The purpose of this study is to investigate how social studies teachers at upper secondary schools relate to their personal opinions in teaching politics and how their approach is expressed in their didactic choices. The study is based on interviews with seven active social studies teachers at upper secondary schools. The empirical material has been analyzed through Tryggvason´s (2015) interpretation of the concepts of objectivity and neutrality.

The results of the study show that the teachers have different approaches but that a neutral approach is the approach that most teachers strive for. At the same time, the teachers question whether it is possible to completely free themselves from their personal opinions in teaching. The teachers who are critical of a neutral approach believe that it is more important to show the breadth of perspective and that it is the students themselves who should form their own opinions even if the teacher is open with their own opinions. Regardless of whether teachers are neutral or open with their own opinions, they make didactic choices that aim to allow students to form their own perceptions and opinions. The result of the study also shows that teachers never remain neutral towards the civic mission and that opinions that conflict with the civic mission should never be met in a neutral manner. At the same time, the results show that it is often a question that each teacher needs to take a position on whether certain political actors are compatible with the civic mission or not.