Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury is a novel detailing a dystopian society that is forbidden from reading books. In his research, Bradbury found that 451 degrees Fahrenheit is the temperature at which these “illegal” books burn, inspiring him to create Guy Montag, his book-burning protagonist turned book reading hero. With this loss of knowledge comes questions about the morality of our society. The Avon High School junior class has been reading the novel as well as participating in moral dilemma discussions twice a week.

Every Tuesday and Thursday Mrs. Storley poses a thought-provoking question the class discusses. “Originally, I didn’t see this process lasting for the duration of the book. The kids, however, have engaged so well in the discussions that I’m reluctant to be done with it,” said Storley.

The students start by journaling their individual opinions about the topic posed, and then move on to small group debates. Jaden Stahl said, “It really gets my thinker going at the end of the school day.” The small groups eventually come together for one large group “dispute,” and the students finish the class period by writing a reflection on the moral dilemma presented.

“Tuesdays and Thursdays are my favorite days of the week because of the moral dilemma debates. It challenges your opinions about controversial topics and helps you gain a tolerance for opinions you might not agree with. I love getting to argue with my class,” said junior Kimberly Tolsma.