014 First, We Require Audacity

Social controversy swirls in the public space. Societal tensions carry into the classroom and affect how students interact with each other and the material. Teachers must have the courage to address contentious topics in their classroom, the wisdom to know where their expertise lies, and the resolution to see their choices through to the end. We examine the writings of Dr. Diana Hess, an expert on the subject of controversy in the classroom, as we try to determine best practice for educators at each grade level. Later, we return to another article shared with us from the listener community. An Op-Ed considers the purpose of public education and what value it adds (or doesn’t add) to the nation. We debrief the author’s comments and then examine what the research actually says about the value of American education. Finally, we let the mic run to share with you an Outtake. We get to musing on the unique situation scientific controversy presents. How do you deal with topics that are politically controversial, but not scientifically controversial? We drink Nitro Merlin, a nitro-brewed milk stout from Firestone Walker Brewing Company in Paso Robles, CA.

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