Social studies as ‘neutral?’ That’s a myth, and pressures teachers to avoid contentious issues

Social studies teachers face the distinct task of guiding students through pressing global issues and contentious dialogue. (Allison Shelley/EDUimages), CC BY-NC

With a world literally and figuratively burning around them, high school social studies teachers are charged with engaging students in sensitive topics.

Social studies curricula today, for example, is concerned with themes like residential schools and racism. It’s also important to understand that beyond following explicit pre-set curricula, student-centred education calls for teachers to attend to students’ experiences in the social world.