Westheimer: Barring students from political events won’t work

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Politics is not a four-letter word, and being political is not a bad thing when it comes to educating Canadian youth. But you wouldn’t know it by the Ontario government’s reaction to the recent incident involving middle-school students from the Toronto District School Board (TDSB) attending a protest.

Originally intended as an educational experience to raise awareness about mercury contamination in Grassy Narrows, the excursion veered into unexpected territory when students found themselves participating in a protest that included pro-Palestinian slogans. The school board immediately issued an apology and started its own investigation, but that didn’t stop the outrage expressed by the Ontario Ministry of Education, the provincial government, and some parents and pundits.

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Let’s put aside, for the moment, that the protest was not intended to focus on Palestinian rights but rather included some attendees who engaged in pro-Palestinian chants. The incident still raises an important question: What is the role of education when it comes to preparing students for civic life? And how do we balance exposing students to important social issues with safeguarding their wellbeing and critical thinking skills?

Education is about more than imparting knowledge; it is also about fostering the skills necessary for participating in a democracy. In an increasingly polarized world, students must be equipped not just with facts, but also with the ability to engage with complex social and political issues.

When students attend events like the Grassy Narrows rally, they gain exposure to real-world issues — environmental justice, Indigenous rights, and the intersections of global struggles. These are exactly the kinds of experiences that can enrich their understanding of democracy and social responsibility. The challenge lies in ensuring that such exposure promotes critical thinking rather than inadvertently pushing a specific agenda. Schools are places where students should learn how to think, not what to think.

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The Toronto incident recalls a similar incident that happened in Ottawa a dozen years ago. A civics teacher from the Ottawa Catholic School Board planned a trip to Ohio to have students observe Barack Obama campaign workers in Ohio during the 2012 U.S. presidential election. A handful of parents posted objections to the trip on an anti-abortion website, on the grounds that the campaign included a pro-choice stand in matters of reproductive rights. The field trip was cancelled just days before the students were set to leave.

The challenge lies in ensuring that such exposure promotes critical thinking rather than inadvertently pushing a specific agenda. Schools are places where students should learn how to think, not what to think.

I agree that schools should not force students to march in a protest as a class activity. But I also don’t want schools to throw out the baby with the bathwater. Observing political activities with proper preparation and debriefing can make political engagement come alive in tangible and educational ways — far more powerful than reading a textbook. Teachers can also ensure the students’ roles are as observers only or they could assign students to attend a political event of their choice or observe a politically engaged group outside of school hours.

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Blanket policies tend, instead, to create a chill factor that affects teachers’ choices about what to teach. I asked a number of Ottawa civics teachers whether the Toronto school board incident and the reaction of the Ministry of Education might influence how they teach civic and civic engagement. Almost all of them said it would in one way or another. “This kind of thing makes me wary of bringing up politically contentious issues,” one teacher told me. Another revealed that even before the Toronto story, she had been advised by her principal to refrain from discussing controversial topics in class.

Navigating the admittedly difficult terrain of field trips and political activity should not mean shielding students from controversial topics; on the contrary, students should be encouraged to engage with many differing perspectives. And exposure to political action can be a powerful educational tool when used correctly. For example, these activities can help students understand the historical significance of social movements, the ways in which citizens mobilize for change, and the power of collective action.

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It isn’t easy to teach this well, and the role of educators becomes crucial. Teachers guide students through the process of inquiry, helping them weigh evidence, and supporting them in developing their own informed perspectives. It is not enough to simply expose students to politically engaged activities; they need to be guided through these experiences with care and intention. This might mean pre-emptive discussions about the potential political nature of events and debriefing afterward to allow students to process what they have seen and heard.

Ultimately, the impact of these experiences on students will depend on how they are handled. When done well, early exposure to social movements can inspire students to become thoughtful, engaged citizens who are willing to challenge injustice and advocate for change. These are the values that democracy relies on: an active, informed populace that participates in civic life.

Turn-of-the-century philosopher John Dewey wrote that “Democracy must be born anew with every generation, and education is its midwife.” If we believe in the importance of preserving our democratic norms and institutions, schools must take seriously their responsibility to teach about civic and political engagement. Our democracy depends on it.

Joel Westheimer is Professor of Democracy and Education, University of Ottawa.

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