Why teachers address unplanned controversial issues in the classroom

ABSTRACT This study examines teachers’ justifications for addressing unplanned controversial issues in the classroom. It builds on the premise that controversial issues arise unexpectedly in the classroom context and that some teachers actively choose to address such issues rather than avoid them. Through a series of semi-structured interviews with teachers from different school contexts in Europe, we found that the justifications need to be understood within a temporal framework characterized by the immediacy of the situation, encompassing the teachers’ past experiences and a desired future, unfolding in a specific context in which emotions play a significant role. The justifications are, at the same time, intricately embedded in teachers’ personal and professional beliefs and their task perception. Participants’ justifications were also guided by their moral convictions so that their actions may be understood as morally motivated responses to what they perceive to be unjust. The results suggest that the extent to which teachers’ personal and professional beliefs are aligned and anchored to a justice and equity framework, and what teachers understand by justice and equity, has implications in the classroom. The study proposes a model that can support teachers to reflect on their pedagogical decision-making when addressing unplanned controversial issues in the classroom.