"My opinion does not matter" : A qualitative interview study on teachers' perceptions of expressing their own political opinions in teaching

This qualitative study investigates teachers’ opinions on whether it is appropriate to express their own political views in front of the class. Eight social studies teachers are interviewed regarding their interpretation of the Swedish steering documents, such as the curriculum for the upper secondary school and the school law. The analysis of the respondents’ answers incorporates Michel Lipsky’s theoretical perspective on street-level bureaucracy, in which teachers can be considered as street-level bureaucrats, who must make quick decisions, and balance conflicting demands; from the students, who act as clients, and from official policy, which they are required to implement. The results indicate differences in how teachers understand and apply these principles. All participating teachers agree that their personal opinions should not be the primary focus when discussing political ideologies in class. They unanimously state that their most important responsibility is to uphold the democratic values that form the foundation of the Swedish school steering documents. However, discrepancies emerge in the teachers’ perspectives on whether they should share their own political views with students. Some argue that withholding their opinions is “insidious”, while others believe that a teacher’s personal stance does not enhance the teaching of political ideologies, in fact they suggest it could potentially harm students in the worst case.