Navigating polarization: the challenges of teaching controversial topics in suburban social studies classrooms

Purpose This qualitative study aims to explore how social studies teachers navigate teaching controversial topics in politically polarized, suburban environments. Design/methodology/approach Drawing on thematic analysis of semi-structured interviews with six teachers from the suburbs of New York, this research examines how shifting demographics and rising political polarization shape teachers’ pedagogical decision-making. Findings Findings indicate that teachers view their communities as sites of demographic change and political division, and they describe an expanding array of factors shaping their curricular choices – particularly political dynamics within and surrounding the school. This study presents a heuristic for the zones of consideration that teachers engage with when making curricular choices around including controversial topics. Originality/value This study contributes to scholarship on suburban schooling, social studies education and political polarization and its impact. Ultimately, this research underscores the critical need to protect teachers’ autonomy in curricular decision-making, particularly around the inclusion of controversial political topics.