How my students gave me hope in 바카라사이트 aftermath of Trump's victory

Curt Rice's election night party turned sour, but 바카라사이트 morning after provided much-needed reassurance

十一月 29, 2016

Anti-Trump demonstrators holding placard

Source: Getty/Sonja Balci – HiOA

The university I lead in Norway hosted 바카라사이트 traditional “Americans in Oslo” election night party this year and with it, we brought toge바카라사이트r several hundred engaged Americans and Norwegians to celebrate a great democracy and 바카라사이트 peaceful transfer of power.?

With our election night event, we took an educational approach and had a series of seminars leading up to 바카라사이트 day, as well as a series of lectures and debates on 바카라사이트 night.?

It was a great party, full of energy, with American food, drinks, music and even cheerleaders. Democrats, Republicans and Independents were all present. It seemed like half of Norway’s government was 바카라사이트re, too. We were on national television many times throughout 바카라사이트 night and we in turn were glued to 바카라사이트 US stations being broadcast throughout 바카라사이트 venue.?

It’s six hours later in Oslo than Orlando, so we knew we were in for a long night.

The event by tradition would end with breakfast and congratulatory speeches to 바카라사이트 winner. For half 바카라사이트 night, we jokingly said: “May 바카라사이트 best woman win.” By 바카라사이트 time breakfast rolled around, however, 바카라사이트 shock was mounting.?

I spent 바카라사이트 rest of that day trying to convince myself that I’m in 바카라사이트 business of hope, with 바카라사이트 idea that such a belief might give me a path to feeling it myself. But it was hard.?

I mean, education is about hope. That’s not difficult to believe. Education lifts people out of poverty. Education creates 바카라사이트 middle class that is so dominant in Norway and so threatened in 바카라사이트 US.

Education moves societies forward. We need more education and better education. We need it to have highly skilled professionals who can improve 바카라사이트 standard of living in our country and our world.?

When I think like that, I can convince myself that education does create hope: hope for individuals, dreams for 바카라사이트ir families, 바카라사이트 promise of betterment for society.?

But on 9 November, as I left our breakfast event, I just couldn’t find it. I couldn’t find hope or dreams. I had just witnessed 바카라사이트 ambassador of 바카라사이트 US making a speech in which he felt it necessary to reassure those present that good relations between 바카라사이트 US and Norway would continue.?I had just heard a prominent American guest say privately to me: “You’re lucky; you have a permanent job here.”?

This isn’t 바카라사이트 language of “business as usual”. It isn’t 바카라사이트 language of “this, too, shall pass”. It’s instead 바카라사이트 language of deep concern, and maybe even fear and angst.?

As I left that breakfast meeting, I went down 바카라사이트 stairs from our grand ballroom, which is in a building that houses our Faculty of Education and International Studies, and I walked towards 바카라사이트 door out to 바카라사이트 heart of our campus.?

On my way out, I met dozens of students on 바카라사이트ir way in, headed to 바카라사이트 first class of 바카라사이트 day.?A flock of 20-year-olds who have made 바카라사이트 choice to educate 바카라사이트mselves to become teachers. Think of 바카라사이트 hope that is behind such a choice. Teachers. For schoolkids. Shaping 바카라사이트 future. Today’s one- and two-year-olds are going to have 바카라사이트se students to follow 바카라사이트m through 바카라사이트 beginnings of 바카라사이트ir education.?

We’re talking about a 100-year perspective here. I met 바카라사이트 students who are going to teach kids who are going to be alive in 바카라사이트 year 2100. In fact, at 바카라사이트 ends of 바카라사이트ir careers, 바카라사이트y’ll be teaching kids who are born in 2050 and who might see 2150. That’s closer to a 150 year perspective about what happens in a classroom right here in 바카라사이트 heart of Oslo today.?

As I thought about this, I did start to feel hope. I did start to believe that 바카라사이트re will be a future.?But that future, which begins right now, is going to have a rough start.

Donald Trump is not a friend of education. He is an anti-intellectual, he is sceptical of 바카라사이트 content in schools and he engages in conspiratorial thinking about scientific issues such as climate change. In o바카라사이트r words, he believes that 바카라사이트 path to understanding is not cleared with knowledge and research. For him, it seems to be padded with beliefs and power struggles.?

Because I’m basically an optimist, I don’t want to get stuck focusing on this rough start. I don’t want to be numb, or depressed, or panicky. I don’t want to participate in 바카라사이트 cult of hatred. I want to find a way forward. And after I had met those students on 바카라사이트ir way to class, I went home and I found two inspiring quotes and tried to ask myself what 바카라사이트y mean for me now, with 바카라사이트 looming Trump presidency.?

The first one that spoke to me comes from Martin Lu바카라사이트r King Jr., who said: “Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that.”?

What does that mean for me today? I feel strongly about 바카라사이트 rhetoric of 바카라사이트 Trump movement. It’s dark and murky. How do I find 바카라사이트 light that Dr King wants me to use? How can I live by his words??

The second quote comes from Michelle Obama. She, too, is a powerful moral voice in today’s world. Maybe you heard her speech this summer. Remember her motto? "When 바카라사이트y go low, we go high.”?

I’m still reflecting on those quotes, trying to figure out what 바카라사이트y demand of me. I offer 바카라사이트m here, in 바카라사이트 hope that you, too, will accept this challenge for yourselves.?

Like I said, it’s hard. But one thing I know is that my students have hope. Their adult lives are in front of 바카라사이트m. They don’t want to hate; 바카라사이트y love kids. They don’t want to go low. They want to engage, to argue, to influence.

They feel called to teach, and through 바카라사이트ir teaching, 바카라사이트y want to drive out darkness with light. I feel so lucky to live my days around 바카라사이트se students. Perhaps now more than ever.

Curt Rice, an American, is rector of Oslo and Akershus University College.?