By Arisbeth Aquino, Santiago Vazquez, and Priscilla Hernandez

Since the beginning of Donald Trump’s campaign, rhetoric has always been an issue. His rhetoric when referencing Mexicans as “rapists, criminals, and drug dealers” and Muslims as terrorists has caused outrage and anger in these groups of people. Trump supporters have shown their approval of what Trump says. Every supporter takes Trumps words and believes them.

Everyone has been spectating and analyzing Trumps rallies from a distance and are terrified. Trump’s platform has been dehumanizing minorities, chauvinism, misogyny and bigotry. In simpler terms, Donald Trump has been a nation wide bully. As for his supporters, they have been expressing themselves and their beliefs in violent manners. The latter has been a major concern for parents and teachers because young children are witnessing the violence or experiencing it first hand at school and out of school. Children from elementary school are beginning to use more hate speech at school due to Donald Trump. Southern Poverty Law Center conducted a survey in which over 10,000 teachers, counselors, and administrators responded. The survey concluded from their responses that, “Ninety percent of educators report that school climate has been negatively affected, and most of them believe it will have a long-lasting impact,”(Southern Poverty Law Center). Southern Poverty Law Center also stated that, “verbal harassment, the use of slurs and derogatory language, and disturbing incidents involving swastikas, Nazi salutes and Confederate flags,” has been increasing (Southern Poverty Law Center).  

The heavy presence of racism and bullying in our school has been damaged and is no longer a safe place. APB has been aware of what has been going on at other school so the Student Council body has done everything they could think of in order to maintain the safety that we have. However, it failed because people didn’t feel much enthusiasm in speaking out against this for many reasons. Many students are still confused by the results of the election and are still not comfortable with voicing what they feel. This is still something that has to be worked on and it will require everybody’s help.