Home | How It Works | Stats Login | Register         Case: Patriotic/Unpatriotic Facts After teaching middle school Social Studies for many years, I decided to go back to school to get my graduate degree. In one of my classes, we studied James Loewen's Lies My Teacher Told Me. I was so influenced by this book and the idea that we have been presenting students inaccurate information that I have been thoroughly researching the content I teach before presenting it to my students. Recently we have been studying international affairs of the US government. Some of the information I presented revealed actions the US government engaged in other countries that resulted in killings and disturbances. My students were interested in the materials and some of the issues we discussed in class made dinner-time discussions at home. One of the parents who is a retired army officer came to the school to talk to my principal. He told the principal that I was indoctrinating students. When my principal told me about this, I explained to her that all the information I presented was factual and that I researched the information from multiple resources. Her suggestion to me was that I should focus more on teaching patriotic materials. I am so frustrated that I do not have the support of my principal. Also, I disagree that what I teach is unpatriotic. I am simply trying to teach accurate information. If I continue doing what I do, I may lose my job. However, I do not want to give up teaching my students the truth. How should I go about this issue? Solution: (Rates are posted for this solution!) This is such a sticky subject and also one that I can only give my opinion on as I don't feel I have enough experience with administration, parents, or controversial topics like this. This is only my second year teaching and, so far, the most I've had to do is quiet some students who were debating about Christianity and trying to involve me in the debates. Part of me loves that kids are so curious and want to know the truth about subjects such as what you are asking about. But another part of me (the one who tries to be as ethical as possible in all areas of my life and job) believes that I am there to teach the standards. If this conversation came up in my room, though, I might ask the students to do some researching on their own and report back to me. That way, they can find out the information for themselves, learn some research skills, and also make up their minds as to whether they want to believe it or not. If I tell them that the United States is involved in unethical dealings with other countries, they will take it as fact, simply because I am their teacher.