You teach a first-year writing course (20-25 students) where controversial subjects are often the topic of any given class session. In fact, you intentionally introduce “hot button” subjects into your class discussions, as you believe that students need to be able to argue more than one perspective of an issue. At the least, you think, students should be able to recognize that multiple perspectives exist and that they can find “common ground” between opponents of a complex issue. Students read an essay by a prominent female author about how women in the U.S. culture are “labeled” and conversely, how men do not have those same-type labels. Tina Thwarter is waiting for you as you begin class: “I’m not going to read this trash,” she says. “My dad says I don’t have to because I’m not [in staged whisper] a feminist. I’m here to learn about important things.”
