Why Controversy Belongs in the History Classroom

Ken Uhde
17 hours ago
3 min read

There’s a growing pressure in today’s classrooms to stay neutral. Don’t take a side. Don’t name the conflict. Don’t make it political.

But here’s the thing: history is political. It always has been.

Every event we teach is someone’s version of what happened. Every law, every war, every social movement was driven by people who had something to gain—and something to lose.

If we’re trying to teach history without touching controversy, we’re not teaching history. We’re teaching a half-story.

In an effort to keep classrooms “agnostic,” many schools end up avoiding topics that are too “messy” or “divisive.” But when we do that, we’re not keeping students safe—we’re keeping them unprepared. Because the real world? It’s complicated. It’s full of clashing perspectives, emotional debates, and hard choices.

And students deserve to learn how to navigate it.

The Myth of Neutrality

When we avoid controversial topics, we rob students of the chance to practice critical thinking. We send the message that tough conversations should be avoided, not engaged with. And we miss the opportunity to teach the exact skills our students need to thrive as citizens.

How to listen to someone you disagree with.
How to evaluate competing claims.
How to check sources and spot bias.
How to form your own conclusions, backed by evidence.

These aren’t “extras” in the social studies classroom. They’re the core of what we do.

Here are 5 straightforward strategies to introduce the art of informed debate in your classroom:

Strategy 1: Build a Safe Space for Uncomfortable Conversations

Before jumping into tough topics, establish shared classroom norms. Students need to know that they can disagree respectfully—and that everyone’s voice will be heard.

Some community agreements might include:

Listen to understand, not just to reply.
Speak from your experience—don’t generalize others.
It’s okay to be uncomfortable. Growth comes from discomfort.
Disagree with ideas, not with people.

Make sure students revisit these norms often. Post them. Practice them. Your classroom can’t be brave if it isn’t first made safe.

Strategy 2: Teach the Art of Active Listening

Most students are used to waiting their turn to talk—not truly listening. But when you’re discussing sensitive or controversial topics, listening is the most important skill of all.

Try this exercise:

After a classmate shares their viewpoint, students must summarize what they heard before adding their own thoughts.
Use sentence starters like: “What I heard you say is…” or “I understand that you’re coming from…”

This slows down knee-jerk responses and trains students to consider someone else’s words fully before reacting.

Strategy 3: Move Beyond Opinions—Dig for Truth

In a world of hot takes and headlines, it’s easy for students to think that every argument is just opinion vs. opinion. But history gives us tools to dig deeper. Teach students how to fact-check what they hear—especially in discussions.

Have them ask:

What’s the source of that claim?
Is there historical evidence to support it?
Are we missing voices or perspectives?
How might different groups have experienced this event?

Use primary sources, political cartoons, newspaper clippings, and speeches. Let students compare different interpretations and find where the narratives conflict—and why. This isn’t about “picking sides.” It’s about building the muscle of evidence-based thinking.

Strategy 4: Model Curiosity Over Certainty

When a student asks a hard question, don’t shut it down. Don’t dodge it with “we don’t talk about that here.” Instead, say: “That’s a big question. Let’s look at what the evidence says.” Let your own curiosity lead the way. Show them how a good historian asks hard questions, checks their sources, and is willing to change their mind when new evidence comes to light.

You don’t need all the answers. You just need to model what it looks like to pursue them.

The Future Needs Critical Thinkers

If we want our students to thrive in a complex, divided world, we can’t raise them in classrooms that pretend history is simple or safe. We need to invite them into the gray areas—to question, to listen, to investigate, and to care.

Teaching the tough stuff isn’t about pushing an agenda. It’s about giving kids the tools to build their own. And when we do it well, we don’t just make better students—we make better citizens.

Try it in Your Classroom

We've put together a free lesson plan that will engage your students in the art of actively listening, critical thinking, and forming a fact-based opinion.