The shocking election of Donald Trump has unsettled many students, teachers and administrators on college campuses around the county.
College and university research departments are left unsure of what will happen to the projects that they are pursuing in areas such as climate studies. The President-elect has rather famously stated his belief that climate change is a hoax perpetrated by the Chinese.
But it is the fear felt by so many students that is the most troubling part of the Trump effect on higher education.
According to the Boston Globe, students on many of the city’s college campuses are living with increased fear since election day. They fear not only Trump and his ideas, but also the millions of people who voted for him in spite of those ideas.
In the first place, there are students on many campuses, both public and private, who have an undocumented status. For them, Trump’s election has meant uncertainty about their ability to complete their educations. Even greater, of course, is the fear of deportation for themselves and their families.
Colleges are diverse places, just by their nature. Muslim students, gay and transgendered students, Hispanic students all study together on America’s college campuses. Black students mingle in classrooms with Asian and white students.
After the election, though, many feel that they are unwelcome in this country. They feel that the election has given bigots and haters the freedom to attack them without fear.
One African American student at Harvard said:
“A lot of people kind of don’t know how to feel or how to go forward.”
Part of the fear comes from the realization that so many people voted for Donald Trump. There are clearly fellow students who voted for him, and that has generated a conversation.
To their credit, many students who are in shock after the election have decided to be proactive. There are plans to organize conversations between students with varied political views. With the realization that many Trump supporters were too embarrassed to go public with their views, some college students are aware that it is past time for voters to get to know each other.
Fear and ignorance often go hand in hand. Eliminating the ignorance can hopefully go a long way toward reducing the violent and hateful rhetoric that has so many college students and teachers feeling overwhelmed with uncertainty.
Featured image via YouTube screengrab.
