Apr. 29, 2026 11:30a
(WGTD)---Political discussions might be taboo in some politically-divided families. But that’s not the case in Kenosha Unified government and politics classes. KUSD isn't alone.
Che Kearby, the coordinator of Secondary English Language Arts and Social Studies in Kenosha Unified and a former civics teacher, was a recent guest on the WGTD program, Civic Affairs.
He noted that the curriculum in the top high school civics class is split between lessons on the structure of government and on healthy political discussion. Learning about the nuts and bolts of government seems to be easier for some students than evaluating political issues and engaging in discussion. "I tell everybody be ready because there's no right or wrong answer and you're going to have to be okay with the person sitting next to you having a different opinion (than you). And that part really gets a little bit more challenging for our students," he said.
"One of the things that I always told students when they came into my room is you enter the classroom regurgitating what you hear at home. I hope that when you leave my classroom you have your own voice, your own beliefs, in what you stand for," Kearby said.
A top priority of the social studies curriculum is giving students the skills and tools to separate fact from fiction and identify misinformation.
KUSD requires a half-credit in government and politics.
The state requires that students, in order to graduate, pass a civics exam.
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