By Brian M. Butry
Communications Coordinator

When news hit that the governor of New York was named in connection with a prostitution ring, educators throughout the state were put in a tough position.

On one hand, it was the biggest news story in New York since the Sept. 11 tragedy. On the other hand, were the sordid details of Eliot Spitzer’s extramarital activities something that should be discussed in the classroom?

For Aria Goodberlet, a social studies teacher at Rush-Henrietta High School in Monroe County, the decision was easy.

“This was not just a teachable moment, but a historical teaching moment,” she said.

She said even though her ninth grade students, typically 13 and 14 years old, have a range of maturity levels, the classroom provided a safe setting to discuss the issues.

Having just taught about the salacious era of King Henry VIII, Goodberlet was tying that lesson in with that of the presidency of Bill Clinton when news of Spitzer’s involvement with a prostitute hit.

“It’s always a challenge to make connections to everyday events. I work hard to show the relevance of world history all the time,” said Goodberlet. “I peel away the layers to show common themes … It reinforces to them why they should pay attention to news.”

For Rich Bader, coordinator and instructor for Capital District BOCES’ New Visions Law and Government Program in Albany, it was impossible to avoid the discussion.

The career-exploration program he runs for select high school seniors combines government internships with an integrated curriculum of political science, social studies, law, English and economics.

Bader not only spoke with students about Spitzer’s troubles, but found that they were some of the first people to hear about it by way of their legislative internships.

“News that hits so close to home excites the students, it’s all anyone would talk about,” he said.

Bader said the Spitzer case led to discussions about ethics, media coverage, the potential impact on state politics, criminal law and the state’s provisions on gubernatorial succession. All are elements of the curriculum he teaches.

He said it was especially easy to tie the story into a recent lesson on the Watergate scandal as well as the current presidential campaign since Spitzer was a “super delegate” for the Democratic Party.

“Even exceptional students don’t pick up the newspaper or watch news programs unless it’s the ‘Daily Show,’” joked Bader. “So I always spend time with them on current events because there are so many things I can tie into.”

For younger students, however, discussion topics like prostitution can be sensitive. Linda Dunlap, a professor of psychology at Marist College in Poughkeepsie, recommends inviting students to take the lead in discussions.

“I strongly suggest to teachers and parents, when discussing any topic that is uncomfortable, that they ask children to tell them what they know or think they know and have them ask any questions they might have,” said Dunlap. “This way you don’t end up telling them more than they want to know or need to know.”

Dunlap said teachers have the advantage of steering discussions to more appropriate topics for school and leave other aspects they’re not comfortable about for students to discuss with their parents.

However, Dunlap doesn’t want educators to shy away from talking about real life with their students. “Kids are a lot savvier than we give them credit for,” she said.