Moral dilemmas in teaching recent history related to the violation of human rights in Chile

This article reviews the moral dilemmas that a teacher faces in the classroom when teaching recent history which deals with military regimes, violation of human rights (1973–1990) and the transition to democracy in Chile (1990–2008). Furthermore, it explores the neutrality of the content taught; the ideological standpoints of the teachers and the students; emotions that emerge; relationships with the victims and so on. These tensions were noted during research undertaken in secondary schools in Santiago, Chile, in 2007. Introducing recent history into curriculum content is a way to teach citizenship education since it enables students to understand how historical processes occur and influence the present and permits understanding of the social context and everyday reality. However, when what is taught from recent history is an account of the violation of human rights, teaching becomes much more difficult and complex and several moral problems arise because of the proximity of the events, diverse interpretations of the facts and the different levels and ways of involvement of the teachers and students.