Dealing with contentious issues is a part of living in a democracy. Controversies in the classroom range from discussions of fairness regarding playground rules to the rules of "just war." Understanding that there are multiple and often competing viewpoints is a prerequisite to being an informed and effective citizen. Teaching students to define and express their viewpoints in appropriate ways, to listen carefully to opposing views, to insist that all parties adhere to evidence, and to detect flaws in argument and reasoning falls under the purview of social studies education. This article presents an argument for discussing (and not avoiding) controversial issues in the classroom and offers some guidelines for teachers. (Contains 8 endnotes.)