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Last night, in an upset many did not see coming, reality show star, Donald Trump was announced President-Elect of the United States. As I stared at the screen, I initially was too shocked to even react. In the polls leading up to the election, it was clear that he was “gaining ground” but to see him elected to the “highest office in the land” shocked me the core as not only an educator, but also as a mother of a son of color, and as a citizen of The United States .

My initial shock disappeared and immediately turned to fear as I thought about how to discuss this with the teachers I work with and the students they serve. As my mind raced, I immediately through  discussions that would need to take place this morning in many schools across our great nation and how teachers will explain these events to our most vulnerable (students of color, LGBT, female, etc.) students .

As I clarified my thoughts and resolved to “move on”, I realized teachers need to know not only how can discuss the results of the election, but they also needed a way to discuss the issues in the election that so blatantly divide us.

Depending on the grade level, school, and students teachers this morning may have to:

  • discuss with their female students that the newly-elected Commander-in-Chief is someone who referred to “grabbing women by their *******” and doing “anything” to them will be someone who champions women’s rights?
  • explain to their LGBT students that the man who threatened to “roll back” federal protections is now the leader of our country?
  • explain to their Muslim students that the man who accused them all of being “terrorists” and has promised to make a ban on anyone with their faith is now our country’s commander in chief?
  •  explain to their students of color that a man who made a sweeping remark that black people are “living in hell” that they will have a Commander in Chief interested in ensuring their is equality for all?
  • discuss with  their hispanic students that a man who has advocated for “building a wall” will ensure that they will be treated with equality in a country founded on the quote “liberty and freedom for all”?
  • discuss with victims of bullying that the new President of the United States who has bullied special needs kids at his rally will now be the face of our great nation?

While these are all difficult conversations to have, it’s important for teachers to be transparent and open to allow students to discuss their feelings-if they feel the need. Some of your students may be silent, while others eager to talk- all depending on the grade level, area, and school you teach at. However they may feel, teachers have the ability to be the calming factor in the chaos happening in our country.

Despite our country being so bitterly at odds with one another, it’s important to allow discussion because that’s where healing starts. Allow those students to write, discuss, and vent their feelings all while understanding that our place is not to change opinion, but to offer reason and life for students who are having difficulty understanding what’s happening to them.

[bctt tweet=”The health of a democratic society may be measured by the quality of functions performed by private citizens.” username=”EducatorsRoom”]

Specifically, teachers can start today with this quote about democracy,” The health of a democratic society may be measured by the quality of functions performed by private citizens.” Let students know that the world is not ending if their candidate did not win, but we do need them to be a viable part of the democratic practice and that starts with learning about the issues (race, immigration, jobs, etc.)  that are on the tongues of so many Americans.

The beginning about learning about the issues starts with getting students to understand that every issue in the 2016 Presidential Election is complex and has many sides and caveats. This starts with showing students how to look at issues through informed eyes. Which can start with teachers using:

  • newspaper articles centered around the “issues” that influenced this election.
  • videos of all of the candidates on the campaign trail discussing issues.
  • an assignment that will get students to use facts to discuss the election and the next 72 days in the democratic process

Next, allow students time to discuss their findings focused around the evidence they have to support their feelings. This is crucial when allowing students to discuss controversial issues- especially with our older students. While we may feel strongly about our new President Elect or the former Democratic Nominee, it’s important for students to be able to have civil discussions and leave feeling hope instead of hopelessness.

Finally, it’s important for us as educators to understand that not all issues will affect us how they will affect students. I have witnessed teachers dismissing the hurt people feel about this elections as people “crying” and being “babies”- as teachers we have to remember the most important people in our classrooms are our students. If we teach in a high needs, poverty school more than likely our kids have already formed opinions about the election and the issues surrounding the debates. Ignoring how our students feel does not make them feel better. Telling them to just “work hard” and to not want “handouts” is insensitive and invalidates our our students feel-whether they’re happy about our new President-Elect OR angry about him.

[bctt tweet=”Telling students to just “work hard” and to not want “handouts” is insensitive..” username=”EducatorsRoom”]

In the end, today is a new day and we have to the voices of reason, trust, and understanding as we deal with the aftermath of Election 2016.  Now tell us, did students want to discuss the election this morning?

Election 2016

For fifteen years Franchesca taught English/Language Arts in two urban districts in Atlanta, Georgia,...

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3 Comments

  1. Dear Ms. Warren, I have read your brief article on the election results of November 8, 2016.
    First, calling Donald Trump a “reality show star” would be like calling Leonardo Da Vinci “a painter”.
    Your dilemma was what to say to your students in the classroom. May I suggest that you use the time-honored text book accounts of the election and the winner, Donald J. Trump. You could, perhaps, begin with his platform of intentions for his term in office. They are: to bring back manufacturing jobs from China, to stop the influx of heroin and other illegal drugs from Mexico, to enforce current immigration policies for all refugees and to use extreme vetting for all those wishing to enter the United States without a VISA, passport or Guest Worker Certificate. In addition, you may wish to tell your students that the new president-elect wants to reconstruct the Veterans Administration and put money into the habilitation of veterans returning from war. He also wants to improve our infrastructure on roads, bridges, waterways and of course buildings.
    He wants to halt federal funding for Planned Prenthood. He wants to recall Abortion On Demand that allows third-term abortions for any reason. He wants to re-introduce Kate’s Law to Congress for an up or down vote. He wants to re-negotiate the Iran Nuclear agreement. He wants to arrange a permanent source of natural gas within the United States so that we are not dependent on foreign supplies of gas and oil. He wants to build up our military, our schools and our small businesses..The list that Donald Trump wishes to accomplish is far-reaching and endless. His nominations to the Supreme Court will probably be constitutionally conservative. He will do great things for all ethnic groups, all races and all persons with disabilities. As a businessman, he will bring the economy of the United States up to a world-class level of prosperity.

    1. Nora,

      #1 Donald Trump manufactors his clothes across seas. PRoof:http://www.cnn.com/2016/05/26/politics/trump-clothing-foreign-made/
      #2- You’ve said NOTHING about all of the vile things he’s said (links to all of the proof is in the intial article).
      #3- There’s no I won’t start with what he wants to do, because of all of the vile things he’s said about children and other citizens around the United States. As a mattter of fact, here’s a link of everyone he insulted during his campaign. http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2016/01/28/upshot/donald-trump-twitter-insults.html?_r=0
      #4- To say Donald Trump is a reality start is a true statement. Between his banktrupcies, avoidance of paying taxes- I’m being nice.

  2. Franchesca Warren,

    I did not vote for Trump but neither did I vote for Clinton. Trump promises change whereas Clinton’s stint would mean more of the same. Considering WHERE we are in the worldwide education arena a change is in order.

    You say, ‘Depending on the grade level, school, and students teachers this morning may have to:’

    Is a teacher supposed to be a political advocate? My guess is ‘no’

    As an almost 90 year old I can tell you that we need a change from the status quo which is what Clinton would have endorsed. Possibly the change will come from new ideas – I sincerely hope so. We are teaching in a method that is outdated for this IT literate world that your and my great grandchildren will need.

    I was an elementary teacher in the 70’s and 80’s and even then we had teachers who would not introduce their students to calculators. The calculators were supplied free to students but some teachers anticipated that students would no longer learn their rote math facts. How ridiculous is that? So my biggest concern is about the education of our teachers. Take a look at the standards for Finnish and other nations school teachers.

    Lasly, I’m sure that present day students will get all the info ….bad and good …..about Trump from their parents and who knows our opinion of Trump may change as he takes office.

    From a very old optimist.

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