Many students see the border for the first time. Photo by Erin Sprott

Whether within social media or the news, many of today’s most challenging issues are often boiled down to divisive and oversimplified black and white concepts. Thus, it can be difficult to cover complex topics in classrooms for fear of reproducing these limiting forms of discourse and inquiry. Unfortunately, by avoiding hot-button issues, teachers can miss important opportunities to foster civic engagement, critical thinking, and collaboration—essential skills for 21st century leadership.