My son forwarded me this yesterday from the school admin to students via e-mail.
His subject line read "well doesn't this just put a smile on your face"
He felt good an wore his Trump shirt to school.
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As we know, Donald Trump won the electoral vote, 279 to Clinton’s 218. Across the country, 120 million American’s voted out of a population of 319 million. Hillary Clinton has a slight lead in the popular vote; that is still being decided. The Republicans have majorities in the House and Senate. In our mock election, Clinton won 74%, Trump won 11% and third party candidates together took 17% of the vote.
There is a wide range of reactions to this morning’s news--everything from satisfaction to relief to extreme disappointment and even fear.
It’s important to note that Donald Trump’s rhetoric around women, Muslims, immigrants, people of color, the disabled, and the LGBTQ community is unacceptable and has been condemned by people of all political beliefs.
Our political institutions have been designed to be bigger than any one person. In a system like ours where there are only two major-party candidates, most voters are forced to make compromises. Not everyone who voted for Donald Trump did so because they believe the bigoted things that he has said this year. Many of them voted for him because they feel frustrated with the economy, they feel socially left behind, and they are exercising the one power they have.
In our democracy, we honor the outcome of our elections. And we continue to stand up for our values and to condemn bigotry. Bigotry is not a democratic value, and it is not tolerated at xxxxx. As a school community, we stand by all of our students and families including those who are Muslim, Jewish, LGBTQ, people of color, and immigrants. We stand united as a school community and we will protect one another.
It is important for us to recognize that many members of the xxxxx community identify with the groups that Trump has marginalized/demonized in this election process. These folks may experience this outcome with particular pain and uncertainty. We need to support them and let them have their personal reactions.
It’s important to remember that today we, as a community, are guided by the same principles that guided us yesterday: that there is Light in each and every one of us and it’s our job/duty to find and support that Light.
As Teacher X said in her email, this is politics, not a statement of how we choose to live our spiritual, emotional, and relational lives.
As xxxxxx students you are uniquely qualified to be leaders for positive change--for tolerance, love and social justice. These skills will be vital in the coming months and years as we continue to build a democracy that protects and honors all people. I for one am comforted to know that people like you will be the leaders of that action in years to come.
Hold each other gently today. Strive for understanding.
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My son lives in the lions den but refuses to be indoctrinated.