Giving Compass' Take:

· Education Dive talks about an Ohio high school's approach to creating tolerance in their Political Thought and Radicalism, or “poli-rad," class where members of extreme political groups are often invited to share their views. 

· How does this class encourage tolerance? What groups are invited to attend the class? 

· Here's more on building tolerance by starting in the classroom. 

While the interaction at the Lincoln Memorial shows there are multiple views of every story, and as students continue to get involved in highly charged issues such as this one, it's important for them to learn how to handle the resulting discussions and respond to various perspectives in an appropriate way — especially if they don't agree. Civility and tolerance are arguably needed now more than ever, and activism is growing among college-bound high schoolers, who say the current political rhetoric has motivated them to speak up and pay attention to what's going on. And while the environment outside school is often uncensored and unguarded, the classroom typically allows for the exploration of multiple belief systems in a safe environment.

The "poli-rad" class is a bold example of the value in allowing students to hear opinions different from their own. However, its approach is controversial and could be frightening or dangerous in some circumstances — such as when the KKK's presence caused some to be alarmed, Education Week notes. As one of the instructors said, "In 2019, no school board in America would approve a class like this."

However, there are other, safer ways to expose students to new ideas. Watching videos of speeches given by people of diverse viewpoints, as well as discussing their ideas openly in the classroom, is one way to provide exposure. Offering debate teams as a class or extracurricular activity is another way to help students learn how to examine both sides of an issue, defend one stance and respond to the other in a format that is structured and develops both research and oral communication skills.

Read the full article about building tolerance in the classroom by Amelia Harper at Education Dive.