Hello, my name is Noam Kasher and I am in 8th grade and in my school community, and the Brookline MA middle school community as a whole, my peers often have biases, based on the political party and/or ideology of an idea or a person. While I think that it is okay, or even good and beneficial to know about politics at the age of a middle schooler, I often find, when discussing these things with my peers, that they know very little about these issues, of which they so passionately base their values on. I also believe that the country would be in a better position if the skill of disagreeing politely was taught in schools, not just about who gets to use the last part in playdough in Kindergarten, but about things that will affect them in the future, and that are often more difficult and uncomfortable to discuss.

Social Studies class in the perfect way to start fixing this divide between people. I am suggesting adding a new unit to the 8th grade Social Studies curriculum. It would be based on reality and up-to-date problems, full-class discussions, and understanding the views of others. Every day, the teacher would present a relevant topic of discussion, one which currently (or will in the future) affect(s) the lives of the students. Students would learn about it both through instruction from the teacher, and through videos shown to the whole class: biased ones, some showing each side, or non-biased ones, to attempt to give the whole story. The students would then get the opportunity to ask questions to the teacher and deepen their understanding. Finally, the students would talk to each other– without judgment, and hear the views of their peers. Throughout the unit, they would strengthen their understanding of our country and our world, sharpen their critical thinking skills, and understand their political orientation.

In a poll of Driscoll Middle Schoolers, almost 55% said that they do not understand the political ideas that are different from theirs. This is what creates the divide between people and politics. If debate and discussion can be central, and people can learn to be empathetic and listen to their opponents, there would be less political violence, hate, and division. I believe that the best way to do this is to start in schools.