High school is supposed to prepare students for the world beyond graduation. Yet in avoiding controversial topics, schools are doing just the opposite (“Stop shielding high-schoolers from sensitive speech,” New York Post, Jun. 26).
There are always several sides to any issue. The sooner young people learn that reality the better able they will be to handle diverse opinions. Unfortunately, some parents and some special interest groups believe that only their views on a given issue should be allowed. They are unwittingly doing a disservice to students.
Today’s young people have been regularly exposed to images and words that previous generations lacked. As a result, they are not naïve children. They also physically mature earlier than ever before. It’s one reason that so many high school students are bored to death by the curriculum and instruction.
I realize that public schools don’t have the same freedom to teach as private and religious schools. But they need to be given greater latitude if they are expected to engage students and provide them with the wherewithal to handle life after graduation.
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