Since the turn of the century, respectful, intellectual debate has increasingly disappeared from public discourse. While much has been written about the causes, what I want to focus on here is the damaging effect this decline has had on democratic societies like ours, and what needs to happen to reverse this trend.
What we are seeing is the erosion of democratic norms and rights such as freedom of speech and critical thinking, and the stifling of empathy. Young people are either being shut down or reported for expressing their opinions and concerns, or are being trapped in echo chambers in terms of narrative and language. They are often being led to support otherwise admirable causes in ways that deepen antisemitism, Islamophobia, and other forms of hatred.
Ordinary Palestinians and Muslims are painted as symbols of violent extremism, while ordinary Israelis and Jews are cast as colonial oppressors. In reality, it is the leaders who perpetrate the violence on both sides who should be the targets of our collective criticism, yet large segments of our society are being isolated and discriminated against for political conflicts they have no involvement in, while people across the Middle East are enduring unimaginable horror and suffering.
All of this goes against the three core values that we are promoting through our education programme: non-violence, equality for all, and rejection of hatred.
At Solutions Not Sides (SNS), we facilitate learning and dialogue on one of the world’s most contentious issues: the Israel-Palestine conflict. The level of polarisation surrounding this topic has escalated to the point where many on both sides attempt to shut down nuanced discussions, labelling any education or dialogue as “betrayal”. Their preference is for a single, “correct” narrative, rather than pursuing genuine solutions with those whose narrative is different.
These critics of a solutions-focused approach that engages both sides have forgotten what historical figures such as Trimble, Hume, de Klerk, and Mandela understood: peace is negotiated with adversaries, not allies. A key step in creating peace and justice is humanising the other side and overcoming hatred. As Mandela (who from his imprisonment onwards pursued humanisation as part of his campaign to end Apartheid) said: “If people can learn to hate, they can be taught to love.”
This polarisation has dire consequences for efforts to maintain impartiality in education, as mandated by the Department for Education. At Solutions Not Sides, our approach is non-partisan because that’s what schools and the Department for Education require. Non-partisan does not mean neutral. Neutrality implies taking a stance on a political spectrum, whereas being non-partisan means adhering to facts and applying consistent principles without advancing one side’s agenda.
Those who witness our work first-hand know that our programme does not engage in ‘both-siderism’ - we do not create false equivalence on factual issues. Our speakers come from a range of political perspectives, offering personal stories and opinions while criticising both the far right and the far left where appropriate. Our materials allow for authentic representation of both sides, without artificially balancing their views or altering facts.
Furthermore, the values underpinning our programme ensure that while we cover all sides objectively, participants do not reach the same conclusions about each side. We provide understanding about context, perspective, and impact without excusing immoral actions or ignoring verifiable facts. Our goal is to make students more informed, active citizens capable of contributing to solutions. Without understanding diverse lived realities, and solutions-based education that pursues the outcomes of peace and justice, they cannot effectively contribute to a resolution.
To protect the culture of free speech and open debate, schools must actively build resilience against this growing polarisation. School leaders have a responsibility to stand up to intimidation and provide students with a safe and courageous space to discuss complex geopolitical issues – whether it’s Northern Ireland, Israel-Palestine, Russia-Ukraine, Armenia-Azerbaijan, Cyprus, or Kashmir. The stability, justice, and security of the world depends on young people learning diplomacy, conflict resolution, communication, and critical thinking.
Ultimately, our aim is to help create a fair and compassionate global society, one that values diversity, protects human rights, and fosters spirited, reasoned debate. A society where mob mentality is distrusted, and freedom allows for human flourishing.
We urge school leaders not to shy away from difficult topics but to take a holistic approach to teaching controversial issues with resources that strive to adhere to impartiality guidelines, such as Solutions Not Sides and Parallel Histories. Most importantly, it is vital that schools stand firm against efforts to silence or intimidate those committed to these democratic values. By doing so, they give students the opportunity to learn and develop as active citizens.
Our teacher guides are available to download on our website here.
Sharon Booth is Executive Director and Founder at Solutions Not Sides.