The recent presidential election was a unique event. All across schools and place of employment as well as on social media, there seemed to be a common way of thinking, a desperate urge for one’s opinion on Trump or Hillary (or for that matter, any other candidate) to be accepted by all as true and uncontested. And so when words did not seem to be doing their job, name-calling turned to protest, and protest turned to violence.
Plastered across media were words of violence and discrimination, sprouting from a single view that “my side is better.” From these wounds there emerged a sense of fear, anger, and confusion, which which the the two major candidates stirred up throughout their unrelenting campaigns.
It was impossible to talk about this year’s election without a bitter aftertaste. It was a rarity for someone in a working environment to publicly assert a strong support for a candidate, probably in fear of being shunned or rejected by their colleagues. Some schools prohibited talk amongst students and teachers that dealt with politics, and it was an even bigger concern for working professionals who feared losing jobs or being ostracized by colleagues.
Luckily, the University School community rose up to this challenge.
In fact, we turned a potentially toxic issue into one that made our community stronger. From small talks in the Upper Commons and in the classrooms to large, organized discussion at the Society of Skeptics, many students and faculty at US found it relieving to share the burden of the election, whether an opinion, insight, or even an argument. Whatever the case, it was important to discuss these issues in a civilized and respectful manner, which is exactly what the students made sure of.
These were topics that could have easily gotten out of hand. There have been multiple incidents of brawls taking place in schools and offices across the country caused by the hatred of those who did not agree with the opinions of others. Yet, the school effectively prevented anything even close to these incidents, while at the same time welcoming respectful discussion.
Students at University School should be proud of the self-control that was maintained during these challenging months of intense debate. This level of respect is not easily seen in most high schoolers, or even many adults. We as a community must remember to treasure the loyalty and consideration which our school so proudly presents in preparation for any other discussion-based issue we stumble upon, no matter how pathetic their result is.