Republican and Democratic candidates are famous for their flawed personalities. People will tell you that Hillary Clinton is a liar and Donald Trump is an idiot. However, ask the average American to name three policies specific to Hillary Clinton and you will be met with a blank stare. Ask the average American to name everything they hate about Clinton and a variety of insults will roll out of their mouths, discrediting her likability. Why is this? Barack Obama has been a very likable president; even if you don’t support his policies, most people can agree that he’d be a good friend to have. Even John McCain, Obama’s opponent in the 2008 election, defended Obama’s character, calling him a “family man” at a press conference shown by ABC News.

It’s important to understand the policies of each candidate and how they will consequently affect the daily lives of the students of Bronx Science. The president of the United States greatly affects all our generation. Trump’s educational policies would reduce federal regulations. He’s promised to eliminate of the Common Core, a standardized education system put in place for all students who have graduated or are graduating prior to 2017. Trump has continually promised that, as president,  he will rid the schools of the United States of the Common Core. According to The Washington Post, Trump claimed, “I’m a tremendous believer in education. But education has to be at a local level. We cannot have the bureaucrats in Washington telling you how to manage your child’s education. So Common Core is a total disaster. We can’t let it continue.”

The New York Times cites Donald Trump speaking about the right of any child, regardless of socioeconomic background, to choose their school. “As president, I will establish the national goal of providing school choice to every American child living in poverty,” Trump said. Although Trump has not been more specific than this in his plan to reform education, many people feel overjoyed at the thought of his proposed solutions.

Others have some problems with Trump’s words. Jack Bendik ‘17, responded by saying this proposal seemed “unfeasible, especially coming from someone with no political experience or regard for lower-income families or minorities.”  

Meanwhile, Clinton’s educational platform promises a “debt-free college” and increased taxes to reform education. Clinton has promised to modernize and elevate the status of a teacher, provide every student with education regarding computer science, as well as provide over two billion dollars to fund education systems to reform their overly harsh rules and punishments for breaking said rules. While Clinton has claimed to support unions and wants to protect teachers, she also admits the importance of investigating the tenure granted to teachers who aren’t fit for their jobs.

Bronx Science has many tenured teachers, some of whom are loved by students, and some of whom are respected, but not as outstandingly well-liked by students or fellow faculty. This issue is near and dear to everyone at Bronx Science, as the rules and regulations on education will directly affect all of us. Rabbi Rahman  ‘17 said, “Throughout my years at Bronx Science, I’ve had a few teachers who would benefit from Clinton’s educational proposals. Even though Hillary would be the oldest president ever elected, her educational ideas are modern.” Supporters of Clinton value her experience in Washington D.C. over all else, as revealed by a student who wished to remain anonymous, who said, “In my opinion, though she does vacillate between opinions, she has hopefully learned from her mistakes, and I think the scrutiny she has been put under, especially by former Sanders supporters like myself, will lead her to only strengthen her own opinions in favor of a strong, steady stance.” Soon, Bronx Science students will learn what’s in store for their educational future.