There’s really no way to avoid difficult topics from rape to incest to infanticide to genocide to suicide in the Classics classroom. These are central to the material we read and study. In my opinion, it is unethical to pretend they aren’t there. So the question is: how do we address them responsibly? By “responsibly” I mean both intellectually and practically. By “practically” I mean: in a way that doesn’t accidentally get you—especially the teacher without a fancy title—in trouble.

This post will take a lot of thought and fine tuning. Stay tuned for more.

Further Readings:

• McHardy, F. & N. S. Rabinowitz, edd. 2014. From Abortion to Pederasty: Addressing Difficult Topics in the Classics Classroom. Ohio State University Press.

For suicide, see J.F. Patterson’s CANE talk in March, 2024.