LETTER: How hard is it to NOT force your opinions on students?

In Joan Gates’ June 12 guest opinion she stated that as a teacher, “The conservative nature of this area has always felt a bit oppressive, so understandably, one of the more difficult parts of the teaching job has been to NOT force my political and religious views and opinions upon the captive audience I entertained each day …”

Near the end of her piece she instructs us to “Perform a little self-reflection; ask who determines for you what is appropriate, decent, good, right and moral.”

Paraphrasing her comments, are we to infer that if it weren’t for the “conservative nature of this area” it would have been “less difficult TO force her political and religious views and opinions upon the captive audience she entertained each day”? Personally, I’m glad she teaches math and not civics or social studies.

—Steve Robbins, Kalispell