In the wake of his re-election, President Donald Trump’s policies will undoubtedly hit young people and high school students hard, shaping their futures in some deeply troubling ways. From soaring grocery prices to the dismantling of essential programs, these changes are creating obstacles for teens who are just starting to build their futures. The results of this administration’s policies and procedures will have lingering effects long after these policies take hold.
Most immediately impactful are the financial effects Americans will begin to experience day to day. These include grocery items becoming highly-priced as Trump places tariffs on exports coming from other countries, badly hurting the wallets of American citizens. The Tax Foundation reports that by applying these duties and tariffs on ordinary essentials such as foods, they will drive up prices through trade wars with other countries, thereby negatively impacting many groups-including students whose families may no longer be able to afford groceries. With increased grocery bills, teens will struggle to access the basic necessities of life and will undoubtedly suffer academically as a result.
Another concern for teens is undoubtedly Trump’s brutal immigration policies. Many students, mainly children of immigrants, are now in a constant state of fear of deportation. For students brought into the U.S. at a young age, it is extremely daunting. The potential of tearing apart families is an emotional load no teenager deserves to bear. Talk of eliminating birthright citizenship only adds to the uncertainty, leaving students wondering if they or their friends could be in jeopardy–even those born in the U.S.
Besides the economic and emotional rollercoaster, there are other more profound reasons why Trump’s attacks on intellectual freedom via book bans should raise a red flag. While not directly supporting book bans, he supports other radical conservatives in the US government who have worked tirelessly to ban these books in the United States. These individuals have chosen to censor books dealing with LGBTQ+ issues, race and history from high school students. The banning of books reduces the chances of students to explore the world and different outlooks, hence hindering them from gaining relevant knowledge to help them in their personal lives and professional futures.
Trump’s efforts to dismantle programs like DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) and affirmative action will have disastrous consequences for high schoolers in general and for those coming from underrepresented backgrounds in particular. These policies minimize the role of racial and ethnic diversity in higher education, reducing opportunities for minority students. The inequality already faced by some high school students in addition to taking away DEI and affirmative action further complicates their pursuit of a college education and future career.
Perhaps one of the greatest irritants in this conflict is Trump’s lack of support for the Department of Education. A president who does not make public education a priority does not merely misunderstand the role education plays in shaping the future of the country. Even Trump’s appointment of Linda McMahon, a wrestling mogul with no educational experience, as the Secretary of Education is an insult to the entire field. By proposing cuts to education funding and pushing to privatize schools, Trump threatens the quality of education for all students–particularly those from low-income families.
Another issue that disproportionately hits today’s youth is the climate crisis. Under Trump’s administration, the climate crisis has been treated as an afterthought to very devastating effects. By pulling out of international agreements like the Paris Climate Accords, Trump has shown that protection of the planet is not at all important to him. The high school students will be the ones who will face a planet battered by the effect of climate change; they need a leadership that works for their health and safety.
Finally, the decision of Trump to withdraw from the WHO (World Health Organization) immediately after getting over the COVID-19 pandemic, and entering a new threat period with Avian Influenza and tuberculosis outbreaks, undoubtedly hampers international cooperation in tackling such crises. For those who witnessed the pandemic and are seeing these new outbreaks, this decision represents a failure to protect their health and wellbeing. The next generation will continue to face health crises, and a lack of support for organizations like the WHO will only make future challenges harder to overcome.
High school students deserve opportunity-filled, inclusive, supportive future as they approach the precipice of their future. Divisionary policies by Trump disregard the needs of young people and do not offer such support, creating lasting barriers to success and laying a heavy burden on the very generation that will inherit the nation’s future.