As a new political administration begins, educators share emotions, thoughts and concerns.

Educators express emotional responses to the general political landscape following the inauguration.

  • “I am sick of how teachers and educators are constantly used as political pawns. It’s an easy tactic, preying on the deep care parents have for their children. The irony is, most educators not only share that care but are also the fiercest advocates for our children, dedicating their lives to their success and well-being.  Sure, there’s people in every profession who probably shouldn’t be there, but we need to do better for our educators—they deserve our support, not our scapegoating.” —Educator in Georgia
  • “It hasn’t really hit me that this country, my country, elected a president who wants to dismantle public education.” —High School ELA Teacher in Texas
  • “If teachers are going to teach students the truth about our country they’re going to need the protection of their school leaders. I can’t tell you how many teachers I know are self-censoring right now.” —Elementary Educator in New York

Educators discuss the importance of the Department of Education and the impacts that disbanding it would have on the education system.

  • “The US Department of Education provides protections for kids with special needs (504s and IEPs) & funds education research. Under the last Trump admin, competitions for new grants were suspended for several years. Without the Department of Education, the US will fall further behind in reading, math, & science.” —Math Educator
  • “I’ve been critical of the DOE being a bureaucracy, and I’d love to see it revised, but not abolished. An educator to head it up should be a pre-requisite. Where would students with special needs be without the DOE? Would there be any standards for education coordinated nationwide without a DOE? … If federal funding for certain education programs (Title 1, IDEA) were eliminated, what’s the likelihood that your state or locality would pick up the cost to keep services going?” —Secondary English Teacher in New York

An increasing number of ICE raids are being conducted following the inauguration, leading educators to express concerns about how to protect students.

  • “Question for U.S based educators, has your district released any kind of plan in relation to ICE protections at sensitive locations like school?” —Social Studies Teacher in Texas
    • “Yes, the state of Kansas department of education issued a statement… basically just confirming that laws are in place to protect our students regardless of what is being said from the Executive Orders.” —Middle School History Teacher in Kansas
  • “It should be bipartisan that EVERY school is a no go for immigration enforcement. Not a single child is to blame for where we are. Don’t schools have enough to deal with as is? Leave schools out of immigration matters. Every child deserves to go to school without fear.” —Principal
    • “The last thing our children in schools need – who already live with fear of school shootings – is to have ICE coming in & taking them or their classmates away.  Hugely traumatic.” —Early Childhood Educator
  • “It is such a deep and profound failure that we make our teachers protect kids against ICE, be willing to give their lives on the job, and also fight with the city just to get librarians in schools … all while also having to do the core job of teaching!!!” —Reporter in Illinois
    • “After school yesterday, many of us were sharing resources with each other to know our rights and our students’ rights if there is a raid, and discussing how to support a student if they go home and find their parents taken. Truly sickening that this is what we have to do.” —Educator
  • “Not sure how to feel about this, aside from the rage that we’re even having to deal with it: Had a staff meeting to discuss how to handle ICE if they show up on campus looking for students. Realized that our lockdown procedures are already tailor made for the situation.” —Math Educator

Educators discuss book bans and their impact on the education industry, as well as related industries such as publishing.

  • “Where are my good troublemaking teachers at? The ones who teach banned books, true history, critical thinking, civic action, and include all the human experiences and identities?” —Educator
  • “Book banning is real and is terrorizing teachers, librarians &  students from marginalized identities now. It is worse than it has ever been. … Book banning was relentless even during an administration that was genuinely against it. I cannot imagine what’s coming now that the Department of Education says it doesn’t exist.” —Children’s Literature Editor
    • “As an 8th grade teacher in ‘Blue’ Massachusetts, we’ve had to defend curriculum books every year from parents, and local politicians looking to make a name. Never mind political groups demanding to investigate our library collection, or every reading used in class.” —Middle School Teacher in Massachusetts
    • “Teachers, administrators and even librarians are preemptively making decisions about books based on the real possibility that they might be challenged… The fight is real.” —Middle School Librarian