This was previously published in our October 2025 issue.
Politics is constantly uniting those with similar beliefs and drives the U.S. with its extraordinary power over the government. Commitment to a political job or beliefs brings confidence and pride. However, having to choose a side can cause uneasiness, a feeling many teenagers experience.
For the first time since 2022, Emmaus High School is reintroducing the Young Republicans Club to its vibrant political community under the guidance of adviser Julie Shook. The organization’s mission is to equip registered Republicans aged 18-40 with enhanced political knowledge. This organization has been integrated into schools to encourage the new generation of registered Republicans.
Having both Democratic and Republican representation in school atmospheres increases public diversity of opinions among students. If there was only one party in charge of everything in the government, we would lose the very type of government we possess.
The U.S. is a Constitutional Federal government, meaning the people have the power to vote for government officials, but the government is not a standard democracy. The government has Republican and Democratic principles, but the regulations and laws the country has makes it constitutional. This mix of government types, as well as its Democratic and Republican ideals, creates the balance of politics in the country.
On Sept. 10, the U.S. was shocked at the death of Republican activist Charlie Kirk while he was conducting an active debate at Utah Valley University. Debates on all different points of view continued to arise since the population was grieving Kirk’s death in many different ways. One of the newest directions this has been taken is each side accusing the other of being violent domestic terrorists.
Kirk often disagreed with liberal competitors, creating a negative tone towards him on the left.
Though the right has recently experienced death, the left has also experienced loss in the passing of Melissa Hortman, former Speaker of the Minnesota House of Representatives who was victim of an assassination attempt in Brooklyn in June. Hortman was then killed in her own home alongside her husband, while Kirk was killed at a debate that he attended to spread his beliefs to the young generation.
The similarity between these two is that they were killed out of their working hours in the political world. Along with other deaths of political figures, the assassinations have been seen to result in violence.
These recent events have been talked about in schools, especially World Studies and Government classes. Some educators feel obligated to share their political opinion, but others prefer to keep it to themselves. Instead of staying reserved, teachers sharing opinions on a current political issue allows students to see the freedom of speech being exercised in front of them. And learning to talk with those whom you disagree is a chance to build character and an issue many adults in the world struggle with.
Alternatively, teachers remaining neutral in the classroom allows students to choose their own side of a disagreement and personalize the classroom. The children of today are the future of the country, and some educators believe it is the younger generation’s voice that matters, not the adults. Neutrality is not meant to take controversy out of the equation but to multiply it among only the students. Both ways of running the classroom are beneficial in different ways.
In a 11-0 vote, The Stinger Editorial Board believes diversity in politics among students is important. School newspapers represent the student body, and it is the job of the paper to write about all possible opinions students may possess.
As politics become more controversial as time goes on, it is imperative that The Stinger equitably represents all political categories of students.
