How can educators facilitate political discussions in the classroom while fostering critical thinking and civic engagement? Diana Hess, a renowned expert on democratic education and the Senior Leader of The Discussion Project and Deliberation Dinners at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, addressed this question during her visit as the Davis Democracy Initiative (DDI) expert in residence.
Over the course of her weeklong stay, which included time at Hanahau‘oli School and UH Mānoa from Feb. 24 – 28, Hess met with teachers, visited classrooms and led public discussions.
She is the author of “Controversy in the Classroom: The Democratic Power of Discussion” and “The Political Classroom: Evidence and Ethics in Democratic Education” (with Paula McAvoy). A former high school social studies teacher, she also helps coordinate the Discussion Project, which supports educators in leading productive and inclusive discussions. Hess is the third resident with DDI, which previously welcomed scholar Rochelle Gutiérrez and hip-hop historian Jeff Chang.
Hess led a half-day professional development session at UH Mānoa with 45 educators from public, private and charter schools, as well as university faculty. She also met with middle and high school faculty at Punahou to reflect on their experiences and discuss the implementation of democratic classroom practices. Additionally, she delivered a faculty address to approximately 250 grades 6 – 12 teachers.
Hess also worked closely with students, engaging in a “Dialogues Across Differences” model conversation, where high schoolers from Punahou, University Lab School and McKinley High School explored issues surrounding disinformation and free speech in the age of social media and AI. She later visited various Punahou classes, including a joint 11th grade “American Voices” and “Bias in America” class, a fourth grade class, a seventh grade assembly, and an eighth grade chapel talk, where she discussed ways to approach difficult conversations with openness and respect.
Hess emphasized that good discussions are not just for humanities classrooms, they are essential across all disciplines, including STEM. She distinguished between general classroom talk and true discussion, defining discussion as “focused inquiry through speaking and listening,” a collaborative process that leads to deeper understanding through analysis and diverse perspectives.
Hess cited her research that shows that students value exposure to viewpoints beyond their own homogeneous communities and that structured classroom discussions that allow students to feel “safe and challenged” help prepare them for civic engagement beyond school.
Hess argued that achieving this balance requires intentional teaching methods, including: establishing classroom norms with students; ensuring students are prepared with relevant materials beforehand, rather than engaging in spontaneous discussions; using different discussion formats suited to different topics; and encouraging students to reflect on discussions and using those reflections as part of assessments.
“Discussion is like writing. It’s a skill that can be taught,” Hess explained, underscoring the importance of teaching students how to listen actively, ask thoughtful questions, and express their views in an intelligible way.
In addition to working with teachers and students, Hess hosted two public events: a keynote address, “Teaching to Defend Democracy,” as well as roundtable discussion, “Education and Democracy Now,” that featured Hess alongside Dr. Mike Latham ’86, Punahou School President; Dr. Amber Makaiau, Director of Hanahau‘oli School’s Professional Development Center; and Professor Troy Andrade of UH Mānoa’s William S. Richardson School of Law. Together, they examined the role of schools in preparing students for civic participation and democratic engagement.
In her keynote address, Hess spoke about the role of educators as “democracy workers,” highlighting the connection between what teachers do in the classroom and the overall health of democracy. Teachers, she said, must be fair in how they approach civic education, ensuring they do not push their own political beliefs but instead create space for students to explore complex issues and come to their own conclusions.
“Teach as if democracy depends on it, because it does,” she said, referencing a message on a T-shirt she had made. She also echoed the perspective of education scholar Joel Westheimer: “Educators are in the hope business. We help young people have hope for their future and a vision for their future.”
Hess acknowledged that it is becoming increasingly difficult for educators to decide what issues should be taught as “settled” (such as climate change being caused by humans) and which should remain open for debate. These decisions, she argued, should not fall on individual teachers alone but should be made collaboratively through deliberation with colleagues.
She also addressed the challenge of political polarization, noting that affective polarization, a growing dislike or distrust of people with opposing political views, is a great threat to democracy. Schools, she argued, play a crucial role in countering this by helping students develop the skills to engage with differing perspectives thoughtfully and respectfully.
In the Q&A portion of her keynote, Hess touched on how schools and teachers should determine when to make public statements on political or global events. She cautioned against “mission creep,” the idea that institutions should weigh in on too many issues, which can dilute their core purpose. However, she also stressed that schools have a responsibility to speak on issues that directly impact their work and educational mission.
Hess also referenced political scientist Robert Dahl’s principle of intrinsic equality, which is the idea that all people deserve equal dignity and respect. She argued that one of the most valuable lessons schools can teach is why intrinsic equality is fundamental to democracy.
Hess’s visit left a lasting impact on educators who attended her sessions. “Dr. Hess delivered a thoughtful and inspiring message to faculty about the crucial role of discussion in a democratic society. She provided tangible strategies for scaffolding fair, engaging and inclusive conversations in the classroom,” said Lara Cowell, Academy English faculty member. “Both students and teachers came away reflecting on how classes at Punahou can promote democracy and cultivate fairness when discussing controversial topics in a politically polarized environment.”
Through her expertise and interactive discussions, Hess empowered both teachers and students to approach challenging conversations with confidence, empathy and a commitment to democratic principles. All invaluable lessons in today’s divided world.
Photo: Courtesy of Kathleen Connelly