Its hard being in high school and supporting President Trump

When President Trump finished taking the oath of office last week, all I could think about was how my fellow students would react at school the next day.It wasn’t just about whether my 11th-grade classmates in New York supported him — it was the tension that I knew would fill the air.People don’t like what makes them uncomfortable, and Donald Trump embodies discomfort.

For better or worse, he’s also a reminder of why I refuse to silence my beliefs on policy, politics and my vision of true justice — even when it’s unpopular.High school often feels like a miniature political system.You’re expected to follow the rules, agree where it’s safe and avoid saying anything that might set you apart.

Watching Trump’s inauguration, I saw someone who has rejected these expectations entirely — and it made me question why students, teachers and administrators are so afraid to do the same.One of the inauguration’s most striking moments wasn’t Trump’s words or the crowd’s reaction — it was the absence of Democratic leaders like former First Lady Michelle Obama, House Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi and Rep.Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.

Their decision to stay away wasn’t simply an act of protest; it was a deliberate refusal to confront the reality of Trump’s presidency.For them, attending likely represented more than just participating in a ceremony — it would have meant legitimizing a leader whose rise they believed was built on divisive rhetoric and a disregard for norms. Their absence spoke volumes about a deeper discomfort.

It wasn’t just Trump they rejected — it was what his presidency symbolizes: a turning point in American politics where values like truth, inclusion, and decency seemed, to them, to be in jeopardy.It reflected something I see often: avoiding confrontation instead of addressing uncomfortable truths. At school, I’ve witnessed similar silences about controversial issues.

Instead of engaging with complex topics, like the im...