November 7, 2024
Dear LREI Community,
Greetings from the corner of Sixth and Bleecker. I write to share a few thoughts about the experience of the past few months leading up to Tuesday’s election and about what we are thinking about post-election.
First, I am so proud of LREI’s students and their teachers. What a team! The students’ interest, focus, and energy they bring to LREI’s authentically rigorous program are always impressive, but never more so than it has been leading up to Tuesday’s election. At all grade levels, the students’ hard work, curiosity, and engagement allowed them to think about the world outside of themselves and to search for patterns and throughlines while understanding the complex system that is our democracy. Deep conversations and activities during which they applied their academic skills – true and meaningful challenge. Tomorrow, you will hear from your child’s principal about the election related work in your child’s division.
Thank you to LREI’s teachers for their focus over the past few months. I am so grateful for the extraordinary work our faculty put into creating these activities and conversations, engaging with each other as they planned for their division’s offerings. These efforts focused on fostering true discourse and providing a deeper understanding of the institutions and issues at hand. Your achievements inspire me and am so grateful to work with you each day.
A final note of congratulations goes to our seniors who voted for the first time on Tuesday. Well done and, please, keep at it.
Wednesday was a fascinating day in the school house. The first moments of the day felt quite typical, if a little sleepy. Middle school students moved to homerooms where their advisors were waiting to inspire conversation, lower school children met around the rug where all important conversations happen, and high schoolers to an all-division meeting on a day when being in community was essential. The conversations encountered at these destinations ranged from those that were quite technical – further discussions about the electoral college, for example – to those that were speculative – do candidates always follow through on their campaign promises?”, “What will this election for conflicts in the world,” and “what happens next?”
Over time, the students’ questions began to reveal their concerns – “What do we do about the dramatic divide between members of the American electorate?” and “How do we explain the impact of gender on the outcome of the election?” Good questions, all.
I was fortunate enough to spend the first part of the day in conversation with around 40 members of the parent community, representing the three divisions, all of whom gathered to share their concerns, their questions about how to speak to their children, or who simply were seeking community. Thank you to those who joined. I was so moved by your comments and look forward to future gatherings.
On a less hopeful note, across the school community, there were conversations about the components of the Trump campaign that conflict with the school’s stated mission and values – these include those statements and promises that impune the dignity of any people or that threaten the well-being and liberty of our family and neighbors. We are concerned about obligations to provide for the health and well-being of citizens and about the educational landscape. We are focused on the ongoing impact of race and racism and gender and sexism in our national conversation. On a broad scale, these are some of the areas on which classroom discussions will surely focus in the future.
On a more local level, we pledge our care and support and respect to those who feel threatened by the promises and accusations made during the President-elect’s campaign. Rhetoric often recedes once the results are in. However, we know that these assertions motivated millions of voters, and some will be the genesis of potential governmental action. At the very least, they are insulting and threatening. We heard from students yesterday that they fear a loss of liberty for themselves or their loved ones and that their lives will be diminished by the patently biased claims and statements of the campaign. We heard concerns regarding the issue of immigration, and from members of the LGBTQ community, especially given the attacks on trans people. If you or your child feel marginalized or disrespected, and if we can be of any support to you, please be in touch. We want to speak with you.
As always, moving forward and while offering a safe and supportive classroom community, we will center the students’ questions as they develop the skills and abilities to investigate their world and to become increasingly “…active participants in our democratic society, with the creativity, integrity, and courage to bring meaningful change to the world.”
Peace and health,
