at school after the election

I am a middle school teacher, and like many of my colleagues, I woke up this morning (the Boxing Day of presidential elections) dreading what I would say to my kids when they inevitably brought up the election. Well, surprise, surprise, the election was indeed a big conversation point as the kids came into class today. Several of them shouted angry, bitter things about Donald Trump; I held up my hand and told them that kind of talk about anyone will not be tolerated in my classroom. We then chatted a bit about the logistics behind the election (when will Trump take office, how long is a president’s term and how many times can he or she be re-elected, what are electoral votes, etc.).

They asked me who I voted for and I declined to tell them. I did, however, tell them this:

• The next presidential election will be in 2020, and you’ll barely still be too young to vote. The next election after that will be in 2024, when you’re in your early twenties, and from that point on it’s your right. Pay close attention to what happens in our country between now and then and be ready to vote when your time comes.

• One of the biggest groups of people that helped decide this election was voters without a college education. We tell you kids all the time that it’s important to take school seriously and get a college degree. Part of the reason behind that is so you can hopefully make informed decisions on voting day. Stay in school.

• Hopefully you remember from 5^th Grade Social Studies that our government is based on balance of power. Just because a president says he or she wants to do something doesn’t mean it will happen. You’re going to vote for a lot of people besides the president, from the people who lead your city to your national representatives; make sure you make informed decisions on those people, too.

• [thinking specifically of the fact that over 90% of my kids are non-white and many of their parents are first or second generation immigrants] You're going to hear people say things that make you think (or let you know) they don't want you here. Please understand that many, many adults still want you here. I am one of them.

• No matter what happens, we need to treat each other with respect and kindness. This was a really nasty election and a lot of people said really mean things about each other. You’re going to run into that in real life, whether in political discussions or just interacting with other kids at school. Make the choice to treat others with respect, and if they don’t give it back, be the bigger person and treat them with respect and kindness anyway.

• What happened last night changes nothing that happens in our classroom on a daily basis, including today’s class. Who would like to read today’s Student Expectation posted on the board?...