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Navigating Academic Freedom in Education

This document discusses academic freedom for teachers and students. It notes that social studies classes often deal with controversial topics, but many teacher education programs do not adequately prepare future teachers to handle issues of academic freedom. While in-service training can help make up for this, teachers may still self-censor due to uncertainty about legal protections and how to discuss "hot button issues." The document reviews legal decisions around academic freedom for teachers and students, and argues that social studies teachers have a professional responsibility to educate students to the best of their abilities, regardless of legal protections. It concludes by offering supportive guidance for teachers facing challenges to academic freedom.

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Jun Rey M. Gubaton
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7 views2 pages

Navigating Academic Freedom in Education

This document discusses academic freedom for teachers and students. It notes that social studies classes often deal with controversial topics, but many teacher education programs do not adequately prepare future teachers to handle issues of academic freedom. While in-service training can help make up for this, teachers may still self-censor due to uncertainty about legal protections and how to discuss "hot button issues." The document reviews legal decisions around academic freedom for teachers and students, and argues that social studies teachers have a professional responsibility to educate students to the best of their abilities, regardless of legal protections. It concludes by offering supportive guidance for teachers facing challenges to academic freedom.

Uploaded by

Jun Rey M. Gubaton
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

EDUCATIONAL UPDATES

SOCIAL EDUCATION First of all, academic freedom is an ongoing issue of importance to us all. As Jack L. Nelson and Carole Hahn point out, social studies is the school subject most likely to deal with controversial topics, and is the most vulnerable to external and self-censorship, political restriction, and the chilling effect of potential scrutiny.

James Daly points out, however, that many teacher education programs do not prepare future teachers properly to deal with issues of academic freedom. Nancy C. Patterson reports the results of a survey she conducted that shows that teachers often make up for a lack of preservice training in the issue through in-service training, but their uncertainty about the extent of academic freedom and wariness of dealing with hot button issues can lead to selfcensorship.

This makes it all the more important for teachers to have a strong grasp of the legal framework and protections that exist for academic freedom. Two articles in this edition, one on freedom for teachers, and the other on freedom for students, summarize the current situation. In the first, Michael D. Simpson, a legal expert at the National Education Association, warns that teachers should not presume that their legal rights are protected by the First Amendment rather than by legally enforceable teacher [Link] the second, Robert M. ONeil, author of several works on academic freedom, reviews legal decisions related to student freedom, noting that many contemporary speech issues involving student use of computers, cellular phones and other available technologies are just emerging.

How do teachers navigate the issue of academic freedom in this legal context? Diana Hess, in her special column for this issue, makes the point that social studies teachers have a professional responsibility to educate students, no matter what protections might or might not be provided by the law, and that as professionals, their expertise about content, pedagogy, and their students makes it not just acceptable, but mandatory, to make decisions about what and how to teach. This requires academic freedom, and she urges that teachers should act in accordance with the responsibilities that come with academic freedom rights, even if the law does not guarantee these rights. In her judgment and experience, it is a characteristic of highly effective schools for teachers who assume these responsibilities with professional care and dedication to be accorded the academic freedoms they seek.

Two former NCSS presidents offer supportive words for social studies teachers: Todd Clark, who edited an earlier edition of Social Education on academic freedom, and Anna OchoaBecker, who offers guidelines for teachers who come under challenge. This issue also provides a list of institutions that support teachers in cases of academic freedom, and reproduces the NCSS position statement on academic freedom.

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