Do They Feel Heard? A Study of Canadian Secondary School Students’ Voices Around Violent Extremism

J Educ (Boston). 2025 Feb 3;205(3):199-213. doi: 10.1177/00220574251318312. eCollection 2025 Jul.

ABSTRACT

This paper examines the perspectives and experiences of Canadian secondary school students on violent extremism. Through interviews with students (n = 36), the study highlights a significant lack of critical understanding of the topic. Although students perceive their teachers as competent, discussions on violent extremism are notably absent in classrooms, leading students to over-rely on informal sources such as social media, often rife with misinformation. Furthermore, many students tend to overemphasize Islamist extremism while showing no knowledge about right-wing or other forms of extremism. Some Muslim students report facing identity crises and discrimination due to prevailing discourses around Islam and violence.

PMID:41938795 | PMC:PMC13046234 | DOI:10.1177/00220574251318312