Every day, the death toll in Ukraine rises as Vladamir Putin bombs innocent civilans in hopes of frightening the country into submission. For more than a month, citizens around the world have been anxiously watching the confrontation, grimacing at each sign that the conflict might erupt into a global war. Yet, here at PHS, there has been a disquieting silence among both teachers and students when it comes to the conflict. Unfortunately, this pattern of ignoring current events extends beyond the current war. Largely due to the demands of PHS’s curriculum, many aspects of the past few tumultuous years have been brushed over in classrooms. But current events should not be ignored. These events impact PHS students more directly than obscure historical details that we obsessively study in AP United States History, and yet they rarely ever get taught. This trend needs to end. Teachers and administrators in our school must make sure that students are educated on current events.

The war in Ukraine has real consequences for students at PHS. Most obviously, the conflict puts everyone, regardless of age or nationality, in danger. A nuclear conflict would result in the total destruction of schools, homes, and cities. Of course, at this very moment, some PHS students are already feeling the effects of the conflict. Students who have family in Ukraine go to bed at night not knowing if their relatives will be alive the next day.

Everyone is afraid, not just those who have loved ones near the conflict. Part of this fear is undoubtedly created by confusion surrounding current events. With the increase in sensationalism and fear-mongering across social media and the web, it’s easy for those who lack the proper knowledge to buy into headlines like “WWIII is here!” The further inclusion of current events in our curricula could teach students to be skeptical of yellow journalism. The best thing that PHS could do is to tell students exactly what is going on. Our school can ease some of the students’ fears by encouraging an open discussion of the topic in classrooms. In doing so, PHS would be helping to erase feelings of helplessness, and developing the skepticism necessary for students to stay objective while reading the news.

Furthermore, PHS students can use current events to garner the research skills necessary to form their own informed opinions. Those who don’t know the history and context behind a current event are much more susceptible to misinformation and bias. Students who enter the real world lacking the essential skills of researching and fleshing out an opinion will pose a danger to our community and nation. To properly participate in democracy, students will need to be informed on local, national, and global happenings, and know how to make sense of those events. Through the engaging lens of current events, students would learn how to contextualize and analyze current events, and then form opinions on them. If we are to grow up and become useful members of our communities, we need to make sure that we have these skills.

Moreover, many students rely on their parents and close friends for their opinions because they may not have the time nor the knowledge to form their own. The school should not avoid discussing topics simply because they are controversial — in a classroom setting where a diverse range of opinions is expressed, we have a chance to help students break away from their parents’ and friends’ mold.

PHS should encourage students to express their opinions and tell them how to act on those opinions. Take the Ukraine crisis. Where can students donate? How can they raise awareness? Although there is little PHS can actually do to bring the war to a halt, it can help to provide relief to those caught in the conflict and to give students more peace of mind. In order for the school to give students a voice, it first has to tell them how to use that voice to create real change.

PHS is always working towards creating a safe environment for students to express their identities and opinions. Integrating current events into the curriculum would bring us closer to that goal, while also increasing student engagement and nurturing essential life skills. We can start by taking a few class periods to talk over the war in Ukraine, but there are so many other global catastrophes and controversies to be discussed and debated. If PHS wants to help students find their voices and speak out for their beliefs, it needs to teach current events.