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How A High School History Class Talks About Impeachment

Spencer Tritt
file photo: DeKalb High School

The impeachment trial of President Trump is expected to begin soon in the U.S. Senate. Coverage of the hearings has dominated headlines for months and the conversation has seeped into Illinois high schools. 

 

Pete Piccone has learned from over 20 years in the classroom that when it comes to rare events like impeachment, it’s not difficult to make the material relevant. But it can be tough to get students to express their own opinion.

 

“I’ve noticed that students are reluctant to talk current events these days," said Piccone, a teacher at Sycamore High School. "They're reluctant to talk politics because no matter what side they're on, someone else in that room is not on their side. And they're very, very nervous.”

 

His class recently studied the history of impeachment. He says they were fascinated by the background of President Trump’s case, including his phone call with the Ukranian president and whether it is damaging to Trump’s re-election bid. 

 

From there Piccone posed basic questions on the board and then let them take the reins.

 

Then he had them take an anonymous survey on what they really thought of the case against the president.

 

“It’s amazing," he said. "The kids mimic us as a society. So about a third said it's wrong, about a third said ‘no problem here’ and about a third said ‘I don't really know what to do.’”

 

He says that as a history teacher it worries him when he sees social media echo chambers and students' apprehension to voice their opinion inside the classroom. But he hopes projects and discussions like they're having about impeachment can give them the tools to have civil conversations with people they may disagree with into their adult lives.