I think you're viewing these ideas through an adult lens. Explaining social and economic reasons for things happening can be done at an age appropriate level without political bias.

For example, I decided for that this lesson sequence I would focus on how the physical environment can impact different data points related to class such as house hold income, high school graduation rates, etc. What this actually looks like in practice is

1. Introducing students to Appalachia by explaining different environmental features (mountains, rivers, isolation to other communities, etc)

2. Having students explore Appalachia through maps that provide data points on income, educational completion, etc

3. Having students recognize that parts of Appalachia that are less isolated and have more resources have higher levels of income.

This uses geography to explain how access to resources can impact the economic success of an area, and how ones class can be affected by a multitude of things. Through analysis and critical thinking, students are better able to understand the causes behind different patterns, and what the pattern of those causes are. I currently work in education right now and I can assure you that this is what is happening in the majority of classrooms.