Teaching History

Chad Farnan, a student in Capistrano Valley High School has sued his history teacher, James Corbett, alleging that Corbett has made anti-religion remarks in his Advanced Placement European History class this semester.

Students and alumni rallied outside their school Wednesday to show support for the embattled teacher. They say that Corbett encourages thinking in his classes; that he encourages discussions in an intelligent way.

I have taught history at both college and grammar school levels. I know how difficult it is to make history intellectually challenging, as opposed to a mere litany of dates and events. All I know about Mr. Corbett's class is what I read in the newspapers, but I can tell from the support he has received that he is one of those teachers who knows how to breath life and spirit into the subject.

When he ignites the fire of critical discussion, however, he runs the risk of it burning out of control. This is not a matter of "political correctness," or simply using prescribed language. Rather, it is one of exposing the strengths and weaknesses of various viewpoints without endorsing or condemning them. It is important to point out that a person's own baggage--religious, educational, or experiential--may some times prevent him from seeing an event or a decision with total objectivity.

One danger is that it is all too easy for the teacher to inject his own bias into the discussion. When he does, his position of authority gives the weight of fact to his personal opinions. A second danger, especially with younger students, is that the teacher's attempt to inject a contrary view into the discussion may be misinterpreted as an endorsement of that position. In either case objectivity is lost, and a fire of emotions flares up.

Either or both of those things may have happened in Mr. Corbett's class. Without hearing the actual discussion, we cannot be sure. It seems to me, though, that either a clarification of the misunderstanding or an apology for 'crossing the line' should suffice. It should be a matter that can be resolved between the teacher and his student, if both are objective and open-minded.

A lawsuit or other form of punishment only deprives us of a dynamic teacher who has found the way to get his students deeply involved in critical analysis of history. We can't afford to lose that.