Controversial Political Assignment at Wisconsin High School

A high school teacher in Madison, Wisconsin, has reportedly told students that they need to publicly display their political affiliations in class, raising concerns about possible harassment from peers.

The incident occurred at Middleton High School during U.S. government classes, as highlighted by Scarlett Johnson, chair of the Liberty Wisconsin chapter. Students were directed to identify themselves with colored squares—red for Republicans, blue for Democrats, and gray for independents. This meant that students would be openly visible in the school hallways regarding their political beliefs.

One student decided against participating after another student was heard making the comment, “All people are Nazis” while pointing to the red square.

The student later expressed her fears to her history teacher, Andrew Hartman, but felt dismissed when he insisted she complete the assignment, despite her visible anxiety. As Johnson noted, she was shaking while explaining her concerns.

In a follow-up, Johnson shared more about the assignment. Students were asked to detail three political issues they wished to address, such as immigration and abortion, while also presenting their papers before the class.

Johnson further described seeing a student point to a peer’s work and refer to those individuals as Nazis. While the student reported this to her teacher, he dismissed her concerns and told her to complete the assignment anyway.

Hartman did not respond to requests for comment regarding the situation.

The Middleton Cross Plains School District has acknowledged that this activity is part of a longstanding curriculum in civic and government classes that has been taught for over a decade. According to district officials, the purpose of the assignment is to foster understanding of party affiliations and simulate the formation of a leadership structure in government.

In defending the curriculum, the district stated that students who prefer not to participate in such activities have the option to opt out. However, officials recognize that the mandatory nature of the assignment has made some students uneasy.

Due to feedback from both students and families, the district has decided to remove the requirement for students to publicly declare their party affiliations, aiming to alleviate discomfort and concerns about safety. Additionally, they are actively investigating reports of harassment related to the assignment, with anonymous reporting tools made available to students.

Some parents in surrounding school districts are stating that their children have been assigned similar tasks, leading to concerns about the nature of these activities.