Teaching About Elections in a Divisive Climate Proves Challenging

According to University of Pennsylvania professor Jonathan Zimmerman, author of a soon-to-be released book, "An Uneasy Quiet: Teaching Controversial Issues in American Schools," the burden on schools and educators to prepare students for citizenship has never been greater than it is now, given the nation’s divisive political climate. Some teachers are opting to focus on local electoral races instead of the presidential campaign, while others are developing lesson plans that focus less on the candidates themselves and more on the issues. (Chicago Tribune)