Teaching and Current Events

Advice for Teaching Through Polarizing Events

It is not advisable for faculty to make their classrooms a forum for discussion of current events except when those events bear on issues that are directly relevant to the subject matter or learning goals of the course. When an event occurs that deserves attention, it is important to remember that there are numerous spaces on campus in which students can discuss and process it. 

If you and your teaching team decide to discuss a current event, we encourage you to read the guidance below and to reach out to the Bok Center as needed. In particular, we urge you to clarify - and, if appropriate, communicate with your TFs/TAs - how such a discussion will be handled in lecture and discussion sections, and how it will serve your pedagogical goals.

Discussing a Current Event

If you do want to engage your students in conversations related to a given event, please keep in mind the following:

• Introducing any current event to the classroom demands openness and neutrality on a charged topic at a highly emotional moment - something that is difficult to achieve even with the best intentions. Remember that your students likely do not all share your political views; nor do they all share the views of their peers.
• Insofar as students may express their personal views in a class discussion, it would be wise to remind them to make "I" rather than "we" statements (e.g. "We all know that..."). Our page on Classroom Norms includes advice about setting this, and other, classroom norms.
• Similarly, the classroom is a distinct and unique space that should be open to all viewpoints that can be logically argued and defended within disciplinary norms—even viewpoints with which the majority of students might strongly disagree.
• If you are teaching a lecture course that employs TFs, TAs, and/or CAs, you will need to give the other members of your teaching staff explicit and detailed guidance about your expectations for their role in discussions of the event. 

Supporting Students

If your students or members of your teaching team report significant amounts of stress, you may refer them to the following campus resources:

• Counseling and Mental Health Services (for all students)
• The appropriate Resident Dean of First-Year Students or Allston Burr Resident Dean (for undergraduates)
• The Office of Student Services at Harvard Griffin GSAS (for graduate students)