Schools are failing at creating forums for healthy debate

Re “A school, a city, a nation divided’’ (Page A1, Nov. 5): As Matt Viser writes, during the campaign season, administrators at the York County School of Technology in York, Pa., “were wary [of the political climate] but kept the school focused on its core mission, training students for careers. . . . No curriculum geared toward current events.’’

This is a persistent flaw in the education system today, from high school through higher education. We are polarized over issues, and our educational institutions are doing little to address it. There is nothing to create a forum for healthy debate. Instead, we tiptoe around controversial topics in order not to upset anyone.

When schools do not expose students to various perspectives, we close ourselves off to any differing opinion. Students then grow into adulthood having never been educated on how to respond to an opposing opinion, which is a skill that every person needs, regardless of their career.

Training students for careers is important; however, we need to be doing more than just that. We need to be educating our students on how to think critically and how to respond to questioning and outside perspectives. The way to heal the divide in our communities, and in our country, is to teach students how to listen to, and even appreciate, an opposing view.

Ian Burns

North Andover

Tensions also rose at another Pa. school, as did calls for unity, discussion

I am writing in response to the article by Matt Viser about how, a year after Donald Trump’s election, York, Pa., is “forever changed.’’ Viser reported on conflicts at York County School of Technology. I am a 10th-grade student at Eastern York High School. Since the election last year, tensions have risen a bit, but not in a completely negative manner. Yes, there were some negative incidents, though not as extreme as some mentioned in the article, but the election forced conversations to be started between students and other students or teachers that may never have been initiated otherwise.

I know that this year there were issues with students feeling that they were not fairly represented, nor permitted to speak freely. As a reflection of these events, my honors literature class spent several class blocks discussing acceptance of diversity and what we could do to positively influence not only our school, but our community. After much discussion, we concluded that we would form a unity club. This club is still in the process of being formed, but it is a step in the right direction. We hope to form a club that can serve as a place for open discussion, without judgment.

Sofia Andia

York, Pa.