Culture Wars: Politicization and Polarization in the Classroom

Educator's Playbook

Hosted by seasoned educator Kimberly McGlonn, this episode takes a deep dive into the widening ideological and cultural divides impacting K-12 education. As schools find themselves at the epicenter of debates surrounding issues like race, gender and sexual orientation, educators must grapple with the challenges of a rapidly politicized classroom environment. We're joined by leading education historian and Penn GSE professor Jonathan Zimmerman, author of "Whose America?: Culture Wars in the Public Classroom." He provides valuable insights into the shifting ideological landscape since the book's first publication in 2002 and gives us some historical context for censorship, politicization and polarization. Then, professor of practice and former superintendent Andrea Kane sheds further light on the real-life implications of these culture wars for educators, students and communities, sharing some of her experiences on the front lines over the years. Tune in for a candid discussion on navigating these complex issues in today's educational setting.

FEATURING:

• Jonathan Zimmerman, Professor, University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education
• Andrea Kane, Professor of Practice, University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education

NEWSLETTER:

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RELATED PLAYBOOKS:

• No. 69: Explaining war to children: 6 tips from a Penn GSE expert (02-25-22)
• No. 64: How to be a good parent and a good ally (06-10-21)
• No. 63: How to get even better at supporting your LGBTQ+ students (06-08-21)
• No. 58: How teachers can talk about violence at the Capitol (01-07-21)
• No. 39: Putting Black history lessons into action (02-05-20)
• No. 17: How to confront hate speech at school (11-17-16)
• No. 7: Responding to anti-Muslim rhetoric (02-04-16)
• No. 5: Treating racial competence as a skill to be learned (02-03-16)

OTHER RESOURCES:

• New books from Penn GSE professors focus on free speech on campus (02-15-23)
• School censorship is not democratic. Speaking up is the solution from the Philadelphia Inquirer (05-30-23)
• Jonathan Zimmerman: Do we really want discussion in our schools? Book censorship indicates otherwise from the Chicago Tribune (05-15-23)
• Penn GSE alumni event focuses on free speech in education (12-13-22)