Controversy in the classroom: how to respond?

In cooperation with Fadima Aroua en Edith Piqueray, Team Diversity and Inclusion UAntwerp

As a lecturer in higher education, you will inevitably encounter situations in which tensions arise. A student makes a sexist or racist remark. A student refuses to participate in a minute of silence following an attack. Or an unexpectedly heated discussion develops about war, colonisation, or religion.

At such moments, the atmosphere in the classroom changes. Emotions run high, students react strongly, or, conversely, withdraw from the discussion. As a lecturer, you are then faced with a choice: do you intervene, set a boundary, allow time for emotions to settle, or guide the conversation? The question is not only whether you respond, but above all how you do so without losing sight of the learning process.

Such situations are also referred to as H(eated), O(ffensive), and T(ense) moments, or simply hot moments. These are emotionally charged moments that can be disruptive, yet are also unavoidable in higher education, where a diverse student population comes together and societal tensions enter classroom practice.

This teaching tip offers concrete guidance on how to facilitate hot moments in a professional, safe, and learning-oriented manner, within a framework of active pluralistic and diversity-responsive education.

What are hot moments?

Hot moments are moments in class in which statements, events, or topics evoke strong emotional reactions and strong reactions to the subject matter among students, and sometimes also in you as a lecturer. Emotions can suddenly intensify, creating tension within the learning environment.

Hot moments may arise around sensitive topics in the curriculum, such as colonialism, climate change, gender, or religion. In these cases, they are often somewhat predictable, allowing you to anticipate potential tensions related to the subject matter or group dynamics in advance.

They can also emerge unexpectedly, for example when a student's remark continues to resonate in the classroom, or when societal events enter the learning environment, such as a geopolitical conflict. In these situations, values, worldviews, or interpretations often collide. When nuance is lost or feelings of injustice become particularly strong, discussions can quickly become polarized.

Classroom scenarios

Not every topic requires the same approach

Not every hot moment requires the same response. To better understand such situations, Hess and McAvoy (2014) distinguish between:

• empirical or factual topics, such as evolution, vaccines, or historical events;
• social and normative topics, such as LGBTQIA+ rights or environmental issues.

Some topics are characterised by a broad scientific or societal consensus, whereas others remain open to debate. Many subjects fall somewhere in between.

This distinction helps you determine which role to adopt as a lecturer: clarifying knowledge, creating space for different perspectives, or actively facilitating the discussion.

Challenges for you as a lecturer

Hot moments can leave many lecturers feeling uncertain about how to act. They simultaneously involve subject matter, emotions, and group dynamics. As a result, you may sometimes hesitate about whether to intervene, open up the discussion, or let a remark pass, out of concern for not hurting students or losing control of the class.

Yet hot moments are unavoidable in higher education. When facilitated carefully, they can develop into valuable learning opportunities in which students learn to engage with difference, tension, and multiperspectivity (Warren, 2006).

Controversy versus polarisation

Not every heated discussion is problematic. That is why it is important to distinguish between controversy and polarisation.

A controversy is a heated discussion about a socially contentious issue. Such conversations can provide valuable learning opportunities. Students learn to substantiate their viewpoints, deal with disagreement, and listen to diverse perspectives. This aligns with active pluralistic education, as long as the discussion remains respectful.

Polarisation goes a step further than a sharp disagreement. An us-versus-them dynamic emerges, stereotypes begin to dominate, people no longer listen to one another, and positions become entrenched.

For you as a lecturer, this requires a different course of action. A controversy can be facilitated as part of the learning process. When polarisation is looming, it is important to explicitly acknowledge tensions, not ignore confrontational statements, and set clear boundaries where necessary.

Although students and lecturers shape the learning environment together, you remain responsible for facilitating the conversation. You determine when there is room for exchange, when boundary-setting is needed, and when de-escalation should take priority.

In short, controversy can be a powerful learning opportunity, whereas polarisation calls for active boundary-setting or de-escalation.

Why intervention matters

Not responding has consequences

Choosing not to respond may sometimes seem like the safest option, but it affects the learning environment. When a lecturer does not intervene, students may get the impression that hurtful remarks are tolerated or even implicitly approved of. After all, silence remains, and the boundary is not made explicit:

“The lecturer did not say anything about it, so apparently that remark was acceptable.”

In addition, students who feel targeted may feel unsafe or disengage mentally. Emotions may continue to escalate, disrupting concentration and the learning process. In the longer term, this can also affect students’ ability to learn, as they are given fewer opportunities to deal with conflict constructively.

Intervening creates learning opportunities

When you do respond and facilitate the moment effectively, a hot moment can develop into a valuable learning opportunity. Students learn that disagreements are normal, but that it is important to reflect on their own assumptions and possible biases. They practise critical thinking, exploring different perspectives, and engaging with multiperspectivity.

In this way, the classroom becomes a place where challenging topics can remain open for discussion, within clear agreements about respectful interaction and constructive communication in accordance with the norms of the institution.

By doing so, you also contribute to broader learning outcomes of higher education, such as open-mindedness, critical thinking, awareness of one’s own perspectives, and active engagement.

Preparing for a hot moment

Hot moments often arise unexpectedly, but good preparation can help you respond more calmly and purposefully when they occur:

Know yourself

Reflect on your own triggers and biases. Which topics or statements tend to evoke strong emotions in you? Thinking in advance about how you might respond in tense situations can reduce the element of surprise when a hot moment occurs. Students are more likely to feel safe when you, as the instructor, remain calm and maintain an overview of the situation.

Create a safe learning environment

Establish clear ground rules for classroom interaction that allow space for both discomfort and differing perspectives. At the same time, be mindful of group dynamics and broader societal tensions that may influence interactions within the classroom. See also the ECHO teaching tip 'Diversity-sensitive teaching' (2022).

Anticipate sensitive topics

When you know that a topic may be sensitive, prepare students in advance:

“In the next class, we will discuss X. Some of the issues involved may be sensitive.”

Explicitly link such discussions to the learning outcomes so that students understand why the topic is being addressed and what is academically expected of them.

Good preparation cannot prevent every hot moment, but it does increase your ability to respond effectively when one arises.

Responding to a hot moment

There is no one-size-fits-all approach to handling a hot moment. The most appropriate response depends on the nature of the statement, the emotional intensity within the group, and the extent to which the conversation can continue safely. Broadly speaking, lecturers have three options: setting boundaries, de-escalating emotions, or facilitating the discussion.

Threat of polarization? De-escalating game changers

When discussions become increasingly polarized, you can actively intervene to reduce or interrupt the process of polarization. Brandsma (2019) describes several game changers that lecturers can use in such situations.

• Focus not only on the loudest voices or the most polarized positions, but also on students who are still trying to introduce nuance:

“Is there anyone who has a more nuanced perspective on this issue?”

• Avoid directing your efforts toward persuading those at the extremes. Instead, engage the middle group, where there is often still willingness to listen, reflect, and explore:

“Would anyone like to add a different perspective to this discussion?”

• Shift the conversation away from the polarizing question and toward the underlying issue.

Instead of: “Should ‘Zwarte Piet’ (Black Pete) be allowed?”

Consider: “How can we navigate differing sensitivities and perspectives within society?”

• Pay attention to the tone of the discussion. Move the conversation from certainty to curiosity by asking open-ended questions, listening actively, and creating space for exploration rather than quick judgments.

Which role should you take as a lecturer?

The intervention you choose as an instructor depends on the nature of the topic and on whether there is a broadly accepted answer.

Open issues

When discussing topics for which there is no clear-cut answer and where active societal debate still exists, such as geopolitical or ethical issues, your primary role is that of an impartial facilitator.

Your aim is to foster dialogue rather than debate and to encourage students to explore different perspectives. In doing so, you can draw on the principles outlined in the Facilitate the discussion strategy.

Issues with established answers

For topics on which a scientific consensus exists, such as evolutionary theory or neurobiology, it is not appropriate to remain neutral about the content itself. You can create space for questions, emotions, or personal beliefs, but you cannot compromise on the validity of the course content.

In these situations, it is important to explain how this knowledge has been established, using careful language (for example, “understand” rather than “believe”). At the same time, you can acknowledge that students may draw on different frameworks of meaning or belief, while maintaining a clear academic boundary:

“This scientific knowledge is part of the curriculum. You do not have to accept it as a personal belief, but you are expected to understand it and be able to explain it.”

When such topics create tension for students, it can be helpful to acknowledge those feelings and, if necessary, temporarily reduce the emotional intensity through the De-escalate emotions strategy. Afterwards, consider checking in with the students involved and, where appropriate, referring them to available support services within the institution, such as confidential advisers, counsellors, or student support services.

Follow-up for you as a lecturer

Hot moments can be emotionally demanding for lecturers as well. For this reason, follow-up and self-care are important aspects of professional practice.

It can be helpful to discuss challenging situations with fellow lecturers, ombudspersons, or other colleagues who can reflect with you on possible approaches and alternative responses for the future.

In addition, many higher education institutions offer psychosocial support services that can provide assistance when a situation continues to affect you. These services operate confidentially and can, if necessary, refer you to additional forms of support.

Hot moments are an inevitable part of higher education. How you respond to them will often determine whether they escalate into conflict or develop into meaningful learning opportunities within a safe and inclusive learning environment.

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