Student Union
US Students Practice Civility by Debating Extremists
Recent public conflict at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C., has left many wondering about the state of political discourse in the United States.
A video from Jan. 18 that went viral showed boys from Kentucky's Covington Catholic High School, a Native American activist and a cluster of Black Hebrew Israelites facing off at the Lincoln Memorial on the day of the Right to Life March.
The confrontation ignited national debate about civility in politics, a seeming lack of tolerance for those of differing political beliefs, and how both influenced the nation's youth.
That debate sounded all-too-familiar to Ohio social studies teacher Judi Galasso, who has taught a class on political radicalism for three decades.
"If someone's yelling things at you, if you're presented with groups that you disagree with, my hope is that we train our kids well enough that they're not going to react,'' Galasso said.
Galasso and co-teacher Jonathan Duffy invite members of America's most extreme political groups — including the National Socialist Movement, the Weather Underground, and the Revolutionary Communists — into their classroom each semester. They teach students to engage respectfully with those of differing beliefs, and to ask questions.
The Covington Catholic incident has seemed to further divide the nation. Parents, alumni and others have rallied to the white teenagers' defense. In a tweet, President Donald Trump called the students "symbols of Fake News and how evil it can be.'' Others largely supported the Native American activist, describing him as a victim of racism and white entitlement.
'Priceless' dialogue
In Galasso and Duffy's class, no one shies away from such political discomfort.
"In 2019, our teachers generally are like, 'You know what? Let's redirect to a different topic, because that one sounds like it's loaded with land mines,'" said Pete Scully, principal of Thomas Worthington High School, where Galasso teaches. "The idea of poli-rad is, 'You know what? Let's explore all those land mines and talk about them.'''
U.S. Political Thought and Radicalism, "poli-rad'' for short, has been offered as a social studies credit by the suburban Columbus district since the 1970s. Over the decades, its unconventional speaker series has generated excitement, sparked protests and left classrooms emboldened, shaken or inspired.
"In 2019, no school board in America would approve a class like this. But in Worthington, there's no way you could get rid of it,'' Galasso said.
Speakers over the years have included former revolutionary Bill Ayers of the Weather Underground, Harry Hughes of the National Socialist Movement, Ramona Africa from the black liberation group MOVE, white supremacist Richard Spencer and Turner Diaries author William Pierce.
About half the district's seniors take the class each year, which has created a legion of alumni ready to defend it when a new crop of parents in the affluent, largely white district raises concerns about the potential dangers of the class.
Jen Miller, 26, a Nashville-based music producer and 2010 Thomas Worthington graduate, said poli-rad was one of the most valuable classes she took in high school.
"It opened meaningful dialogue and that, to me, is priceless,'' she said. "Sure, it might make some parents uncomfortable, but the class isn't radicalizing students. It's teaching students about radicalization, which is pretty important. I mean, look at the context that we're living in today.''
Origins of class
Worthington school board member Julie Keegan said she wishes more districts would offer such a course. She took poli-rad in 1984. Her husband and all four of her children are also alums.
"In 1984, Worthington was much more homogenous than it is right now,'' Keegan said. "So, part of that class was just sort of pointing out, 'Hey, guess what? Not everybody thinks like you, looks like you, talks like you.'"
Retired teacher Tom Molnar said he created the course in 1975 with input from students. He had been given the course topic, but no guidance. When students said they wanted to learn about radical groups operating in America at the time, he had to tell them there was no source material to work from. One student suggested inviting the groups in.
"I told him it was completely nuts, but they encouraged me to take that message to the principal, and the principal said, 'It's brilliant,''' he said.
Poli-rad students study each speaker ahead of time, gathering background and preparing questions. Afterward, teachers help them think critically about how factors such as deceptive language or personal charisma were used.
Ground rules
The teachers attribute the course's success to a few key ground rules: Presenters must come from across the political spectrum, they can't be censored, students must remain respectful and instructors can't share their personal political beliefs.
Another key takeaway: Don't rush to judgment.
"One thing we teach kids when speakers come in is to truly listen to what they're saying,'' Duffy said, "and just because they think they know what this individual believes, you still have to listen and accurately reflect.''
In the early 1990s, Ku Klux Klan members arrived in the classroom in full robes and hoods. Their silhouettes could be seen from the main road in front of the high school, spreading community alarm. To ease concerns, teachers agreed to a compromise: They would cease inviting active Klansmen as long as the district placed no further restrictions on their speakers.
Senior Tori Banks, 18, who took the course last semester, said it helped her expand her views and learn tolerance.
"If I weren't in the class and I saw some of these speakers or people of certain stances walking around, I may feel uncomfortable,'' she said. "But I think the way we do it in poli-rad is a very safe environment.''
Some information is this report came from The Associated Press.
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On a visit to campus, U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Republican, called on Columbia University President Minouche Shafik to resign "if she cannot bring order to this chaos."
"If this is not contained quickly and if these threats and intimidation are not stopped, there is an appropriate time for the National Guard," he said.
Shafik had set a midnight Tuesday deadline to reach an agreement on clearing an encampment, but the school extended negotiations, saying it was making "important progress."
On Wednesday evening, a Columbia spokesperson said rumors that the university had threatened to bring in the National Guard were unfounded. "Our focus is to restore order, and if we can get there through dialogue, we will," said Ben Chang, Columbia's vice president for communications.
Columbia graduate student Omer Lubaton Granot, who put up pictures of Israeli hostages near the encampment, said he wanted to remind people that there were more than 100 hostages still being held by Hamas.
"I see all the people behind me advocating for human rights," he said. "I don't think they have one word to say about the fact that people their age, that were kidnapped from their homes or from a music festival in Israel, are held by a terror organization."
Harvard law student Tala Alfoqaha, who is Palestinian, said she and other protesters want more transparency from the university.
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Columbia encampment inspires others
Police first tried to clear the encampment at Columbia last week, when they arrested more than 100 protesters. The move backfired, acting as an inspiration for other students across the country to set up similar encampments and motivating protesters at Columbia to regroup.
On Wednesday about 60 tents remained at the Columbia encampment, which appeared calm. Security remained tight around campus, with identification required and police setting up metal barricades.
Columbia said it had agreed with protest representatives that only students would remain at the encampment and they would make it welcoming, banning discriminatory or harassing language.
On the University of Minnesota campus, a few dozen students rallied a day after nine protesters were arrested when police took down an encampment in front of the library. U.S. Representative Ilhan Omar, whose daughter was among the demonstrators arrested at Columbia last week, attended a protest later in the day.
A group of more than 80 professors and assistant professors signed a letter Wednesday calling on the university's president and other administrators to drop any charges and to allow future encampments without what they described as police retaliation.
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Columbia University demonstrators in talks with administration officials
Officials at Columbia University were continuing talks Wednesday with student demonstrators from the Gaza Solidarity Encampment as the protest reaches a full week.
At 9:41 p.m. Tuesday, university President Nemat “Minouche” Shafik sent an email to the Columbia community setting a midnight deadline for an agreement to be reached about dismantling the encampment and dispersing the protesters.
“I very much hope these discussions are successful,” she wrote. “If they are not, we will have to consider alternative options for clearing the West Lawn and restoring calm to campus so that students can complete the term and graduate.”
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The email announced that leaders of the student encampment had agreed to remove a significant number of tents, get non-Columbia affiliates to leave the encampment and comply with New York Fire Department requirements. They also agreed to ensure that the encampment is “welcome to all” and to prohibit “discriminatory or harassing language.”
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