthestudyoftheHolocaustforprimarychildren?’88%ofteachersviewedHolocaustteachingtobeeither‘worthwhile’or‘veryvaluable’totheprimarypupil,althoughonly48%hadactuallytaughtit.[2]   Whatarecontroversialissues? Controversialissuesareissueswhicharousestrongfeelingsanddividecommunities. Issueslikethesecanariseanywhereatanytime.Theyvaryfromthelocaltotheglobal–fromminaretstoclimatechange.Theyalsovaryfromplacetoplace,e.g.,gaymarriageisrelativelyuncontentiousinsomecountries,buthighlycontroversialinothers.Somearelong-standingcontroversies,e.g.,the‘Troubles’inNorthernIreland,theIsrael-Palestineconflictandthe‘Kurdishissue’inTurkey;whileothersaremorerecent,e.g.,refugees,violentextremismandtransgenderissues. Whatalltheseissueshaveincommonisthattheyarecomplex,noteasilysettledbyappealtoevidencealoneandhighlyemotive–somuchsothatpeopleoftenhavedifficultydiscussingthemrationally.   Whyisitimportanttoaddresscontroversialissuesatschool? Whileitmightbetemptingforschoolstotrytoshyawayfromissueslikethese,thisisneitherbeneficialnorpractical. Discussingcontroversialissueshelpsstudentswithdifferentbackgroundsandlifestylestolearntoliveandworktogetherpeacefullyandrespectfully.Itencouragesthemtolistentoeachotherandtalkthroughtheirdifferencessensitively.Italsochallengesthemtothinkcriticallyabouttheirownbeliefsandvaluesandgivesthemconfidenceandskillstoexpressthesepublicly. Talkingthroughdifficultissuestogetherdevelopsanumberofimportantdemocraticcompetences,e.g.,opennesstootherculturesandbeliefs,analyticalandcriticalthinkingskills,flexibilityandadaptability,andtoleranceofambiguity-allofwhichlieattheheartoftheCouncilofEuropeReferenceFrameworkofCompetencesforDemocraticCulture. Handledwell,itbreaksdownbarriersandhelpstodefusesocialtensionbetweenopposinggroups,bothinschoolandthewidercommunity. Exploringcontroversialissueshaseducationalaswellaspersonalandsocialbenefits.Issueslikethesehelptodefinesomeofthemajorsocial,political,economicandmoralfault-linesincontemporarylifeandunderpinacademiclearninginmanyschoolsubjects. Thestrongestargumentforaddressingcontroversialissuesexplicitly,however,isthat,inpractice,theysimplycannotbeavoided.Ifteachersdonotraisetheseissues,theirstudentswill.   Throughtrainingintheteachingofcontroversialissues,IhavefoundthecouragetodiscussopenlywithmystudentsissuesIthoughtIwouldneverbeabletodo,e.g.,aboutsexualabuseandthepornindustry.”  Teacher,Iceland Whatarethechallenges? Thebiggestchallengeiscreatingaschoolethosinwhichstudentsgenuinelyfeeltheycanspeakopenlyabouttheirconcernswithoutfearofvilificationorridicule. Creatingsuchanethosrequiresawhole-schoolapproach.Itincludesamongotherthings: teachershavingtheconfidenceandskillstohandlediscussionofdifficultissuesintheclassroom,e.g.,knowinghowtodealwiththeirownprejudicesandbiases,protectvulnerableindividualsandmarginalisedgroups,presentissueseven-handedly,copewithalackofexpertknowledge,andhandlespontaneousorunexpectedquestionsandremarksconstructively; schoolleadersencouragingtheirstafftotakeonissueswhicharecontroversialandmaintainingaconsistencyofapproachacrosstheschool,e.g.,byprovidingleadership,professionaldevelopment,opportunitiesforteamteaching,guidanceandsupport,andriskmanagement; parentsandlocalcommunitiesfeelingassuredthattheschoolisontheirside,e.g.,beingconfidenttheschoolwillnotmisrepresentortrytounderminetheirviewsorculture.   Howcanschoolsgetactive? Agoodwayforschoolstobeginisby: identifyingwherecontroversialissuesalreadyfeatureintheschoolcurriculumanddiscussinghowthesearecurrentlyhandled,e.g.,evolution,climatechangeoranimaltestinginScience; consideringnewopportunitiesforintroducingcontroversialissuesintootherschoolsubjectsandhowtheymightbeincorporatedintoteaching,e.g.,theuseandabuseofsocialstatisticsinMaths; developinggroundrulesforclassroomdiscussionwhichguaranteeeveryoneavoicetoexpresstheiropinionandencouragerespectforwhoeverwishestospeak; creatingasmallsupportgrouptohelpteachersdeveloptechniquesformanagingdiscussionofdifficultissues,e.g.,howto‘de-personalise’anissuebyusingastoryorhistoricalparallel,orhelpingstudentstoconsideralternativeperspectivesbyputtingtheminotherpeople’sshoes; liaisingwithstudentsandparentstoensurespecificissuesarehandledfairlyandwithappropriatemethods; introducingmoreopportunitiesfordiscussioninschoollifeanddecision-makinggenerally,e.g.,inparents’meetings,staffmeetingsandpupilparliaments.   [1]‘Freetospeak,Safetolearn–Democraticschoolsforall’Survey,FirstTrends,2018 [2]Cowan&Maitles,‘FeatureorFootnote?Teachers’attitudestowardstheteachingoftheHolocaustinprimaryschoolsin Scotland’. ResourcesonAddressingControversialIssues Multimedia CrossroadsofEuropeanHistories-MultipleOutlooksonFiveKeyMomentsintheHistoryofEurope(CD+Book)(2009) EducationforDemocracyandHumanRightsin10Steps(2017) Howcanschoolssupportstudentstobeactivecitizens? Livinginharmonytogether:theroleofschools?(2014) Re-ThinkingEducationPolicyForThe21stCentury(2014)(JónTorfiJónasson) SharedhistoriesforaEuropewithoutdividinglines(2014) ThroughtheWildWebWoods–AnonlineInternetsafetygameforchildren-Teachersguide(2013) WhatistheCharteroncitizenshipandhumanrightseducation? Officialtexts Comparativestudyonblocking,filteringandtake-downofillegalinternetcontent(2017) Educationforchange-Changeforeducation Eradicatingviolenceagainstchildren-CouncilofEuropeactions(2008) ETINED-Volume1:7thSessionofthePragueForum(2016) Freedom(s)-LearningactivitiesforsecondaryschoolsonthecaselawoftheEuropeanCourtofHumanRights(2015) GlobalEducationGuidelines.AHandbookforEducatorstoUnderstandandimplementGlobalEducation(2012) GuidelinesforeducatorsoncombatingintoleranceanddiscriminationagainstMuslims–AddressingIslamophobiathroughEducation(2011) HumanRightsandDemocracyStartwithUs-CharterforAll:Brochureforchildren,GuideforeducatorsandaPoster(2014) ReportoftheIntergovernmentalPolicyForum:Therightoflearnerstoqualityandequityineducation–theroleoflanguageandinterculturalskills(2010) TheLisbonRecognitionConventionat15:makingfairerecognitionareality(CouncilofEuropehighereducationseriesNo.19)(2014) ThematicfactsheetshighlightingtheEuropeanCourtofHumanRightsrelevantcase-lawonissuesrelatingtomediafreedom WhatistheCharteroncitizenshipandhumanrightseducation? Policydocuments Addressingviolenceinschools(2016) Bullying:Perspectives,PracticesandInsights(2017) Comparativestudyonblocking,filteringandtake-downofillegalinternetcontent(2017) Compasito-manualonhumanrightseducationforchildren(2000) Compass-manualforhumanrightseducationwithyoungpeopleonlineresource(2002) Competencesfordemocraticculture-Livingtogetherasequalsinculturallydiversedemocraticsocieties(2016)Aconceptualmodelofcompetences CurriculumDevelopmentandReviewforDemocraticCitizenshipandHumanRightsEducation(2015) Developingattitudestorecognition:substantialdifferencesinanageofglobalisation(CouncilofEuropehighereducationseriesNo.13)(2010) DigitalCitizenshipEducation(DCE)-10Domainsleaflet Digitalcitizenshipeducation-Volume1:Overviewandnewperspective.Supportingchildrenandyoungpeopletoparticipatesafely,effectively,criticallyandresponsiblyinaworldfilledwithsocialmediaanddigitaltechnologies.(2017) Educationforchange-Changeforeducation EducationforDemocracyandHumanRightsin10Steps(2017) Educationfordemocraticcitizenship:policiesandregulatoryframeworks(2003) Equalopportunitiesforallchildren:Non-discriminationoflesbian,gay,bisexual,transgenderandintersex(LGBTI)childrenandyoungpeople(2016) Eradicatingviolenceagainstchildren-CouncilofEuropeactions(2008) ETINED-Volume1:7thSessionofthePragueForum(2016) ETINED-Volume2:Ethicalprinciples(2016) ETINED-Volume4:CodesofconductforteachersinEurope:Abackgroundstudy(2017) ETINED-Volume5:South-EastEuropeanProjectonPoliciesforAcademicIntegrity(2018) Freedom(s)-LearningactivitiesforsecondaryschoolsonthecaselawoftheEuropeanCourtofHumanRights(2015) FromlinguisticdiversitytoPlurilingualeducation:GuideforthedevelopmentoflanguageeducationpoliciesinEurope(2007) GenderMatters.Amanualonaddressinggender-basedviolenceaffectingyoungpeople2007(reprint2013) GlobalEducationGuidelines.AHandbookforEducatorstoUnderstandandimplementGlobalEducation(2012) GuideforthedevelopmentandimplementationofcurriculaforPlurilingualandinterculturaleducation(2016) GuidelinesforeducatorsoncombatingintoleranceanddiscriminationagainstMuslims–AddressingIslamophobiathroughEducation(2011) HigherEducationandDemocraticCulture:Citizenship,HumanRightsandCivicResponsibility(CouncilofEuropehighereducationseriesNo.8)(2008) HistoryeducationinEurope.Tenyearsofco-operationbetweentheRussianFederationandtheCouncilofEurope(2006) HumanRightsandDemocracyinActionPilotProjectsScheme(2013-2014) InterculturaldialogueonCampus(CouncilofEuropehighereducationseriesNo.11)(2009) Languagesupportforadultrefugees:aCouncilofEuropetoolkit(2017) Learningtolivetogether.CouncilofEuropereportonthestateofcitizenshipandhumanrightseducationinEurope(2017) LivingwithControversy-TeachingControversialIssuesThroughEducationforDemocraticCitizenshipandHumanRights(EDC/HRE)(2016) Managingcontroversy(2017).Aself-reflectiontoolforschoolleadersandseniormanagers MulticulturalSocieties,PluriculturalPeopleandtheProjectofInterculturalEducation(2009) Openminds,freeminds-Noeasypreyforcounterfeitmedicinesandsimilarlydangerousmedicines-Psycho-pedagogicalconceptguideforteachers(2015) Plurilingualandinterculturalcompetence(2009) Plurilingualandinterculturaleducationasaproject(2009) Plurilingualandinterculturaleducationasaright(2009) Qualityhistoryeducationinthe21stcentury.Principlesandguidelines(2018) Re-ThinkingEducationPolicyForThe21stCentury(2014)(JónTorfiJónasson) ReferenceFrameworkofCompetencesforDemocraticCultureVolume1:Context,conceptsandmodel(2018) ReferenceFrameworkofCompetencesforDemocraticCultureVolume2:Descriptors(2018) ReferenceFrameworkofCompetencesforDemocraticCultureVolume3:Guidanceforimplementation(2018) ReportoftheIntergovernmentalPolicyForum:Therightoflearnerstoqualityandequityineducation–theroleoflanguageandinterculturalskills(2010) Speakingacrossborders:theroleofhighereducationinfurtheringinterculturaldialogue(CouncilofEuropehighereducationseriesNo.16)(2010) Specifyinglanguages’contributiontointerculturaleducation.LessonslearnedfromtheCEFR(2013) Strategicsupportfordecisionmakers-Policytoolforeducationfordemocraticcitizenshipandhumanrights(2010) Studentsassuspects?-Thechallengesofcounter-radicalisationpoliciesineducationintheCouncilofEuropememberstates(2018) Thelinguisticintegrationofadultmigrants:fromonecountrytoanother,fromonelanguagetoanother(2014) TheLisbonRecognitionConventionat15:makingfairerecognitionareality(CouncilofEuropehighereducationseriesNo.19)(2014) Thepublicresponsibilityforhighereducationandresearch.(CouncilofEuropehighereducationseriesNo.2)(2005) Theuniversityasrespublica-Highereducationgovernance,studentparticipationandtheuniversityasasiteofcitizenship(CouncilofEuropehighereducationseriesNo.1)(2004) ThematicfactsheetshighlightingtheEuropeanCourtofHumanRightsrelevantcase-lawonissuesrelatingtomediafreedom Volume3-Ethicalbehaviourofallactorsineducation Whatiscitizenshipandhumanrightseducation?(2015)Leaflet Relatedschoolsprojects Finland French-FinnishSchoolLycéefranco-finlandaisd’Helsinki KuninkaanhakaSchool Turunnormaalikoulu/TurkuUniversityTeacherTrainingSchool France CollègeCharlesPéguydePalaiseau Georgia LEPLJurkhaNadiradzeSachkhereMunicipalityVillageSairkhePublicSchool LEPLTsalenjikhaPublicSchoolN2 MartviliMunicipality.InchkhuriPublicSchool PotiPublicSchoolN2 Germany NelsonMandelaRealschuleplusTrier Greece 1stGymnasioAvlon 87thExperimentalInterculturalPrimarySchoolofAthens EpalKorydallou ExperimentalSeniorHighSchoolofUniversityofMacedonia RalleioUpperSecondaryHighSchool,Peiraias Ireland BremoreEducateTogetherSecondarySchool Italy Istitutocomprensivo“SandroPertini” Lithuania VilniusKachialovGymnasium Montenegro Gimnazija“TanasijePejatović” GrammarschoolSlobodanSkerovic Norway Eknesungdomsskole Makingchildren’s andstudents’ voicesheard Preventing violenceand bullying Dealingwithpropaganda,misinformationandfakenews Tackling discrimination Improving well-being atschool