Election Eve was meant to be a time for productive conversations around campus at Hill, in the lead up to the country’s extremely consequential election. I have been at home quarantining and the sixth form zoom call was the first time I have been able to sense the climate of our school since Friday. Form Deans Ed Turner and Larissa Snyder put students in breakout rooms with questions to discuss. My breakout group’s discussion was mostly unproductive, and we collectively agreed on the questions we were asked. However, when we came back together as a form to talk about some topics with more passion behind them the zoom call quickly dissolved into uncivil discourse. 

This initially began when a student made the claim that all votes should matter, referring to what I and many assumed was a reference to the dissolving of the electoral college. This comment quickly became a topic of discussion in the chat with multiple people, including many club leaders. A division quickly came about on both sides of the political spectrum, unable to find understanding or respect in what the other side had to say. With the tension in the chat rising, our form dean promptly shut off the chat before anything could truly escalate. 

Many students felt silenced, but as someone watching from the outside and taking in all perspectives, I understand why the chat was shut off. We, as a form did not collectively come into last night with open minds and kind intentions. People immediately tried to get on other’s nerves both in the chat and at first sight by starting form dialogue. I will not blame this behavior on one side of the political spectrum, but on us as a form. We as leaders of our school could have done better last night. Until we can be okay with having different opinions, be open to listening to what others have to say, know that changing our opinions is human, and until we as a form can agree to be on the same page in those aspects, then there is no reason for us to even try to share our political opinions. Our meeting showed us this last night.