As our President supports those who march and speak out to deny Americans their rights and dignity due to religion or skin shade, I am thinking of the young children I teach and how they will speak about a President who does not support who they are or the rights they have. While I don't support any one politician or political idea in the classroom, I do support the American ideal that all people are created equal and everyone, no matter what their religion, culture, race, gender, or lifestyle is, has equal rights in the United States. All Americans deserve respect and there is no room for hateful prejudice or racism in the United States.
Also American children have a right to a good education. The fact that President Trump has named a Secretary of Education that has no experience in education and no will to support public schools is an affront to every public school educator and student in the United States. Just think we could have a highly experienced, well educated, and devoted Secretary of Education, but instead, since President Trump has little regard for education or equal rights, we have a political appointee who is not doing anything of worth to forward a quality public school education for our nation's children. Secretary Devos is sadly a waste of federal money and time. Just think if our Secretary of Education was someone who has really done the hard work of teaching, studying, and leading education, someone like Chris Lehman or Linda Darling-Hammond. Then we would see schools rise with support for equitable, research-based programs that support all students, not just some.
President Trump supports an agenda for wealthy white men and the beautiful women they choose to live with. He demonstrates little to no regard for anyone else. If you're middle class, poor, a person of color, gay, transgender, non-Christian, Jewish (unless you're related to him), ill, Muslim, female, or nature-loving, forget it--he's not your President. On the other hand if you're a wealthy, white male that doesn't fit the descriptors I just named, then he'll probably invite you into his fold and his policies will support you.
That leaves teachers with me the need to advocate because I need to stand up for the rights and supports for my students, myself, and my family since we all fall into the category of non-support by President Trump and his policies.
If we want strong schools, successful students, and a peaceful country, we need a President who is willing to lead for what is right and good for all people, not just a select few. President Trump's speech yesterday clearly demonstrated his weak understanding of history, humanity, and leadership--he is the worst President I've ever encountered in my life, and he's a threat to the United States, a country most of us love and are proud to be apart of.
