School, Nation reacts to Election
By: Caroline Hemphill
Now that the 2016 election is over, staff and students are adjusting to life with America’s new president-elect, Donald J. Trump. Within the school, differing political beliefs were evident the day after results were announced.
“I think it was just a case of surprise,” history teacher Brian Feid said. “Nobody really knew how to react, and [the inaccuracy of the polls] led to a quietness in the hallways after the election that was unusual.”
In reaction to a fairly divided sentiment in the nation and the school about the two major candidates, Assistant Principal Jan Greenhoe made a special announcement on Nov. 9 reminding students to be respectful of all beliefs and views within the school.
The changes Trump has proposed have both its critics and supporters.
“I’m looking forward to Trump’s physical policies of international trade,” senior Harrison Lowe said. Lowe believes that Trump’s policies with Mexico and China will be good for the nation and America’s international position.
Senior Spencer Anderson worked here in Buncombe County on Hillary Clinton’s campaign and is less excited about Trump’s transition so far. .
“I don't like any of his appointed advisors yet,” Anderson said. ”But I think his biggest priority is going to be shifting back into a populous government and growing the economy, which we’ll see if he does that or not.”
Despite his own political beliefs, Anderson believes that people should give Trump a chance until they have seen what his first actions as president will be.
“It’s disappointing to see how many people are not even going to give him a chance,” Anderson said.”But ultimately, he won the presidency.”
In an informal poll conducted in February 2016, 25 percent of Roberson students were undecided about who they would like to see as president. The others polled split closely between Trump and Clinton, with Bernie Sanders coming in a distant third.
Now, senior Jake Blum said that he has noticed people in Asheville, as well as Roberson, are quick to defend one of the two major parties with a die-hard resolve, despite previous uncertainty.
“I think it’s absolutely disgusting that from a democratic process, you would go and riot and cause millions of dollars of damage to your own town. It’s just disgraceful,” Blum said.
Only four previous presidents had won their campaign without holding public office before being elected. Two of the most famous to do so were Ulysses S. Grant and Dwight D. Eisenhower.
However, Trump is the first individual to be elected president without any prior public service experience.
“Maybe it might be time for someone without previous experience in public service considering that the people who have been in office haven't done a great job today,” Lowe said.
In a poll conducted by the Washington Post on Nov. 3, 82 percent of Clinton supporters and 88 percent of Trump supporters agreed that the country would fall behind if the other side won. Anderson believes that Americans disappointed in the results should get involved in politics now more than ever.
“My best word of advise would be to not sit on the sidelines,” he said. “Even if you didn’t vote for the newest president, you can certainly still have an impactive role within the government.”
Though beliefs here at Roberson vary, Feid encourages conversations between students in the hallways and believes that the school, as well as the country, can come together again.
“One of the strengths of the American system is that after an election, even a contentious election, we have historically been able to come together and remember that we're still Americans,” Feid said. “We still are at heart the same, and I hope that [coming together] can happen this time as well.”
More locally, in one of the closest gubernatorial races in state history, Gov. Pat McCrory recently conceded to challenger Roy Cooper after a partial recount in Durham County indicated that he would not be able to gain enough votes to win. Cooper, a Democrat, won by just over 10,000 votes, or less than 1 percent, and was the first candidate to successfully win election over a first-time sitting governor in the state.
Cooper will likely face a difficult tenure as North Carolinians voted to keep a Republican super-majority in both houses. That means Democrats will not control the law-making process, nor would they be able to stop Republicans from overturning vetoes from Cooper, specifically about controversial House Bill Two.
Teacher Robert Browning was glad to hear the final results of the state election, now nearly a month after Election Day. He’s especially excited about changes to HB2 in North Carolina
“It’s runs counter to the fourteenth amendment of the constitution and is unconstitutional,” he said. “We are not a state that should stand for discrimination, period.”
“I think it was just a case of surprise,” history teacher Brian Feid said. “Nobody really knew how to react, and [the inaccuracy of the polls] led to a quietness in the hallways after the election that was unusual.”
In reaction to a fairly divided sentiment in the nation and the school about the two major candidates, Assistant Principal Jan Greenhoe made a special announcement on Nov. 9 reminding students to be respectful of all beliefs and views within the school.
The changes Trump has proposed have both its critics and supporters.
“I’m looking forward to Trump’s physical policies of international trade,” senior Harrison Lowe said. Lowe believes that Trump’s policies with Mexico and China will be good for the nation and America’s international position.
Senior Spencer Anderson worked here in Buncombe County on Hillary Clinton’s campaign and is less excited about Trump’s transition so far. .
“I don't like any of his appointed advisors yet,” Anderson said. ”But I think his biggest priority is going to be shifting back into a populous government and growing the economy, which we’ll see if he does that or not.”
Despite his own political beliefs, Anderson believes that people should give Trump a chance until they have seen what his first actions as president will be.
“It’s disappointing to see how many people are not even going to give him a chance,” Anderson said.”But ultimately, he won the presidency.”
In an informal poll conducted in February 2016, 25 percent of Roberson students were undecided about who they would like to see as president. The others polled split closely between Trump and Clinton, with Bernie Sanders coming in a distant third.
Now, senior Jake Blum said that he has noticed people in Asheville, as well as Roberson, are quick to defend one of the two major parties with a die-hard resolve, despite previous uncertainty.
“I think it’s absolutely disgusting that from a democratic process, you would go and riot and cause millions of dollars of damage to your own town. It’s just disgraceful,” Blum said.
Only four previous presidents had won their campaign without holding public office before being elected. Two of the most famous to do so were Ulysses S. Grant and Dwight D. Eisenhower.
However, Trump is the first individual to be elected president without any prior public service experience.
“Maybe it might be time for someone without previous experience in public service considering that the people who have been in office haven't done a great job today,” Lowe said.
In a poll conducted by the Washington Post on Nov. 3, 82 percent of Clinton supporters and 88 percent of Trump supporters agreed that the country would fall behind if the other side won. Anderson believes that Americans disappointed in the results should get involved in politics now more than ever.
“My best word of advise would be to not sit on the sidelines,” he said. “Even if you didn’t vote for the newest president, you can certainly still have an impactive role within the government.”
Though beliefs here at Roberson vary, Feid encourages conversations between students in the hallways and believes that the school, as well as the country, can come together again.
“One of the strengths of the American system is that after an election, even a contentious election, we have historically been able to come together and remember that we're still Americans,” Feid said. “We still are at heart the same, and I hope that [coming together] can happen this time as well.”
More locally, in one of the closest gubernatorial races in state history, Gov. Pat McCrory recently conceded to challenger Roy Cooper after a partial recount in Durham County indicated that he would not be able to gain enough votes to win. Cooper, a Democrat, won by just over 10,000 votes, or less than 1 percent, and was the first candidate to successfully win election over a first-time sitting governor in the state.
Cooper will likely face a difficult tenure as North Carolinians voted to keep a Republican super-majority in both houses. That means Democrats will not control the law-making process, nor would they be able to stop Republicans from overturning vetoes from Cooper, specifically about controversial House Bill Two.
Teacher Robert Browning was glad to hear the final results of the state election, now nearly a month after Election Day. He’s especially excited about changes to HB2 in North Carolina
“It’s runs counter to the fourteenth amendment of the constitution and is unconstitutional,” he said. “We are not a state that should stand for discrimination, period.”