The Vista NOTRE DAME ACADEMY*3535 W. SYLVANIA AVE.* TOLEDO, OH 43623* Vol. 67 Issue 3 * December 13, 2016
Students Look to Move Beyond Vote Emily Pawlecki December 19, 2016. In any other year, this date would not be significant, but with the controversy surrounding this year's election, it is crucial. On this day, the electoral college will meet to solidify the winner of the 2016 presidential election. With Dr. Jill Stein's recent request for a recount of votes in Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, and Michigan, American’s are looking to the electoral college to make a final decision. “I think it is very hypocritical [to ask for a recount] because people were against Trump when he questioned the way votes were tallied,” senior Alex Deku said. “I think that the votes should be recounted because the outcome should be fair, but if Hillary wins, it will create a whole new number of issues,” junior Isabelle Tucker said. The weeks following a critical election are usually when the country heals and people come together. "Now, everybody is sad when their side loses an election, but the day after, we have to remember that we're actually all on one team. This is an intramural scrimmage. “We're not Democrats first. We're not Republicans first. We are Americans first. We're patriots first. We all want what's best for this country," President Obama explained. However, the recounts have been a dramatic addition to a long list of nationwide political conflict that have made the process anything but easy.
Classroom displays encourage students to express their opinions. Photo by Emily Pawlecki
Many democratic supporters have been showing resistance to a Trump presidency. Protests followed the election results, and the hashtag ‘Not My President’ gained popularity on social media. Police are now investigating if a mother in Texas could face criminal charges after kicking her son out of the house when she found out he voted for Donald Trump in his elementary school's mock election. On the other side, reports of violence and bigotry towards groups of minorities have increased since Mr. Trump won the election. A high school in Kansas reported an incident where two female students had their Hijabs pulled off by students wearing Trump clothing. On a local level, the election initially caused issues within the Notre Dame community. From conflict at lunch tables, to debates over whether or not girls should be required to stand for the pledge, Notre Dame has a wide range of opinions. The school administration has kept a
close eye on the issues brought up by the election. They are open to student input if girls have ideas as to how certain problems should be addressed. However, many students believe political conflicts are finally beginning to die down. Senior Olivia Weinberg used a detailed analogy to express the impact that the election has made on NDA’s school community. “Let's pretend that NDA is a pond, the election was essentially a large rock thrown into the water. At first it caused a big disturbance and there was a lot of trouble at bay, but now that we have gotten further from the problem it is more of a ripple,” Olivia explained. No matter the outcome of the vote recounts, it is important for Notre Dame students to remain sensitive and tolerant towards the beliefs of their peers. “No matter who they voted for, people are people, and they deserve to be treated with respect,” senior Abigail Syzmanski said.
In This Issue: P 2 Mrs. Grilliot New President
P 5 Creating ideas in homeroom
P 6 Hot Air Balloon Project