Hawaii public school lesson on presidential candidates stirs mixed emotions

KAPOLEI (HawaiiNewsNow) – The race for the White House is reaching local classrooms and one lesson has some parents raising their eyebrows.
The controversy is over a two-page document that was handed out to classrooms at Kapolei Middle School.
It broke down where the U.S. presidential candidates — Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris and Republican former President Donald Trump — stand on the issues.
The state Department of Education confirms the document was put together by a group of teachers at the school who simplified the information in a candidate comparison article in the New York Times.
The material given out to students lists six issues.
Here are some examples of what was listed on the sheet:
The lesson is upsetting some parents like Angel Morales, who felt it was biased against the former president.
“Very upset,” Morales said. “I think teachers should do their job as teachers stick to education and not politics.”
The Hawaii DOE said in a statement:
The Department aims to engage students in civic topics thoughtfully and impartially. Recently a Kapolei Middle sixth grade class used an exercise called “It’s a Match,” adapted from a New York Times article, to help students understand the candidates’ positions on key issues.
Teachers simplified this information to make it accessible for young students, striving to remain factual and unbiased. The intent was to encourage independent thinking and discussion among students, not to promote any particular view. We acknowledge that the interpretation and simplification of complex issues can sometimes result in perceived imbalances, particularly when presenting nuanced political topics to younger audiences, but we remain committed to maintaining a balanced learning environment.
Reactions from parents at other schools were mixed.
“It doesn’t bother me. I actually value that because its important to teach students, how do we make informed decisions when we go to the ballot box,” said Christine Russo, a parent at Ewa Elementary.
“I thought it was a little biased. I don’t think that it is right especially at that age level,” said Natasha Heffernan, another public school parent.
The teachers attempts to breakdown the complex issues are being defended by the Hawaii State Teachers Association.
In a statement the association said:
“Both the HSTA, Board of Education and the DOE support student discussion of issues that may generate opposing points of view as an important part of the learning process. Age-appropriate civic education helps students develop a meaningful awareness and respect for the U.S. Constitution and individual rights. It fosters students’ recognition of individual freedom and social responsibility to vote. Teachers create lessons to allow students to study, investigate, process, and develop their own opinions about the world and themselves.”
The DOE has not said if the teachers involved face any disciplinary action or if there would be any chances to policy but did forward us the current policy which said DOE staff are expected to teach on an “objective, and factual basis.”
The Hawaii Republican Party on Monday responded to the news, saying the statements “oversimplify and mischaracterize the complex policy positions and intentions of both candidates, thereby undermining the integrity of a fair educational environment.”
“We call on the DOE to uphold its responsibility to maintain an impartial educational experience for Hawaii’s students,” said Tamara McKay, chair of the Hawaii Republican Party. “Public school classrooms should be places where students are encouraged to think critically and independently, without the influence of partisan perspectives from those who hold authority in their learning environment.”
The Hawaii Republican Party called on the DOE to conduct a full review of the materials; enact stricter guidelines to ensure the information is balanced, factual and age appropriate; and implement disciplinary measures if any misconduct or failure to adhere to DOE standards is found.
State Rep. Diamond Garcia, a Republican who represents the Kapolei area, also denounced the lesson.
“Our public schools have a duty to remain neutral and should not be pushing political ideology from either side,” Garcia said. “When political topics are discussed, it should be strictly for educational purposes, providing accurate and balanced representations without steering students toward a particular political stance.”
“The worksheet, contrasting Vice President Kamala Harris with former President Donald Trump, crosses a line that should not be crossed in our educational system.”
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