Critics charge that social studies education often fails at the most rudimentary level because there is a tendency to "play it safe" by focusing on general abstractions while avoiding discussion of specific--and often times controversial--topics. In this article, the author argues that one way in which social studies teachers can overcome such criticisms centers around introducing students to what he labels the "Jehovah's Witness cases." He maintains that these cases can provide a springboard into the discussion of a number of controversies that are particularly relevant to student understanding of the contemporary American political process. (Contains 1 note.)