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Teacher: Election rhetoric has led to more bullying and anger in school

Posted at 9:57 PM, Nov 07, 2016
and last updated 2016-11-08 09:42:50-05

One Arizona high school teacher says she has seen an increase in bullying, fights and general anger at her school during the course of the presidential campaign.

Allyson Primack is a teacher at BASIS in Scottsdale. She says she has seen students act out due to the election.

"There's so much anger at home that when they [the children] get to school, they can't even listen to another student's side when it comes to this election," she said.

Normally, a presidential election is an easy way to show students the practical impact of civics lessons learned in class. However, Primack says the election rhetoric has led to a chilling effect on discussion of the issues brought up during the campaign.

Primack fears her students are getting their lessons on their own and that the anger and vitriol expressed will be taken as normal.

"It is our responsibility to say 'I want you to live in a world where people are nice to each other. I want you to live in a world where you accept your friends for who they are,'" she said.

Primack says concerned parents should talk to their kids about what is supposed to be civil discourse and show them how the country can move forward, regardless of who wins on Election Day.

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