What's Going On: "Partisan" Worries and Desires to Discuss Trump-Era Events in School

• In Event: Hate, Partisanship, Silence, and Violence

Abstract

Pursuing inclusion for all is newly fraught for educators, in a “hate spike” era when government officials denigrate populations based on identity. After 2016, we co-designed #USvsHate to support educators and students refusing “hate” in an explicitly non-partisan manner. Students interviewed considered it educators’ responsibility to address “hate” in schools, communities, and society—which they termed “what’s going on.” Educators agreed, but feared anti-hate work now might be deemed partisan and off limits to educators expected to remain “neutral” on party politics. We explore the deep irony of this worry about “anti-hate” seeming partisan, which would indicate one President and party were in fact acting “hatefully.” We explore attempts to discuss current events and inclusion as simply part of educators’ jobs.

Authors

• Mica Pollock, University of California - San Diego

• Mariko Yoshisato Cavey, Johns Hopkins University