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A high school senior writing for The 74 argues that young people are inheriting a politically divided society and must practice listening across partisan lines. The opinion piece points to civics education and structured classroom disagreement as ways to build that skill, while describing the writer’s own conversation with a professor after a tense local event.
The 74 has published an opinion essay by a high school senior who argues that young people must help rebuild political civility, describing how a tense exchange at a local civics event prompted the writer to reconsider how people engage with opposing views. The student calls for schools to teach structured disagreement and for peers to seek out conversations beyond their usual political circles.
The writer recounts attending a nonpartisan civics event at a New Jersey library attended by retirees, parents and students. During a discussion about ballot translations, a visiting history professor said, “Republicans are out to get us. We must fight back!” The essay says many in the room applauded. The student did not respond, despite believing the issue was more complicated.
In the essay, the student explains that federal Voting Rights Act Section 203 requires translated election materials in certain jurisdictions when language-minority populations meet specified census thresholds. Decisions by state and county officials also shape what languages are available, the writer says. The piece presents the issue as one that can be debated on its merits, rather than treated as evidence of a partisan scheme.
The student says a semester at the School for Ethics and Global Leadership in Washington, D.C. exposed them to high schoolers from across the country and challenged their assumptions. They argue that listening to opposing arguments does not require changing one’s mind: it can strengthen existing views or lead someone to revise them. The writer also reports serving as a student representative on a district school board and discussing ways to help teachers support engagement with differing viewpoints.
How Schools Can Teach Disagreement
The essay’s central argument is that civility is a learned practice, not something young people can rely on social media, friendships or political institutions to provide. The writer says classrooms can give students a regular place to test arguments, understand views they do not share and distinguish disagreement over policy from judgments about another person’s character.
For schools, the proposed steps include asking students to argue positions they do not personally hold and evaluating how fairly they can explain the other side. The writer also calls for teacher training in facilitating difficult conversations. These are proposals in an opinion essay, not reported changes adopted by the writer’s district.
The point has relevance beyond classrooms: the student describes political division as a condition inherited by their generation, and argues that practicing civil discussion can help people address disagreements without treating opponents as morally suspect. The essay does not claim that respectful conversation resolves policy disputes; it presents listening as a way to engage them more thoughtfully.
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From a Library Meeting to a Student Essay
The essay begins with a local question: why ballots in the writer’s New Jersey county are available in English and Spanish despite residents speaking dozens of languages. The writer says ballot translation is shaped by federal requirements and local decisions. The supplied account does not identify the county or give the population figures used to determine its translation requirements.
The student contrasts that event with an earlier experience in South Orange, described as a reliably liberal town where they mainly heard one side of the political debate. At the Washington program, living and studying with students from different parts of the country gave them a chance to defend and reconsider their views. The writer says a teacher taught their class how to listen to others when they were in kindergarten, but that they had not received explicit instruction in the skill since.
The essay also cites public-opinion and campus-climate claims: it says most Americans see the country as deeply divided, that large shares of both major-party groups view the other as more immoral, and that many college students self-censor. It further states that campus tolerance for left- and right-wing speakers hit a five-year low in 2026. The supplied source provides no underlying survey names, figures or methods, so those statements cannot be independently assessed from the material provided.
““Republicans are out to get us. We must fight back!””
— The history professor, as quoted in the student’s essay
Evidence Behind the Essay’s Claims
The supplied source does not give the publication date, identify the author by name, or provide links to the surveys and campus data referenced in the essay. Its claims about public views of political division, student self-censorship and campus speaker tolerance are therefore attributed to the writer rather than independently verified here.
It is also unclear whether the student’s discussions with school administrators will lead to a district policy, teacher training or changes to civics instruction. The essay describes ongoing conversations, but does not name a proposal, timetable or decision. The writer says the professor and student met for coffee after the event and planned to meet again; no further outcome is reported.
District Talks and Another Meeting
The student says they are continuing discussions with school administrators about helping teachers encourage engagement with opposing viewpoints. The essay does not say when those discussions might produce a decision or whether the district will take formal action.
The writer also says they and the professor plan to meet again after their coffee conversation. Beyond those personal and school-level next steps, the article reports no scheduled policy change, public event or follow-up study.
Key Questions
What is the essay about?
A high school senior argues that young people should practice respectful disagreement and that schools can teach students how to listen to and fairly explain opposing views.
What happened at the New Jersey civics event?
During a discussion about ballot translations, a visiting professor made a partisan remark about Republicans, according to the student’s account. The writer says many attendees applauded and that the exchange felt like a partisan rally.
What does the essay propose schools do?
The student proposes regular exercises in structured disagreement, including asking students to argue positions they do not hold and assessing how accurately they represent the other side. The writer also calls for training teachers to facilitate difficult discussions.
Has the student’s school district adopted these proposals?
No adoption is reported. The student says discussions with school administrators are underway, but the essay gives no decision, policy or implementation schedule.
Source: the74million.org
