A Hawaii middle school has come under fire for simplifying stances of presidential candidates in order to explain them to students.
Kapolei Middle School has come under fire for a two page document that was handed out to students in which stances of each presidential candidate are simplified. The handouts addressed six hot button issues, outlining each candidate's stance, according to Hawaii News Now.
In terms of immigration, the handout stated that Vice President Kamala Harris' policies included hiring " more people to watch the border" and limiting "how many people can move to the U.S.". In contrast, former President Donald Trump's policies aimed to locate and apprehend "people in the U.S. illegally" and take children "away from their parents".
In another example, the handouts attempted to address the candidate's stances on democracy, saying that Harris "wants to keep our country a democracy", whereas Trump "tried to overturn the 2020 election".
"Very upset," said parent Angel Morales. "I think teachers should do their job as teachers stick to education and not politics."
However, some parents appreciated the education their kids were recieving.
"It doesn't bother me. I actually value that because its important to teach students, how do we make informed decisions when we go to the ballot box," said parent of an elementary schooler Christine Russo.
"Recently a Kapolei Middle sixth grade class used an exercise called "It's a Match," adapted from a New York Times article, to help students understand the candidates' positions on key issues," explained the Hawaii Department of Education in a statement.
"Teachers simplified this information to make it accessible for young students, striving to remain factual and unbiased. The intent was to encourage independent thinking and discussion among students, not to promote any particular view," they continued." We acknowledge that the interpretation and simplification of complex issues can sometimes result in perceived imbalances, particularly when presenting nuanced political topics to younger audiences, but we remain committed to maintaining a balanced learning environment."
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