Riya Mukherjee ‘23
The EA administration instituted several discussions and presentations over the past few weeks in an attempt to unify the EA community, despite political partisanship in the recent presidential election and upcoming transition of power. Michael Letts, Head of Upper School, says, “This is unprecedented territory. There has not been in my 17 years here an issue [with] an election, particularly that has been this charged.”
The EA administration’s primary goal is to bring the EA community together in times of change and to ensure safety for all members. To accomplish this, EQV, an elected group of senior student leaders, first gave a presentation in chapel during election week on kindness and the Stripes. Letts adds that he will be speaking in chapel, and that the Young Democrats and Young Republicans will be issuing a joint statement. Additionally, advisories held discussions about acting civilly and respectfully as the election approached. Letts explains, “All of these messages are about appropriate, respectful, behavior.” Through these school-wide events, the administration hopes to further educate EA about “fully developing [student’s] thoughts through critical thinking, through research, through exploring ideas. Having a dialogue with somebody who holds a counter viewpoint to you actually helps educate you.”
Students have also expressed their concerns about how the final election results will affect relationships on the EA campus. Mahliat Tamrat ‘23 says, “I am worried about the election since, with any outcome, there will be backlash in our community.”
Clare Collins ‘23, says, “Over the past four years, our country has become increasingly more divided as topics of racism, sexism, xenophobia, and hatred are displayed by many of our country’s own leaders and Americans in general. This election especially is so important and so much decency, science, love, democracy, and character is on the ballot.” She adds that although EA students should be respectful, “we should also be allowed to show our emotions without fear of reprimand or consequence…keeping in mind that not everyone believes in the same things as us.”
Especially with concerns of how the reaction will affect the civility on campus, Mike Letts goes on to say, “We are prepared for this. How the administration is assisting the faculty, the faculty members that we have on staff, the psychologist and emotional support, the safe spaces on campus, the joint communications trying to make sure that [students] talk about this regularly.”
Timothy Gavin, head chaplain, adds, “We want to be in a position where students, faculty, and staff feel they have a place to go to say how they are feeling and not be judged.”
Fr. Gavin also encourages open political discussions among both the student body and faculty since it will allow the community to better understand each other’s views. “We need to emphasize dialogue. We are always looking for a winner and a loser, in dialogue you can come to a conclusion, [which] could actually build unity. As opposed to a debate where there is a winner and a loser, that actually causes more division,” says Fr. Gavin, Head Chaplain.
Dr. Row, teacher of ethics and moral philosophy, offers advice for all members of the community, and says “failing to live the Stripes, to embrace vice and not virtue, comes with a destructive—and self-destructive—price. Choose virtue: choose the Stripes.”