In a staff meeting approaching the start of the 2016-2017 school year, Sherwood teachers were reminded to be sensitive to students of all political beliefs by being cautious of how they handle class discussions of political and social controversies. More specifically, Principal Bill Gregory urged teachers to be careful how they addressed the presidential election so that students in the class would not feel isolated.

In theory, the idea is a good one. Especially in an area like Montgomery County, whose residents are disproportionately democratic, teachers must avoid making more conservative students feel directly targeted.

However, there are a few glaring problems with this proposition. If we take away all conversation that could possibly result in negative feelings in students, no one would be offended and the school would never receive any backlash. Students could simply absorb everything their parents and close friends tell them and develop their political and social stances from that.

The high school years are crucial to the development of one’s personal opinions and stances on important issues. Adolescence is a time of confusion and complication but also prime self-realization. So in an environment where students may not be exposed to differing political opinions, how are they supposed to come to a valid conclusion about what they themselves think?

Of course, students should never be targeted for what they believe, and it is unfortunate that students ever feel personally offended. However, it is simply a reality of life that people are going to disagree, some more passionately than others. If teenagers are not exposed to that reality, it creates a dangerous ignorance when it comes to contentious topics, which can lead to a sense of intolerance when they finally are exposed to other existing viewpoints. In order to become productive citizens, students need to have an understanding of what is happening in the world around them, not simply within in their little bubble of family and friends.

Because classrooms are where young people spend so much of their lives, it becomes a responsibility of the school to foster discussions about relevant global and national issues. Students attend school to learn and become more well-rounded adults, so it only makes sense that they be allowed to share their experiences and views with each other.

As a society, we need to move past the fear of being made uncomfortable, and high school classrooms are a great place to begin. This doesn’t open up the door for people to be rude or hateful—that is still completely uncalled for and immature—but discussion simply allows everyone to express the basis of their beliefs. Hopefully, students will start to be more tolerant of opinions of those around them and perhaps begin to question their own beliefs, a necessary part of being a responsible member of society.