History Class Practices Speaking Up

You know that old chestnut that teachers should never correct a student in front of other students? I disagree, especially when it comes to biased remarks. In those instances, the entire class can benefit by learning to speak up constructively when confronted with words or sentiments that are hurtful to or disrespectful of others.

It’s necessary for a teacher or, in my case, a professor to speak up about what behavior is acceptable in class or discussion. That means no generalizations, racially-tinged or moderately misogynist comments, or knee-jerk characterizations.

At the end of the semester last month, my Modern American History class was studying the political changes of the 1980s. I was in the middle of a lecture on the resurgence of fundamentalist Christianity and its emergence as a force in the nation’s electoral politics when a student responded strongly to the words evangelical Christianity.

“Eww!” he yelled.

“I will not have that in my class,” I said, after reflecting for a split-second on whether I should address his outburst immediately and publicly. “You may find the tenets of evangelical and fundamentalist Christianity unacceptable, but many people do not. In this class, we will be respectful toward all faiths. This is not only about studying history properly. It is also about living in a democratic society with others, a subject we have studied all semester.”

I did not yell or raise my voice. But I looked directly at each of my students. 

The student who had reacted so vocally immediately apologized to me and to his classmates. After class, he told me he never wanted to be one of “those people” who condemns others’ beliefs.

I realized that my goal was not educating just this one student. I felt it was important that the entire class understood my position and that I modeled how to address intolerant comments. Sure, I could have taken that one student aside and explained my concerns. But then I would have lost the chance to show my students that I had learned the lesson of history that I have tried to teach them: that those who do not stand up to—or speak up against—hatred and bigotry are culpable for its perpetration. 

Teaching Tolerance’s Speak Up at School guide suggests four steps educators and students can use to speak up against bias and bigotry at school. Next semester I’d like to incorporate them into my classroom discussions.