The results of the 2024 presidential election sent shockwaves across the nation last month as Americans learned that Donald Trump, former president and convicted felon, is in line to become America’s 47th president. Oakland Tech’s history teachers weigh in on how this election fits into the broader historical context of both the United States and the world.
Ms. Haugen, 11th grade APUSH teacher, attributes Trump’s victory to misinformation.
“[Many have] heard that crime is on the rise, which it’s not, and that immigrants are criminals, which they’re not,” she states. “I honestly do think it has to do with not having common sources of news.”
Mr. Wing, 12th grade AP Government teacher, says the economy was many voters’ top concern.
“Even though prices went down [during Biden’s administration], people still remember prices going up,” he states. “People said they thought Trump was going to help out the economy.”
A significant part of Trump’s campaign was claiming to make people’s lives better by improving the economy, regardless of what his actual policies entail. Trump’s economic agenda emphasizes imposing tariffs, which are taxes on foreign imported goods. By raising prices of foreign goods, tariffs intend to promote local industries by encouraging consumers to prioritize domestic goods. However, these higher prices only end up harming consumers.
“He’s going to put tariffs on everything, which means inflation is going to go way way up,” claims Mr. Wing. “I assume he’s going to cause a recession.”
Aside from the economy, many are worried about what Trump’s second term will mean for issues like healthcare, immigration, foreign affairs, and more.
“I’m definitely worried about more women around the country dying due to lack of healthcare,” states Ms. Haugen. “I’m nervous that he will hand Ukraine to Putin and let Netanyahu finish his genocide.”
“[Trump] could cause mass human suffering with deportation and family separation,” says Ms. Shannon, another APUSH teacher. “He could defund the Department of Education, throwing into chaos financial aid, loans, and aid to Title I schools like Oakland Tech. He could also foster an environment where hate crimes are much more common.”
While the next few years might seem unpredictable, some teachers are pointing out patterns similar to other periods in history.
“I still feel like we learned absolutely nothing from Hitler’s takeover in Germany,” declares Ms. Haugen, noting how both then and now it was fear that led to Hitler and Trump to power. “A lot of the fear that has driven Trump to power is based on lies, whereas a lot of the fear that brought Hitler to power was based on blaming the wrong people in a terrible economic setting.”
Ms. Shannon also notes similarities to the Jim Crow South. “It was a fascist state where Black people were terrorized and disenfranchised,” she says. “It was completely undemocratic; the political opponents were threatened and killed.”
Now, Project 2025, a list of policy proposals written by a conservative think tank called the Heritage Foundation, threatens to undermine decades of civil rights progress, promotes discrimination against LGBTQ+ communities, and censors books and school curriculums. While Trump claims to have nothing to do with Project 2025, he has echoed many of its policies during his campaign and appointed several of its authors to his administration.
Although the next few years may inspire fear in some, there is still hope.
“While it’s horrifying, there is always room for resistance and action,” Ms. Shannon reassures. “I would encourage young people not to give up…We just have to keep thinking that when people can get together, there can be change.”