The first thing one of my students in class said to me on the morning of Wednesday, November 6, was: “Mr. Shah, will all immigrants be deported?”

I honestly didn’t know what to say. This student is a 7th grader and is originally from Honduras.

It was my first speech of the day, and the morning after a tense election night, I was still processing a range of emotions mixed with exhaustion. I had to put on my teacher hat and figure out what the right response was. I tried to stick to the facts: “Some immigrants are deported every year, but most are not.”

“So why is Trump saying he’s going to deport us all?”

I was lost. He had seen numerous messages on social media that President Trump would deport all immigrants, regardless of their legal status. He would read messages online such as “get them out of our country.” My students get most of their news from social media and YouTube. tiktokAnd instagramchief among them.

Because of the tremendous influence we have on growing minds, teachers have a responsibility to not share our political views. At the same time, we have equal responsibility to answer questions with selected facts and motivated questions.

I really didn’t know what to say, and middle schoolers are easily distracted, but I told him that immigration laws were really complicated. In 2024, everything has become politicized, even the weather. I couldn’t figure out how to thread that needle with the capabilities I had, and I breathed a sigh of relief when my student walked away from a conversation with a friend before I had a chance to respond. But I still felt like a coward and like I had let him down as a teacher.

I felt myself falling into a pit of despair. But I couldn’t imagine how my students felt. At least I had the right to vote. As an adult, I have a meaningful say in the process of choosing who comes to power. On the other hand, my students are constantly led by people who have no real power to choose. Policy choices and political narratives are shaped around them; What they eat, what social media they have access to, what schools are available, what their health care is like is checked.

But here’s the thing: Immediately after this conversation, my room was filled with laughter, questions, and scientific discoveries. The election came up at least 13 more times; A student asked me if I would vote for him when he turned 35. However, today’s earthquake issue was much more widespread. Students tested DIY seismometers to measure the magnitude of simulated tremors and explained how construction and preparation can minimize damage even during high-intensity earthquakes.

In other words, my students were looking to the future and how they could play a role in making that future a better place.

I know it’s a trite saying, “Our children are our future,” but I’ve never felt it as deeply as I do today. I’m sure this is as true today as it has been for every generation. Even when they regain their own minds and skins, they are acutely aware that they will replace us and inherit the world we have built for them. As this world increasingly becomes ruled by octogenarian world leaders, I sense that they are preparing themselves, preparing for the work that lies ahead of them.

As the day progressed, I felt my spirits rise and my emotions warm. I realized how privileged it is to be able to work with young people in such a period. I still had a variety of emotions, but at least at the end of the day, one of them was hope.

Ronak Shah is a 7th grade science teacher in Indianapolis, USA.

All opinions expressed are those of the author.

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