Should eighth-graders be instructed to think like the Taliban? That's the question parents at Swanson Middle School asked after teachers assigned a group of students to represent the Islamic fundamentalist group in a mock United Nations debate. Some parents objected so strongly that the school eventually called off the debate, but others wonder whether the middle schoolers missed a valuable opportunity to see "the other side of the story."
The Taliban hit too close to home: The eighth-graders at Swanson Middle School live only a few miles from the Pentagon, and might have parents in the military, says Chris Needham at NBC Washington. Being "thrust into explaining and defending the rights of the Taliban" so close to our nation's military center is "a pretty tough debate for a kid to handle," no matter where you stand politically.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
