The 5 p.m. news drones on about never-ending tragedies, executive actions, “unprecedented” times and all the while many wonder what to make of it. The next day, students sit through their classes grappling with the state of the world, wondering who to talk to and what to say.
The high school features a diversity of students and staff, varying in race, gender, sexual identity and political beliefs, which can make talking about the current political landscape difficult. Politics always seem to be a taboo topic, and many students may feel isolated as a result of a lack of conversation surrounding the current state of the world, according to students and teachers alike.
As a result of the current political climate, English Language Learners teacher Katy Ouelette said that international students can feel especially uncertain about their place both at the high school and in the country.
“I think people will certainly separate leadership from the general values of our community, but how can you not feel like you’re not welcome when there’s so much talk about who can and can’t be here?” Ouelette said. “I think of course, there’s some element of anxiety about what’s going to happen. I think depending on what each family situation is, it can be really scary.”
Speaking across differences is of the utmost importance in times of division, according to social studies teacher and Queer Student Union advisor Kate Leslie. She said that affinity groups can provide a place for students to think through and understand how they feel, which will allow them to engage in meaningful conversations with those who might think differently.
“If someone has felt like they’ve been able to process emotions and get out feelings and feel supported in their joys or in their pain, then it almost allows for folks to then also say, ‘Okay, but I’m curious and I’m needing to better understand how someone might have a really different reaction than me in this moment. I want to be able to actually talk to folks who are feeling really differently,’” Leslie said. “So I think that’s really important right now, too, because the silence is what I find the most scary.”
Junior Teo Montiel Konstantinakos said that although conversations have been happening around the school, structured planning and time for conversation in class surrounding the political landscape has been lacking.
“After the election, a lot of people were talking. But the only people who really continuously talk…[are] people who are already interested in that type of stuff to begin with,” Montiel Konstantinakos said. “But it’s different if a teacher is facilitating that in class.”
Leslie said that while having conversations about politics and current events in classrooms might be beneficial, this type of conversation can pose challenges for classrooms with varying perspectives.
“I think that that’s a tricky thing because we pride ourselves here at this school in being a school where people are allowed to have all different political beliefs. Therefore, [it] absolutely is perfectly allowed for folks to have been excited and happy about the results after the election and for folks to be hurt or devastated after the election. So having a mixture of those emotions amongst students in a classroom is really hard,” Leslie said.
Montiel Konstantinakos said that along with more class time dedicated to holding conversations about current events, more education is needed surrounding the political system.
“I do think that just generally there should be more of a political education at BHS,” Montiel Konstantinakos said. “There should be more of an emphasis on understanding how politics actually work and not dumbing it down too much or not relying on what students are supposed to ‘already know.’”
Despite such challenges, Ouelette said that simple acts of acceptance and displays of support for international students could make a difference in how welcomed they feel at the high school.
“Some of our [international] students can feel invisible in this school. So many people come from different immigrant experiences,” Ouelette said. “It might be not in our day-to-day classes, but I think maybe students would be surprised to know just how many people are on their side in terms of, we want you here.”
Leslie echoed this sentiment, saying that taking the first step to speak on issues going on in the country and world is vital in moving towards a more welcoming school environment. Leslie touched on the “stand out” that occurred before school on February 28, where students and staff stood outside of multiple schools in the district holding signs of support for the LGBTQIA+ community. She used this as an example of standing in solidarity with groups who may feel targeted or unsafe.
“It can be as simple as saying, ‘We’re here with you,’ Leslie said. “I’d love to see more of those public displays, not just displays on stickers and posters, but more public displays that feel like they’re a reaction to the political moment and saying, ‘Here’s our values as a Brookline community and here’s what we’re not going to back down [on].’”
Spanish teacher Marta Fuertes organized an effort to put up posters in many different languages informing the school community about their rights. Fuertes said that these posters are for students who feel unsafe and also for the broader school community, to ultimately create an environment that feels secure for all.
“We might be in a comfortable situation, we might be citizens, but we know somebody who probably is wondering what’s gonna happen to them,” Fuertes said. “So having those resources on the walls gives us tools to support other people and create an alliance-ship to people who at this point feel vulnerable or targeted and create a community of support and understanding and empathy, awareness.”
