When Parker students run out of things to gossip or talk about, they often move on to complaining or ridiculing. Often, complaints do not turn into change-making, and ridicule is pointed in undeserving places. In recent years, emerging clubs at Parker have faced this ridicule. While I don’t have an opinion on the Pickle Club, Parker Republicans is a club whose mission I fully support. I am worried about the uncertain future of the club at Parker and what that means about the political culture at our school.
Before I begin, I need to separate the political beliefs of the club itself from its goals to improve the political dialogue at Parker. I don’t agree with numerous beliefs that many Republicans hold, but I do agree with the fact that there needs to be a Parker Republicans club as long as there is a Parker Democrats club. If Parker Democrats didn’t exist, not having Parker Republicans would be less of an issue. But in the end, I believe having both is the most productive option for the school.
When people originally heard the name Parker Republicans, many jumped straight to conclusions. The club became a sort of running joke in the Upper School. The fact that so many people found its creation to be so humorous is alarming and proves how much we need to increase the political diversity in our school. These preconceptions are something that the original club heads wanted to combat.
Many Parker students associate themselves with mostly liberal, Democratic ideals. On the other hand, many students are scared to agree with Republican values simply because they do not want to be associated with them. The fact that some of their ideals are labeled as “Republican” causes them to want to disassociate, particularly from the name. That is toxic. Students should be deciding whether or not they agree with the ideal or belief, not the label.
This act of dissociation in fear of criticism is a result of the polarizing political atmosphere at Parker, and the continual dissociation by so many students further intensifies the polarization. This polarization has also created an effect in our school where hearing the word “Republican” triggers something in many people’s brains that causes them to immediately disagree or criticize, instead of keeping their minds open to the content of what is being said.
A core part of Parker’s curriculum is teaching critical thinking. The polarization in our school is also a result of a lack of critical thinking and opinion forming in the student body. It’s easier to share the same opinions as your friends. Parker Republicans is also about presenting multiple perspectives and giving people the ability to to hear about the values of different sides of the political spectrum and forming their own opinions.
Krish Malhotra, a member of the Class of 2024 and one of the two creators of Parker Republicans, believes in “individual liberty and a strengthened free speech,” all of which he believes are Republican ideals. If these ideals were presented with an association with the Democratic Party, I believe that many students would agree with them, but if they were presented in association with the Republican party, I believe many students would immediately disagree.
After the creation of the club late last year, the momentum has slowed, and it is not known whether the club still exists this year. The loss of Parker Republicans would be a loss of their powerful, much-needed mission: the promotion of healthy, respectful dialogue, the representation of multiple opinions and values within the school, and the encouragement of open-mindedness.
Malhotra intended for the club to be a place where he could “push” and educate people about the Republican ideals that he grew up with. More importantly, he hoped that the club would help students work on their ability of being open to different political ideas and opening a dialogue in the school that for so long was always shut down by closed-minded people. On a broader scale, Malhotra aimed for the club to help increase general civil discourse, not just civil political discourse.
So when I say that I support the mission of Parker Republicans, I am saying that I believe we need to work together to remove the preconceived notions we have about people with certain viewpoints, foster open-mindedness, and increase the level of open dialogue at our school. Parker Republicans isn’t a joke.
A core part of Parker’s curriculum is the ability to think critically. The polarization in our school is a result of a lack of critical thinking and opinion forming in the student body. It’s easier to share the same opinions as your friends. If you care about being a person who forms their own opinions, I ask you to think about what the loss of Parker Republicans tells us about our school.
