Conclusion

There is not a clear-cut answer to whether or not teachers should be voicing their opinions in the classroom. There are a variety of factors that come into play from how the teacher teaches to the social demographic of the school in general. What can be said is that political conversations are happening among students and teachers and have been for years. As the future generations continue to grow and create new spaces of inclusivity for their peers, so do these conversations. Whether they are detrimental or beneficial is up to those having the discussions. 

“The topic is really complicated,” Tesmond said. “Like anything else, I think that if we all operate under the assumption that we’re going to make mistakes, and that in making mistakes, we can correct ourselves, these discussions can be great learning opportunities.”

As an English teacher, Tesmond tries to understand the different opinions of his students by listening and learning from them. Having these deliberations contributes to this way of thinking, making it easier for the teachers to take a step back and look at new perspectives as well.

“I think the point of having a political space is to recognize the humanity in each other,” Tesmond said. “With that, I think that it’s important to understand that as individuals, we’re all going to make mistakes when we have these discussions and that it’s a courageous act, to have them and to be vulnerable enough to possibly say something or do something that later you would understand differently.”