Schools across the country have recently been caught up in spirited debates over what students should learn about United States history. We talked to social studies teachers about how they run their classrooms, what they teach and why.

In the last few years, dozens of state legislatures have introduced bills that would limit what teachers can say about complicated subjects like race, gender and inequality. The legislation is part of a larger debate over politics in public school education. Across the United States, parents have demanded more oversight over curriculums, and school board meetings have erupted into fiery discussions.