Donald Trump’s political rise over the past 12 months has helped breed a culture of fear, bullying and harassment in the nation’s schools, Hillary Clinton charged Tuesday.
Speaking to educators at the National Education Association’s annual conference in Washington, Mrs. Clinton said her Republican presidential opponent can’t be allowed to have any influence American schools. She also said the billionaire’s divisive rhetoric already has had a devastating effect on children.
“Parents and educators are already worried about what they are calling and telling me they’re calling ’The Trump effect,’” she said. “Bullying and harassment are on the rise in our schools. … I wish more people thought about how Donald Trump’s rants are being heard by our children.”
Mrs. Clinton was referring to a Southern Poverty Law Center report released earlier this year that coined the term ’Trump effect’ and made the case that racial tensions are on the rise in schools, and that minority students increasingly must deal with a hostile learning environment inspired by Mr. Trump’s language and policy proposals.
“What do they think when he calls women pigs or mocks a reporter with a disability? Or when he talks about banning 1.5 billion Muslims from ever entering or visiting our country?” Mrs. Clinton said. “What do our kids take away from his racist attacks against a federal judge, or when he encourages his supporters to punch protesters in the face and then offers to pay their legal bills? You would not tolerate that kind of behavior in your classrooms. Let’s not tolerate it from someone trying to become president of the United States.”
Like most other major unions across the country, the NEA has endorsed Mrs. Clinton for president.
• Ben Wolfgang can be reached at bwolfgang@washingtontimes.com.
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