Since its inception, schools' primary function has been to educate youth and adolescents to encourage a prosperous society. Educational institutions serve as an immediate community where leaders foster and nurture principles of standard behavior. The notion of these practices served as the framework for academic institutions and complemented instructional content (Singer, 2001). Often literacy educators are challenged with the dilemma of teaching text or topics deemed sensitive or controversial. The issues can be about literature pertaining to politics, or concerning gender and sexuality that permeate text, media clips, and visuals in the English Language Arts classroom. Many conversations regarding these topics are banned in some learning environments. Likewise, an inequitable action has contributed to and framed the narrative of what is deserving or worthy of study through specific distinction. This action has developed a notion of a "preponderant prototype in policy and society" (Racial Equity Institute, 2020) and led to a significant difference in achievement in comparison to other races. Cultural responsiveness in teaching has proven to impact marginalized students positively. Therefore, it is critical to understand our historical context as leverage to propel forward as a society. Adopting a system thinking approach to shift marginalized students to be more inclusive encourages the adoption and infusion of innovative practices. This study provides a blueprint for educators to facilitate conversations regarding controversial topics in literacy classrooms with hopes to advance society through the nurseries of our youngest generation. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2222/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]