For privacy reasons, everyone interviewed on this issue will remain anonymous.
Earlier this week, dozens of students organized and marched throughout portions of the school. These students wore Trump merchandise and paraded through our hallways with flags and printed cutouts of prominent political figures.
This is not a game. People are going to be affected by the results of this election. The students who treated such an important moment in our country’s history as an excuse to harass students are undermining the real world consequences and significance of Tuesday night’s outcome.
Let us be clear. We not only respect the right of students to express their opinions, but encourage them to do so. That said, harassment and bullying is not protected speech, nor is it acceptable behavior.
Students were seen screaming profanity throughout the two rallies and were aggressive to those with opposing views. Everyone has the right to express their political views, but countless students and teachers felt unsafe with the crowd’s mob-like behavior.
“I was terrified to even come out of the classroom because I was scared I was going to get harassed by the students. They were calling us slurs and saying things like ‘mission successful,’” a student expressed.
Rally participants screamed next to occupied classrooms, disturbing and disrupting school activities. Due to their glaring lack of civic understanding, these participants had nothing even remotely useful to say, and instead resorted to bullying others in President Trump’s name.
“I’ve worked in schools for the past 10 years and never have I seen that…This is a school!” A faculty member said, recalling what she had seen from both rallies.
It is a shame that an environment which elevates and normalizes this behavior has been created in our country. To the students and faculty who took action, thank you. To others who enabled it, we’d like to think that you will learn from your mistakes, but can’t say we are hopeful.
Yesterday, Principal Drew Stewart stated that “students may not assemble, create moving mobs, or form circles for the purpose of shouting, jumping, and physically contacting others.” We feel that this is the right course of action, and appreciate the effort.
We are all entitled to our beliefs, but with those beliefs, comes an obligation to engage in fruitful discussion. Harassment of any form is never okay. People will obviously be differently affected by these election results, and as a community we need to preach respect, not hate.
