History Department Informs Community on Election
On Tuesday, November 5, 2024 the U.S. presidential election will take place. Millions of people around the country, including some students at RCS, will vote for either former President Donald Trump and his running mate, JD Vance, or Vice President Kamala Harris and her running mate, Tim Walz. What issues will decide the outcome of the presidential race and where does each candidate stand on those issues? Being an educated voter is crucial. It is also important that RCS students, even those not yet old enough to vote, are informed about the election process and how to discuss these with humility and in a civil manner with those with whom we agree and disagree. To this end, several Riverdale history teachers are discussing the election in the classroom and are spending their free time hosting other forums for discussion, including a series of “Lunch and Learn” meetings.
The Riverdale Review sat down with history teachers Dr. Laura Honsberger, Dr. Marc Antone, and Mr. Michael Sclafani, to find out whether the history department mandated that teachers discuss the upcoming election in class, and if so, in any particular way. While history teachers are not required to discuss the election in class, many still chose to do so. There was a consensus among the teachers that discourse in the classroom is the most effective approach to learning about the election. For Mr. Sclafani’s students, “it’s really just helping kids digest the things that they’re seeing and hearing about and trying to point them in directions of reliable sources to find that out.” While Dr. Antone acknowledged that the election is hard to tie into a class about world history, he said that the topic does lend itself to Constructing America and History 7 and he aims to “foster curiosity” and lead “discussions where kids can learn from each other”.
Outside the classroom, Mr. Sclafani will be spearheading discussions with middle schoolers about advanced electoral college math as well as looking at swing states and tipping points. For the upper school, the history department is hosting the aforementioned Lunch and Learn series where students eat while learning about and discussing various issues at stake in the election. Dr. Honsberger and Dr. Antone kicked off the series by discussing the candidates’ positions on immigration. This is a great opportunity for students to dive deeper into an interesting topic or one they care about.
Of course, teaching about the upcoming election raises the important issue of teacher bias and its impact on discourse. Per Dr. Honsberger, teachers may share their opinions about the candidates and positions on the issues, but the expectation is that both sides of an argument will be presented and that the students’ thoughts should take center stage. As Dr. Antone explained, “we’re not supposed to teach you what to think, we’re supposed to teach you how to think.”
Each teacher had a different approach ranging from not sharing their opinion, to waiting to be asked by a student before sharing, to offering their opinion followed by a discussion about their point of view. They all recognize that some students feel uncomfortable sharing their opinions, particularly when those opinions are at odds with their teacher’s or the majority of their classmates’ or deemed “politically incorrect.” Interestingly, Dr. Honsberger said that “eleven years ago students were more willing to disagree with faculty, they were more willing to disagree with other students. Increasingly students are nervous to express opinions that diverge from those of their peers”. Not content for this to be the case, each history teacher expressed their desire to foster an environment where students are encouraged and feel comfortable expressing their views. Mr. Sclafani made clear that whether a student agrees or disagrees with their teacher, they will not be penalized for expressing their thoughts.
Being well-informed on the issues is a necessary step to engage in meaningful discourse and feel secure in speaking up. Looking at all the major news sources is a great place to start, but, Dr. Honsberger cautions, “You always want to be verifying something and thinking: Is this coming from a reliable source? Is this something that is supported and backed up by other sources that are also reliable and reputable?” She adds that it’s important to also be “looking broadly at different kinds of sources, and thinking critically about what those sources are.” And as critical thinkers, Mr. Sclafani reminds us that “the best tool we have for finding the bias in a source is our willingness to be thoughtful.”
