Giving Compass' Take:

· Writing for The Hechinger Report, Erika Kitzmiller and Adele Bruni Ashley discuss the changes to education policy made by the Trump administration, bullying in schools, student mental health, and why remaining silent is a political act during this time. 

· Why is it important for adults and youths to stay politically active in their communities? How does this affect the way youths develop and learn?

· Here's a list of the changes the Trump administration has made to education policy. 

Pipe bombs. People murdered because of their skin color or religion. The possible end of federal protections for transgender people.

These recent horrific events may have occurred outside school walls, but the associated trauma and fear are spilling into our classrooms.

Teachers are struggling to find ways to support their students and to create meaningful curricula for children who may or may not understand the effects of these events in their lives.

In 2017, UCLA’s Institute for Democracy, Education, and Access surveyed 1,535 teachers from over three hundred geographically and demographically diverse public high schools, asking them to reflect on their experiences from January to May of that year.

Through both this survey and subsequent teacher interviews, the institute found that 51.4 percent of teachers reported that more students were experiencing “high levels of stress and anxiety” than in previous years; teachers pointed to heightened student concerns about immigration status, healthcare and LGBT rights.

Read the full article about staying politically active by Erika Kitzmiller and Adele Bruni Ashley at The Hechinger Report.