Students React to Trump Inauguration

Photo by Haley Bell

After one of the most divisive elections in recent years, on the morning of Jan. 20 Donald J. Trump was sworn in as the 45th president of the U.S.

Despite initial controversy, the inauguration was allowed to be shown in school and many teachers showed both the ceremony and inaugural luncheon Friday morning.

While the mood and reaction varied from class to class, junior Ian Schutt felt the overall atmosphere was much different than during the inauguration of Barack Obama.

“I didn’t really know what to feel,” Schutt said. “I wanted to have hope and try to look at a bright side that in the end wasn’t really there.”

Some students however felt optimistic watching the inauguration, and are hopeful about the future they believe Trump can bring.

“I know that Trump has made some questionable comments,” said junior Alyssa Vuillemin. “But overall he is an extremely successful businessman, so I think he will bring a lot of positive change to our country.”

Vuillemin also believes that many students are over-reacting at the election of Trump, and that no matter if someone supports Trump or not the East community will not experience a direct impact from his presidency.

“As for East students, since we are still kids, I don’t think it will impact us a whole lot. Maybe some of our families but none of us directly,” Vuillemin said. “For my family, it will positively impact us because we have been wanting the changes he will bring for awhile.”

Some East students have decided to take action following the inauguration, and have attended protests and marches in downtown K.C. on inauguration day and the national Women’s March this morning.

After watching the ceremonies in school, junior Victoria Yedo left school to attend the protests downtown.

“I went to the protest with the goal of becoming more educated on the people that might be affected by Trump’s presidency.” said Yedo.

Yedo and her friends heard from members of the Black Youth Committee as well as advocates for the developmentally disabled, and feel like they learned invaluable lessons from the experience.

Yedo hopes that others will take part in protests or similar opportunities to come, and believes that many could use the education.

“I don’t want to act like I know everything about Trump and the issues we might be facing in the next four years,” Yedo said. “But I want to become educated in order to be sure of what we are fighting for in these peaceful protests.”