The Trump Effect: A
Follow-up
After Election Day
With
the 2016 election behind us and inauguration day right around the corner, schools are seeing the Trump Effect continue to be a present issue in their
schools, classrooms, and communities.
The Southern Poverty Law Center has performed another
online survey following the results of the November 2016 election in an attempt
to gauge the mood of educators and students in our country. More than 10,000
teachers, counselors, administrators and others who work in schools responded
and, “The survey data indicate that the results of the election are having a
profoundly negative impact on schools and students.”
Ninety percent of respondents reported that the election
results negatively impacted school climate and they believe that the effects
will be long lasting. Eighty percent of respondents described concerns and
heightened anxiety for students and families. Teachers reported that the issues
they were describing were new and growing, “I have seen open racism, spoken,
for the first time in 23 years of teaching.” stated a middle school teacher in
Michigan. Another middle school teacher in Wisconsin stated, “I have never
directly encountered race-related harassment in our school until after the
election this year.” Most of these educators are reporting tension and fear
among their students. Nearly 1,000 teachers reported fearing deportation, and
family separation “as a concern among students.” Targeting and harassment has
increased. A middle school counselor in Florida reported troubling events, “In
a 24-hour period, I completed two suicide assessments and two threat of
violence assessments for middle school students. This was last week, one week
after the election... students were threatening violence against African
Americans. Students were suicidal and without hope. Fights, disrespect have
increased as well.” A kindergartner in Tennessee asked her teacher, “Are they
going to do anything to me? Am I safe?” Communities are experiencing divisions
opened by the election.
There
were a small number of exceptions to the overwhelming responses of negative
effects following the election. There was a very small minority of reports from
teachers that there was little impact on their students or schools following the
election. Students at a high school in Alabama stated that “regardless of who
won, we are still in this country together and we will make the most of it.
They really did not see that whoever won would make a difference in their
lives.” A high school teacher in Idaho reported, “They reacted, but they moved
on faster than the adults are.” Other schools that were able to report little
impact in their communities reported that they had worked hard to establish
“inclusive welcoming communities”. One California high school teacher reported
that, “The students were devastated by the election results, as were most of
our faculty and staff members. However, the darkness of the election brought us
all closer together and in a positive and proactive way!”
The study detailed in this report
was not scientific. Over 10,000 people responded to this survey and submitted
over 25,000 comments. All participants of this study chose to participate. The
results show a disturbing nationwide problem highlighted in the report as the
following:
• Nine out of 10 educators who responded have seen a
negative impact on students’ mood and behavior following the election; most of
them worry about the continuing impact for the remainder of the school year.
• Eight in 10 report heightened anxiety on the part of
marginalized students, including immigrants, Muslims, African Americans and
LGBT students.
• Four in 10 have heard derogatory language directed at
students of color, Muslims, immigrants and people based on gender or sexual
orientation.
• Half said that students were targeting each other based on
which candidate they’d supported.
• Although two-thirds report that administrators have been
“responsive,” four out of 10 don’t think their schools have action plans to
respond to incidents of hate and bias.
• Over 2,500 educators described specific incidents of
bigotry and harassment that can be directly traced to election rhetoric. These
incidents include graffiti (including swastikas), assaults on students and
teachers, property damage, fights and threats of violence.
• Because of the heightened emotion, half are hesitant to
discuss the election in class. Some principals have told teachers to refrain
from discussing or addressing the election in any way.
Much like their pre-election survey
participants responded to open ended questions where they could provide free
responses and were asked if they agreed or disagreed with a number of
statements. The list of questions can be found in the report at: http://www.tolerance.org/sites/default/files/u76079/Teaching%20Tolerance%20Post-Election%20Survey.pdf
Want to read the entire report, visit:
