The lesson today,
kids,
is hate.
That’s what it came down to at Gloucester’s West Parish Elementary School, where the parent teacher organization’s fundraiser last Friday included a bean bag toss game with handmade tombstones, one of them marked “Don Trump.”
So mainstream has the hate against the president became that fantasizing about his death is considered humor.
That cost Kathy Griffin her CNN New Year’s Eve gig, but no one at the school seems to have seen a problem with the sick message until a photo was posted online. The subsequent outrage prompted a statement.
“Intentionally or not, it inappropriately brought a political agenda into what was designed to be a fun family affair,” Principal Dr. Telena Imel wrote.
No apology to the President, just a promise that politics won’t be allowed at future school-related events.
“Our school, and this includes school events sponsored by related groups, is not the place for politics. In planning future events, it will be made clear to organizers that school is not the place to engage in or to display political agendas or opinions.”
Mayor Sefatia Romeo Theken also weighed in, stating, “The City of Gloucester does not condone political messaging within our schools.”
How about, our school is not a place where parents, let alone kids, will not joke about the death of the president?
Maybe in fact, what the West Parish Elementary School and the entire Gloucester School District needs to do is introduce some politics. Starting with basic instruction in civics — yes, Donald Trump was legitimately elected under our constitution — and some lessons in civil discourse — no, wishing him dead is not a constructive form of dissent.
Unfortunately, the lesson of the past year seems to be that the will of the electorate, and the beliefs of anyone you happen to disagree with do not have to be respected.
The people who consider themselves so superior to Trump, who have been voicing fears that he’ll become some kind of tyrant, are themselves the ones who seem to want to toss aside the constitution, spread hatred, suppress people’s rights and apparently now, they are cheering on the idea of assassination. Trump six feet under.
So, parents, teachers and administrators of Gloucester, please. If you think a tombstone with the president’s name on it is “political messaging,” you need to go back to school. You need an education in how we conduct politics in this country. You need to address the hate that you are fostering.
