Unless you’ve been living underneath a rock, you have become very well aware by now that America has elected Donald Trump to serve as our 47th president. Like millions, Scituate High School students and staff are reflecting on a historically unique election in our nation’s history — as criminal indictments, a felony conviction, assassination attempts, and a historic decision for the sitting president to drop out of the race — have all effectively turned this election into an international circus show. Following a decisive victory for the former president, today, half of America celebrates while the other half grows increasingly worried.
These images were clear as day at Scituate High School on Wednesday, November 6th. The halls were noticeably quiet, the history wing seemingly stood still, and classrooms paused to digest what had transcended the night before. ABC News senior political correspondent Jonathan Karl labeled Trump’s victory as “the single greatest political comeback” in American history, as Donald Trump was awarded 312 electoral votes while Kamala Harris received 226. On top of this, the GOP swept both the Senate and the House of Representatives. For the first time in over 20 years, the Republican candidate for president won America’s popular vote.
Most polls before the election showed either a tied race or a slight Harris lead, leaving most people in SHS to expect a Harris victory. In a series of interviews conducted by “What’stheScit?”—a journalism Instagram account affiliated with SHS—students and teachers were asked before the election which candidate they believed would end up victorious. Ultimately, 26 people believed Kamala Harris would become America’s first woman president, while only 11 people believed Donald Trump would be re-elected.
It’s important to contextualize this moment in American history. Just two short years ago, the FBI conducted a raid on Trump’s Mar a Lago residence in Palm Beach, FL. At the same time, Trump was being accused by federal prosecutors of seeking to overturn the 2020 election results and staging a coup on America’s Capitol building on January 6th. America thought Donald Trump’s political career was over. And yet, with each indictment, conviction, mug shot, and assassination attempt, Trump’s support seemingly increased.
To educate students and facilitate healthy conversations surrounding this controversial subject, the History Department at SHS held a short meeting the morning after the election to discuss results. History Department Chair Samantha Lesniak, who has worked in Scituate Public Schools for over 18 years, said all school departments worked together to ensure school policy was strictly followed to establish a “healthy and safe” environment. Lesniak explained that before the election, core class teachers devoted some class time as an opportunity to educate students on what the ballot questions were, and why civic engagement is an important responsibility we have as citizens.
Reflecting on the entire election process, students and staff described the election as “chaotic,” “stressful,” “exhausting,” “unpredictable,” and a “whirlwind.” In an interview I conducted with SHS Assistant Principal William Luette, he reminded students that respecting others’ opinions plays an integral role in sustaining an inclusive school community. Strong opinions on both sides in Scituate High School are easy to come across, as students reacted to the election results with contrasting thoughts: “Thank goodness,” “Victory is sweet,” “I am terrified,” and “This is unforgivable.”
On a personal note, I believe as citizens we must revere the office of the President. Whoever is fairly elected as Commander-in-Chief should receive the support and best wishes of the general public. In the days following the election, President Joe Biden called for unity, saying, “I hope we can see each other not as adversaries, but as fellow Americans.” My message to Scituate High School follows the same idea: While some may have voted in the other direction, we are all neighbors. We are friends and classmates, and in moments such as these, friendship and respectful dialogue will lead to a prosperous future.