In the past, the KO Middle School history classes have mentioned some current events in their lessons, but not quite as many as now. With COVID-19, the presidential election, racial and equity issues, and multiple issues involving political beliefs, history has become an even more important topic in school.
The election process has been more closely followed during class. In sixth and seventh grade, classes briefly explained the election process and talked about the inauguration after it happened. For eighth-graders, the election process was closely followed throughout the time debates took place.
The incorporation of current events such as politics, racism, and elections into history classes has had a positive impact on students in the Middle School. Some of these new topics include Black Lives Matter and presidential debates. “If you don’t incorporate what’s going on now, then kids are going to wonder, ‘Why are we even studying this?” history teacher Andy Krugman said.
Mr. Krugman tries to stay neutral about political topics so that students feel that they can share their opinions in class. But there are some things that he feels have to be presented in a certain way. “If I believe there is something I feel morally strongly about, or ethically strongly about,” Mr. Kurgman said, “I then present it in a non-ideological way.”
To fully understand the complex topics at hand, students are expected to communicate each other’s thoughts to better understand the subjects. The classroom environment is open and thoughtful about incorporating everyone’s opinions and beliefs.
“These history classes do a really good job about teaching kids about certain subjects, and the teachers are happy to teach,” seventh-grader Lia Prahl said. Eighth-grader Nika Garfield felt similarly. “It’s refreshing in a way, to just sit down and talk about it [recent events],” Nika said.
History classes in the Middle School will most likely continue to incorporate recent events as much as they do now for future students to understand what is actually going on in the world.
