Alice Calcraft
The breaking news of Donald Trump’s overwhelming victory in the US Presidential Election has sent shockwaves of fear and uncertainty across the US and around the world. Many young people are wondering what their future may look like with this convicted felon once again leading one of the world’s most powerful countries.
Trump’s proposed educational policies
One of the questions on the minds of many young people is the future of education, and to examine this, we must look to Trump’s proposed educational policies and how the lives of students across all stages of education may be changed under Republican leadership. Whilst there are a multitude of issues to consider in light of the election result, which is detailed in a previous article, this article will focus on specifically educational issues, and particularly consider how the lives of students may be shaped from the result by talking to students from the University of Nottingham.
the President-Elect desires the dismantling of diversity initiatives in schools
Trump has not hidden his desire to restrict freedom of speech in schools. Over 10,000 books were banned across the USA over the 2023-2024 school year, with arguments from Republican campaigners that books have been removed for featuring ‘topics such as race, gender, and sexuality’. Trump’s looming presidency makes the banning of additional books to educate people about the true diversity of life even more likely. In addition, the President-Elect desires the dismantling of diversity initiatives in schools, and promises funding cuts for schools featuring ‘critical race theory, gender ideology, or other inappropriate racial, sexual, or political content’. In particular, he states that he will immediately ‘reverse Joe Biden’s barbaric “gender-affirming care” policies’, as stated on his campaign website. Current President Joe Biden’s policies to protect sex-based discrimination and protect LGBTQ+ students is set to be completely reversed by Trump, through his desire to ‘pass a bill establishing that the only genders recognised by the United States government are male and female’.
As is outlined in the Republican Agenda, ‘Project 2025’, Trump desires to dissolve the Department of Education completely. Whilst it is unclear whether Trump supports this far-right ‘wishlist’ for a Republican Presidency, he has not hidden his intentions to eradicate this federal organisation providing support for young people across the country. The Department of Education, established in 1979, currently provides funding for low-achieving and poorer schools in need of support. As the Department itself states, ‘the mission of the Department of Education is to promote student achievement and preparation for global competitiveness by fostering educational excellence and ensuring equal access for students of all ages’.
the mass deportation of millions of undocumented immigrants
Furthermore, the President-Elect’s immigration policies to tackle the ‘worsening crisis at the border’ include the mass deportation of millions of undocumented immigrants could alter the future education of students significantly. An estimated ‘4.4 million American children have at least one undocumented parent’, and the deportation of these parents could very likely lead to a worsening of their wellbeing as well as their educational prospects.
the ‘American Academy’
Regarding higher education, Trump desires to establish a new free university, named the ‘American Academy’, which will be funded by ‘taxing, fining, and suing excessively large private university endowments’. He has also stated that he will reduce the cost of higher education through the creation of ‘additional, drastically more affordable alternatives to a traditional four-year college degree’.
Impact Magazine spoke to University of Nottingham students
Whilst these proposed policies mainly focus on the young people in the US, global issues on climate, immigration, and international affairs are set to shape the lives of many around the world. Impact Magazine spoke to University of Nottingham students to gain their perspectives on the political situation in the US, and how they believe that the lives of future generations may be shaped by the election results.
‘On hearing the news, I was gutted. It feels like we are going back in time instead of moving forward, especially for women’s rights. For all Americans, I feel sorry for them, even those who voted for him because eventually they will come around and see who [Trump] is. Even though this is a step backwards, I have faith they will move forward again, as for the next four years I am nervous and already anticipating how this will affect the wider world.’
‘This result is incredibly disappointing. I am so fearful for the future of women, ethnic minorities, and LGBTQ+ people who will be living under Trump once again. I, along with many around the world, had so much hope of the prospect of the USA having the first female President, and instead, a criminal will serve in office once again over a woman.’
‘I find it difficult to understand how the population of America would rather vote for a convicted felon than a woman.’
‘I feel pretty disappointed about the result but not completely surprised.’
Students from the University of Nottingham share a collective view of disappointment surrounding the results of the US Election, with these responses just a sample of the emotions of anger, frustration, and sadness felt by people in America. In a world of irreversible climate change, burgeoning global conflicts, and a need to protect human rights, a sense of mourning has rippled throughout the globe in the wake of a loss of what feels like the final opportunity to change the fate of our futures.
Alice Calcraft
