Bend HS students harassed as politics enter classroom

The toxic political environment has seeped into some Bend-La Pine schools following the presidential election with some students at Bend High School harassing their classmates.

“They were chanting, ‘Build the wall, Trump!” and ‘Lock her up!” said a sophomore student who didn’t want to be identifie, saying she’s worried her classmates will start targeting her.

The incident happened during lunch time on Thursday as pro-Hillary Clinton and pro-Donald Trump supporters started chanting their support.

“I felt really disappointed,” the student said Friday. “I kind of lost my school spirit. I lost respect for most of the students that were in that crowd and that were participating.”

On Thursday, NewsChannel 21 reported a group of students at High Desert Middle School were suspended or expelled for allegedly voicing racial slurs toward students of Hispanic descent.

School administrators across the country have been dealing with the fallout from divisive national politics in the wake of Donald Trump’s election.

High school students in California walked out of class because of the outcome of the presidential election.

A student started handing out deportation notices to students of different races at Shasta High School in Northern California.

“There is definitely a lot of kids that don’t feel safe coming to school,” the Bend sophomore said. “because I hear a lot of kids, especially from the protest yesterday, they were afraid to go and sit down and be a part of it because they were scared to be harassed at school.”,

A family counselor told NewsChannel 21 Friday the education community and parents need to come together to let their kids know about the impact these words can have on others.