Should public school teachers be allowed to voice their personal opinions in front of the classroom? I've heard that there teachers who are using their position to support or oppose the war with Iraq. Do students tend to take a teachers lectures as fact, even if it's only opinion and if so, could this contradict the ideals of the parents?

Should teachers be allowed to voice opinions while teaching a class or should they be required to be neutral and only teach the facts?

RoverRoad

In a perfect world, the teachers would stick to the curriculum.

With seemingly most teachers bitching about lack of time to teach properly, you would think that they wouldn't have time to get up on a soap box and give their personal opinion.

I think many teachers abuse their authority and preach their agenda to their students, because they know the students are very impressionable.

I think teachers should definitely stick to the facts. Personal opinions should be kept personal, because it could start the students to believe that 'wrong' things are 'right'.

It's fine. Indeed I think it is desirable provided that the teacher says that that is an opinion ( even if they don't always explain the alternatives ). What concerns me is that the curriculum material itself may be selective so that any student reading it and nothing else would almost inevitably reach only the one conclusion.

Freedom and encouragement to read around a subject, and to hear different opinions, are desirable in all disciplines; even in science where so much is , naturally, taken as proved. It is important, for example, that students should understand that people who thought that the Sun went round the Earth were not fools but intelligent and had reasoned arguments;it may stop intellectual arrogance; and no view or statement of fact is to be taken as unassailable, be it in history, politics,or astronomy.

I think teachers should present the facts in a neutral manner. If asked his or her opinion, perhaps in a manner that does not imply that his or her way is the only way, an opinion could be expressed. But for the most part, teachers should just stick to teaching the facts and allow students to form their own opinions.

One of the best teachers I ever had was my High School Government Affairs teacher....he was also in charge of the Debate Team.

He would intentionally take a stand on an issue to encourage an exchange of ideas. We never really knew how he stood personally, because he might change in mid-stream to keep the discussion going.

I believe everyone is entitled to voice how they stand on an issue, but I think teachers have to be careful how they do it, since they are supposed to be teaching, not preaching - and often a student will adopt an idea just because a teacher they admire feels strongly about it, whether it's a good or bad idea.

Just the facts Jack. I doubt any too many teachers can present things in a debate format that provides balance, reduces ridicule and keeps from a lemming mentality in forming opinions.