The Political Classroom: Evidence and Ethics in Democratic Education

Authors Diana Hess and Paula McAvoy believe that teachers should encourage conversations about difficult political issues because that’s the very nature of a democratic education and those discussions help students understand diverse points of view and become more politically engaged adults. Their book, The Political Classroom: Evidence and Ethics in Democratic Education, is based on a four-year study of 35 teachers and their 1,000-plus students.  Hess and McAvoy provided compelling case studies that showcased the power of the deliberative process in helping students hone thinking, reasoning and communication skills as they examined the question, “How should we live together?”