Teaching in the age of Trump

Mike Jacobsen | Iowa View contributor

Show Caption Hide Caption President Trump talks about tornadoes in Iowa Pres. Trump visited community leaders in eastern Iowa in Dubuque on Thursday.

It started less than 24 hours after Donald Trump was elected president Nov. 8, 2016. It was then that I heard a student taking Trump’s cue of vilifying immigrants by shouting, “Trump! Trump!” in another student's face and then saying that the other student (an American citizen of Hispanic heritage) should, “Go back to where she came from,” and “was probably an illegal anyway.”

From outright, overt racism to covert mumblings under students’ breaths, the influence of Donald Trump on our nation’s youth is being seen, felt and heard. I fear it could reverberate for decades on our democracy.

So what must be done? Is it really so bad? Has our country not been through worse over the course of history?

From Trump’s first comments on Mexicans, “They’re bringing drugs. They’re bringing crime. They’re rapists,” to making fun of a disabled reporter, to denigrating prisoner of war, U.S. Senator and fellow Republican John McCain, to his comments on women, Trump has been tearing down the norms of previous political discourse and human decency.

Trump typically engages others using three techniques that are deeply dangerous if the students of today consider these appropriate debate tactics and adopt them going forward:

Ad hominem (personal) attacks (“Crooked Hillary,” “Low Energy Jeb,” “Little Marco” etc.)

Generalities (speaking at the most shallow level on an issue)

And superlatives (I’m the best, you’re the worst, etc.).

Trump is certainly not the first politician to use these techniques in an attempt to mask insecurities or deficiencies, but he does take these tactics to new levels of democracy-damaging ridiculousness. These tactics do not allow for a full discussion and debate of the issues that matter most to the future of the United States and the further norming of these will do real damage to the future of this country.

Despite the damage being caused and horrible precedents being set for students, I believe our country has been through worse. However, we should not diminish the trials and tribulations that we are now undergoing and the resolve it will take to overcome them.

It is great as a teacher to see that students are leading the charge (and have always led the charge for change) especially with the “March for Our Lives” movement. Students lack experience but make up for it with exceeding knowledge on the most important issues of our day and an energy and enthusiasm that is tough to match. Everyday Americans, including students, exercising their First Amendment rights to freedom of speech, peacefully protesting, petitioning their government, in addition to a healthy, strong and relentless free press are what will be needed to make sure our democracy is not ripped apart by the tumult of Trump.

Mike Jacobsen is a registered Independent voter and 9-12 Social Science teacher at Keota High School in Keota.