This week's articles on using film in the classroom was thought provoking and timely, given that in the Marcus & Stoddard piece, teachers attribute PBS as their main source of documentary material, yet this week, Congress voted to eliminate their funding ASAP (since this is my blog, I'll take a second to encourage you to sign the petition). I found the suggested uses of the film in the classroom ideal, both because they reinforce the idea of teaching perspective in the classroom, and because they are incredibly progressive and evocative in subject.
It also surprised me that teachers found documentaries to be objective, and then upon reflection, it didn't; in college I made a historical documentary as part of class, and reflecting back on the experience, I realize we had a definitive agenda when we set out making the film--to push the timeline of African American activism much earlier than Rosa Parks and the sit-in movement.
What really got me thinking from these articles, however, wasn't the concept of using film in the classroom--which I plan on doing in the ways that these authors suggest. It was the Bayard Rustin documentary, and the classroom lessons that could be derived from it. I found the notion that, "Gay people have replaced African Americans as the "barometer for civil rights"" (Hess, p. 197), so evocative, and such a conversation starter. It got me thinking whether or not my students will be mature enough to navigate a discussion about that type of subject matter, and whether or not I am unbiased enough to mediate it. The idea of showing such a film, and broaching such a topic, makes me almost nervous enough to avoid doing so. But then this notion got me thinking even further: at what point do I get to decide what is taught in my classroom?
A discussion of this sort would surely bring up responses that are offensive, even if innocent, and a way initially to mitigate those would be to center the discussion around this one quote, and use public opinion data to avoid talking about ourselves. But this would surely still offend some people based on subject alone.
At what point do we allow ourselves to make choices on what we will and will not include in our classrooms: in discussions, in materials, in curriculum? Do I ever get that power? And when we get to these discussions, do I have the power to empower the viewpoint that I believe is right, if it's not written into a handed down curriculum (when it comes to homosexuals, discrimination, etc)?
I think some of these questions are resolved in presenting a variety of perspectives, but at some point, there is a right and a wrong.
I had to comment! Wow, there are so many controversial topics that we as teachers could, if we really opened up ourselves to the full possibility of topics, start fascinating and valuable discussions on with students. You're so right! It's extremely tricky, though, to do this because so much of what's relevant right now, such as the bridge of civil rights from the African American community to the Queer community and whether it's even the same thing, is radioactive in many ways because it's still debatable, it's not decided, it's still embroiled in controversy. Is it a worthy topic? Absolutely! Are parents, school officials, other teachers, the students themselves going to react to it? Undoubtedly. I've seen that particular documentary and I believe that some students may be mature and may not. I think it's all about knowing our students, creating that rapport, that safe space, and providing effective and structured way to introduce and discuss controversy. It's a huge juggling act and I completely agree. I don't know if I could always keep my own bias outside of the lessons but I think we owe it to our students as teachers to try to remain objective to allow them to find their own voice and opinions, while providing them the tools to know how to form their argument, back it up with evidence, and present it in a fashion that is persuasive without being forceful or pushy. After all, part of learning about controversy while being a part of a democracy is learning how to stand in your own convictions without being unable to hear the other side.
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