National Council of Teachers of English

NCTE Position Statement on Supporting Teachers and Students in Discussing Complex Topics

Teachers, teacher educators, and students are trying to make sense of many complex topics throughout the world and in the United States (López & Sleeter, 2022). We define complex topics as those that surface multiple and sometimes conflicting perspectives and prejudices and that are connected to people’s identities and lived experiences. Concurrently, “divisive concepts” legislation, which seeks to restrict teaching about topics like race, gender, and sexuality, for example, has proliferated across the United States, creating confusion and challenges for students, teachers, and teacher educators who want to include discussion of complex topics in their classrooms (Ervin & Gannon, 2024; PEN America, 2023; Schoorman & Gatens, 2024; Woo et al., 2023). For example, legislation has been put in place that both distorts and eliminates the accurate teaching of Black history (Hartocollis & Fawcett, 2023). Relatedly, in the 2024 legislative session, there were 500+ anti-LGBTQIA+ bills proposed across the United States, 200 of which targeted students’ and educators’ rights (American Civil Liberties Union, 2024). In March of 2024, NCTE leadership sent a survey to NCTE members to solicit needs for facilitating discussion of complex topics in ELA classrooms. In response, NCTE members emphasized teachers’ responsibility to teach whole histories and full narratives, and they requested support on how to do this well when discussing complex topics. In this survey and beyond, members have requested support in discussing race and racism, political and civil unrest, LGBTQIA+ peoples’ experiences and struggles, the upcoming presidential election, pandemic vaccination policies, reproductive rights, and other current and complex topics.  

As educators, we not only have a responsibility toward our students to engage in societal dialogue; we also create space for students to develop their own sense of self, perspectives, opinions, and beliefs. It is critical that students develop the ability to effectively exercise critical thinking and respectful and productive discourse when exploring and discussing complex topics. Hess and McAvoy (2015) found that high school students who engaged in rigorous political discussions in their social studies classes were more likely after graduating to be politically engaged, listen to those with different perspectives than them, and also pay attention to the news than students who did not have these discussions. Just as important, in K–3 classrooms teachers can engage students in learning about the importance of recognizing injustices and standing against them, learning important literacy skills in the process (Braden et al., 2022; Wynter-Hoyte et al., 2022). ELA classrooms can be generative spaces for students to make sense of complex topics and determine present and future involvement in activism, policy advocacy, and civic engagement related to these topics (Mirra, 2022). By including as many informed voices as possible, teachers can improve the ethical and intellectual quality of our societal dialogue (Dewey, 1944), and students can develop their own sense of self. Literacy instruction that includes windows, mirrors, and sliding glass doors (Bishop, 1990) aids students in understanding the world through their experiences and also seeking to understand the world through the experiences of others. Furthermore, in addition to supporting students in sense-making and civic engagement, discussing complex topics has been shown to support student achievement (López & Sleeter, 2022). For example, in a study of low-income Latinx middle school students, Altschul, Oyserman, and Bybee (2008) found that students who interrogated social inequalities and identified strongly with their ethnic identity were more likely to have higher grades than students who did not. Discussions about complex topics are an important part of English language arts education because these discussions can strengthen students’ sense-making, civic engagement, and achievement.  

The reality is that teachers and teacher educators often face censorship when seeking to integrate discussions of complex topics. For example, teachers and teacher educators in states with “divisive concepts” legislation are self-censoring curricula and classroom libraries, removing materials focused on race or racism or LGBTQIA+ histories in an attempt to avoid termination or lawsuits (Acevedo, 2023; Anderson, 2023; Schoorman & Gatens, 2024). Teachers’ fears are founded, as teachers have been targeted for exploring topics that center students’ families, histories, and the very issues that impact students’ lives (Bonner, 2023). It is important that schools provide a discursive space for students to make sense of what is happening (National Council of Teachers of English, 2001). Actions or policies to censor discussion of geopolitical conflicts, race and racism, LGBTQIA+ histories, or other nuanced and complex topics run counter to students’ right to read (National Council of Teachers of English, 2018).  

As a professional organization with over 100 years of experience generating scholarship and supporting ELA teachers, NCTE unequivocally states that discussing complex topics is essential for students’ personal sense-making, civic engagement, and academic achievement. We emphasize our continued commitment to principles of critical literacy that have guided our scholarship, teaching, and policy advocacy for many decades (National Council of Teachers of English, 2019). We believe that teachers and teacher educators must find ways to have conversations that support students and teachers inside and outside the classroom in exploring and interrogating multiple perspectives; current social, environmental, and political issues; and how power operates. 

There are three important caveats to note. First, teachers and teacher educators must embrace the professional stance that they need expertise before engaging students in discussion of complex topics. Standards for ELA teacher preparation aim to guide teachers in making developmentally appropriate choices by considering students’ ages, identities, and experiences, as well as a text’s readability, appeal, and criticality. Additionally, teachers and teacher educators need to ensure they have explored topics in sufficient detail to gain a robust understanding of different perspectives on the topic and to avoid sharing misinformation. If topics come up in discussion that teachers and teacher educators do not feel they have enough information to discuss, it is important to share that with students and not pretend to be an expert.  

Second, teachers, as trusted professionals, are committed to fostering open dialogue in their classrooms to analyze perspectives on difficult topics. They intentionally reflect on their personal beliefs and interests to make sure those do not impact their students’ learning. In supporting environments where students are truly free to develop and discuss varying, and sometimes opposing, opinions, teachers must be able to facilitate challenging conversations, thereby allowing students to learn through self-exploration and the opinions of their peers.   

Third and finally, teachers and teacher educators must consider the risks involved in teaching and discussing complex topics and the impact on their students. After considering risks, teachers and teacher educators can examine the forms of support or backup they have available (Pollock et al., 2022). Support may be available from students who ask for texts and conversations on complex topics; parents who desire curricula that engage complex topics; administrators who support discussions of complex topics; and statements, standards, and resolutions from professional organizations such as NCTE that provide research-based rationales for having these discussions.  

Aligned with the NCTE mission and vision, the NCTE Executive Committee reiterates NCTE’s commitments to fighting against censorship, uplifting diverse voices and perspectives, and supporting critical literacy instruction. To fully participate in society, students need to be able to grapple with the very topics that are being pushed out of the classroom by divisive concepts legislation and other methods of censorship. As educators consider the integration of complex topics into learning spaces, it also becomes essential to provide a variety of experiences and texts that highlight the nuances of these topics. Inquiry frameworks, discussion protocols, community experts, and transparent communication and engagement with families can all contribute to positive teaching and learning experiences. NCTE is compiling resources for teachers and teacher educators that can aid them in facilitating discussions on complex topics, as well as resources that can aid teachers who are facing censorship. NCTE Resources for teacher educators [1]. 

References 

Statement Authors 

Nadia Behizadeh, Georgia State University

Sarah Bonner, University of North Carolina, Wilmington 

Katie Burnett, NBCT, Edgewood High School, West Covina Unified School District 

Joanne Baird Giordano, Salt Lake Community College 

Mara Lee Grayson, Independent Scholar, Stewartsville, NJ

Jarvais Jackson, Georgia Southern University 

Emily Meixner, The College of New Jersey