America is currently in one of modern history’s most politically divided eras. In the past few months, there have been two assassination attempts against former President Donald Trump. Additionally, Paul Pelosi, the husband of former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, was nearly killed by a home intruder. Political rhetoric used by both parties continues to instigate fear and further division among the American people. With less than 30 days until November 5th, emotions are running high at Scituate High School as some members of the Class of 2025 look forward to voting in their first election.
Initially, it was intended for this article to be a recap of the presidential debate held on September 10th in Philadelphia. Interviews were conducted with people of all political affiliations to learn who they believed won the debate and whether either candidate’s performance swayed their vote. Here’s a quick rundown of our findings:
- Most people believed Vice President Kamala Harris won the debate.
- Trump’s comments about Springfield, Ohio, were upsetting and distracting.
- Both candidates lied.
- Nobody’s votes were practically swayed, but Harris seemed heavily favored.
However, we uncovered a more newsworthy article during these interviews. Seniors who identify as Democrats and Independents appeared more comfortable including their names and political party in a published article in The Scituation; meanwhile, every Republican student denied their consent. For context, Massachusetts has consistently supported Democratic candidates in presidential elections. According to records provided by the Scituate Town Hall, nearly 65% of Scituate residents voted for the Democratic candidate in the 2020 presidential election.
For the Democratic party, we interviewed SHS senior Allison McGourty. McGourty is passionate about Model United Nations and co-founded the political-related club, “Middle-Ground.” Throughout our conversation, McGourty was excited and optimistic about America’s future. She was comfortable sharing her beliefs, even labeling herself a “proud” Democrat.
For the Republican party, most students matched McGourty’s enthusiasm. Many claim they plan to vote for former President Donald Trump. However, when they learned their name and political party would be publicized in an article, they changed their tone and declined further involvement. One Republican student explained the shift in tone, saying, “I don’t want to be attacked.” This student expressed concern about how their reputation, and in some cases safety, could be at risk. Another Republican senior said, “I tend to lean more conservative. But in such a polarizing time for America, I find sharing conservative viewpoints, especially in a liberal place like Massachusetts, is frowned upon.”
According to a poll by the Class of 2025 Student Government, the political party preference is relatively equally distributed. 27% of respondents identify as Republican, 29% identify as Democrat, and 36% identify as Independent. 8% indicated they prefer “not to say.”
This issue is apparent around the country. According to an ABC News poll conducted in 2023, approximately 62% of Americans have political views they are afraid to share.
To uncover exactly how SHS administrators have sought to make the school community a safe place for every voice and opinion, we interviewed Assistant Principal William Luette. Luette acknowledged that during election cycles, many people may feel uneasy. He reminded students, “You need to respect people’s choices, no matter what. Also, learning from facts is crucial to building a safe community for everybody.”
Luette believes the SHS administration serves as a “neutral” source of information. He recalled how, during the 2023-2024 school year, students shared a political presentation in front of their class. Because the presentation was not based solely on facts, teachers intervened and encouraged the students to conduct further research before presenting again. Luette reminded all students that although this election may foster strong beliefs, respect for others is an important SHS value.
Irrespective of the nation’s political temperature, SHS seniors eligible to vote (from both sides of the aisle) appear optimistic and excited to participate in their first presidential election.