Melanie Scheuer, who teaches social studies to senior students at a high school in Surrey, B.C., invited them to share their views on the monarchy and says they have a range of opinions. Watching students absorb this week's conversations and ponder the mixed bag of perspectives now "percolating in their heads," Scheuer said she hopes they're inspired to come up with further questions and formulate their own opinions. Educators are among those initiating these talks with students, and several spoke to CBC News about why it's important to broach this weekend's event in Canadian classrooms. Some 70 years after the lavish coronation of Queen Elizabeth II, her son, King Charles, is being officially crowned amid complex conversations about the role of the monarchy in the world today and the ongoing legacy of British colonialism. While some students made links to previous topics they've covered, including Indigenous people of different countries, colonialism, monarchism and the concept of empire, she said in general they shared a range of viewpoints - from a curious interest in the drama surrounding the younger "celebrity" Royal Family members to an ardent belief that Canada should cut ties with the monarchy.
"I didn't really know what to completely expect of their thoughts of the monarchy, but a lot of them were talking about how elitist it is, how divisive it has been historically and globally," said Scheuer, who's teaching 20th century world history, social justice and Black studies this term in Surrey, B.C. Mention of King Charles III's coronation on Saturday popped up here and there in Melanie Scheuer's senior social studies classes this week, and when it did, the British Columbia high school teacher invited students to share their thoughts and challenged them to dig deeper.
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