Written By: Miles Dinger

As election season came to an end, former President Donald Trump recaptured the White House with decisive victories in every swing state. The Republican Party continued their gains with resounding majorities in both the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate. Because of the historic nature of this election, the well-informed students of Rye Country Day School were able to form their own opinions on the election outcome. 

Opinions ranged from excitement—one anonymous student called this a “great victory for the country”—to despair, as another anonymous student said, “I am extremely disappointed with the results and how they will affect our nation.” Such an important presidential election warrants an opportunity to debate this “living history” in class, but no such opportunity was given in AP U.S. History Classes. 

When Upper School Humanities teacher Mr. White was asked about the lack of discussion about the election, he stated that timing was the main issue preventing APUSH classes from deliberating such a monumental event. APUSH teachers are required to teach a vast amount of material before the AP Exam in May. White mentioned that students interested in politics should take the year-long Economics and Politics elective offered by the Humanities Department, as this class allows students to discuss politics in a classroom setting. One club on campus did fill the void, however. 

The Current Events Club, run by Co-Presidents Miles Dinger ‘26, Nicky Smith ‘25, and Ollie Smith ‘26 as well as Vice-President Harry Holtman ‘26 and Secretary Zach Mathias ‘28, is dedicated to giving students a space on campus to voice their opinions on current events both domestic and foreign. The club held two meetings the week of the election, one on the morning of Election Day to discuss the forthcoming results that night as well as a meeting on the Friday after the election to discuss the results and the lasting impacts of not only Trump’s reelection, but also the outcome of Senate, House, and local elections. Both meetings were extremely successful and allowed students from all sides of the political spectrum to voice their beliefs. Topics ranged from Trump’s proposed tariff policy to how the Democrats would recover from such a significant loss. 

Despite the high emotional baggage that came with this election, students left it at the door and discussed the topics respectfully. The Current Events Club will continue to allow students to voice their opinions, regardless of their stance. Given our nation’s diversity, this goal is particularly important in promoting mutual respect across the political aisle.