I’ll be honest: I’ve been a bit preoccupied and perhaps a little out of touch since the election. With the constant barrage of unsettling news about civil rights, national security threats, environmental issues, and the state of truth itself, I let one of my top priorities slip through the cracks: the emotional well-being of my 10- and 11-year-old students.
In my quest to keep politics out of the classroom, I failed to address the huge elephant in the room: President Trump. It was actually a fellow teacher who nudged me to check in with my students about their feelings surrounding the election. She had been taken aback by the anxiety levels in her own class when the topic came up.
As she shared her students’ fears and concerns, I felt a wave of embarrassment wash over me. How had I overlooked the fact that the same election-induced stress that was weighing on me might be affecting them too?
Later that day, during a discussion about our annual Martin Luther King Jr. assembly, I cautiously broached the subject. I was unprepared for what unfolded.
For starters, every single student was far more informed about the election and the ongoing political discourse than I ever imagined. They knew about Hillary Clinton’s popular vote margin (around 3 million votes), the rogue NASA Twitter accounts, and the myriad of political issues swirling around them.
They were well-versed in “alternative facts,” aware of the marches (including those infamous “pussy” hats), and informed about Russian hacking and Trump’s plans for building a wall along the Mexican border. They even knew about the discriminatory policies affecting Muslims. The list went on and on.
While I had initially encouraged them to stay updated on the election, I had lost my voice in the discussion afterward. I felt ill-equipped to guide my fifth graders through the current chaos of misinformation until I found a way to teach about these issues without injecting my own bias.
Despite my attempts to sidestep current events in class, it was clear my students were still tuned in and concerned about politics. I asked how they were getting their information—were they discussing it at home? Some said yes, while many admitted they picked up on adult conversations they weren’t meant to hear. Others accessed news through their phones, tablets, radios, and TVs. Even comments exchanged between teachers hadn’t escaped their notice.
As they shared their experiences of increased stress, anger, and a general sense of dread about the future, I recognized the profound impact the election was having on family dynamics. My students described their parents as being more irritable and sadder. One remarked simply, “There’s just less happiness in our home.”
This conversation made it painfully clear that ignoring politics in my classroom wasn’t making it disappear. I promised my students I would engage with them more often and vowed to find effective ways to discuss their concerns in class. I also asked them how they coped at home. Some mentioned “playing,” while others said their families had turned off the TV. One student meditated with her mom, while two participated in the Women’s March with their parents.
While I understand that not every family is unhappy with the new administration’s policies, our discussion indicated that many families at my school were struggling. The large turnout at protest marches suggests that these parents aren’t alone in their concerns.
This is a new frontier for parents. When I was in fifth grade, most of us hardly knew who was president, let alone how the electoral process worked. We were blissfully unaware while adults shouldered the worry.
Today, politics is louder and more divisive than ever before. We must rethink how we communicate about the current political landscape with our children. They are listening, and we can no longer deny their awareness.
In addition to having open conversations, we should explore ways to empower children through action. Many of my students found hope and relief in participating in marches alongside their parents. Parents can help channel their children’s anxieties into constructive actions by identifying their concerns and encouraging them to engage in community service, join organizations, or write letters. This approach not only lessens feelings of helplessness but also fosters active, informed citizens for our democracy’s future.
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In summary, it’s essential to recognize that our children are affected by the political climate, and we must engage with them thoughtfully. By encouraging open communication and empowering them to take action, we can help alleviate their stress and foster a sense of agency in an increasingly complex world.