Controversial Issues

20. In accordance with negotiated contracts, teachers will observe the following:

Without minimizing the importance of generally accepted truths and values, Corrales International School agrees to foster dispassionate, unprejudiced, scientific studies of controversial issues in an atmosphere free from bias and prejudice.

The teacher will serve as an impartial moderator and will not attempt, directly or indirectly, to limit or control the opinion of pupils on controversial issues.

It is the intent of that the teacher will foster the study of such issues rather than teach particular viewpoints. Freedom to teach is essential to the School’s and International Baccalaureate’s goals. Therefore, teachers have the right and responsibility to exercise professional judgment, within the limits of the above guidelines, in initiating and actively pursuing consideration of controversial issues.

Teachers must inform the principal of guest speakers appearing in their classrooms. In the event the Principal believes that a teacher’s presentation (oral, written or visual) of a controversial issue falls outside these Guidelines, the Principal will so advise the teacher, discuss the basis of his/her objections and recommend an alternative approach to the issue.

The teacher shall adopt the Principal’s recommendation or, if needed, mediation of the dispute will be done with the CIS Governance Council.