In this remarkable book, Bezalel charts a path through some of the hottest and explosive issues in contemporary discourse. Teachers are often expected to be able to discuss fraught issues like transgenderism or the Israel-Palestine conflict, an expectation that does not match their confidence in their own knowledge and ability to do so. Despite this, we owe it to our students to be well-informed and to be able to help them delve into these topics in a non-judgmental, safe and supportive way, but until now there has been no single resource that is scholarly, meticulously well-researched and clear enough to help us do this. Bezalel's book fits this role perfectly and promises to act as a support for teachers in tackling these controversies.
Adam Boxer, Head of Science at Totteridge Academy in London and Education Director for Carousel Learning
We live in a time when social forces within and outside of our school systems push to discourage teachers from dealing with controversial subject matters in their classrooms. Yet the need for teachers to continue to do so has never been greater. Glenn Bezalel's book, Teaching Classroom Controversies, presents a compelling case for teaching controversial issues, and offers solid and practical advice for how to do so effectively. Helping young people to think through controversial issues is central to the aims of education, for in doing so they learn how to weigh and evaluate knowledge claims and competing value positions, which is both an essential life lesson and a central civic virtue for democratic citizens. The second part of the book, a handbook for teaching controversy, provides useful guidelines for teacher-led classroom discussion and debate, along with specific examples for how to put these principles to work. The book is consistently fair and sensible, and provides a reminder that these are still achievable.
Nicholas C. Burbules, Edward William and Jane Marr Gutgsell Professor, Department of Education Policy, Organization and Leadership, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
I've really enjoyed this book. It will definitely make students and teachers think.
Richard Davis, Head of Religion & Philosophy at Haberdashers' Boys' School
In an age of social media, where opinions are often elevated above facts and disagreement can mean exclusion, many teachers are reluctant to tackle controversial issues in the classroom. Glenn Bezalel makes a compelling case for honest discussion and active citizenship - and the important role of education in modelling these skills. From theory to classroom reality, this is an important and timely book - an indispensable guide to all things controversial.
Dr Jeremy Hall, Editor of Dialogue Journal
This is an excellent and timely book that every teacher and parent needs to read. Bezalel deals with the most controversial topics of concern for children and teenagers in a fair and in-depth way, helping teachers to navigate their way through the trickiest of debates that come up in the classroom.
Sophie Hussey, Head of Religion & Philosophy at Yarm School
Glenn Bezalel's book is a much-needed, scholarly and thorough exploration of the topic of controversy, where it sits in the twenty-first century and why it has become such a thorny and almost insurmountable issue in schools and in the wider world. Bezalel's lens is highly intelligent and perceptive.
In the first part of his book, he looks at controversy from every possible angle and sets out why it has in some ways become something that some academics, college vice-chancellors and headteachers are doing their best to avoid at all costs, when really the discussion and debate of opposing viewpoints is the cornerstone of any successful democracy or society that claims to believe in freedom of speech and of conscience.
The second part sets out valuable strategies that teachers can deploy in order to introduce, tackle and officiate over the successful discussion of controversies in the classroom; this includes when a controversial topic unexpectedly arises in a lesson or setting up a successful discussion of a knowingly controversial topic in a lesson.
At this time in our development as a nation, we are constantly seeking to navigate our way through highly-charged notions such as cancel culture, free speech, hate speech and safe spaces. It is key that we are able to listen to those with whom we disagree and that we can also all also voice our own views without fear of being shouted down or told that we are just plain wrong.
What I loved about this book most is that it is consistently and infectiously optimistic-yes there is a problem, we are told, but here are some ways we can tackle it. Anyone who has a dearly-held love of freedom, free speech and who has desire to ensure that these are to be cherished and held dear by rigorous, reasoned discussion and debate will find that this is the book they have been waiting for.
Clare Wagner, Head of The Henrietta Barnett School
