The Top Seven Reasons why the Democratic Party lost the 2024 Presidential Election

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 "Welcome back to the Teaching with Valor Podcast, where we tackle the challenging issues shaping our classrooms, our communities, and sometimes, even our country. Today, we’re diving into an unusual yet critical conversation that might seem a bit outside our usual classroom focus, but in reality, it has a profound impact on the educational landscape we operate within.

We’re breaking down seven key reasons the Democratic Party lost the 2024 presidential election. Now, as educators and parents, why should this matter? Well, politics sets the policies that shape our schools, our communities, and even the morale in our classrooms. Today, we’re examining the election through an educational lens—how do national trends and choices impact us as citizens, and most importantly, how do they ripple through to our students?"



TeachingwithValor.com

DJFessenden.com   You can find my book "Betrayed" that speaks to the failure of Congress to enact the 25th Amendment.



Show Notes

1. 25th Amendment and Presidential Succession: U.S. Constitution;
2. The impact of border policies on U.S. education systems: Department of Education;
3. The economy and its effects on public education: National Education Association;
4. Gender inclusivity in sports: Center for American Progress;
5. Analysis of U.S. foreign policy’s impact on education and national security: Council on Foreign Relations;
6. ‘Economic and Social Consequences of Immigration Policies,’ by Pew Research.

Stay tuned for more episodes, and remember, every student is unique, and every classroom can be a place where all students succeed. Keep teaching with valor!

Episode Transcript

Don (00:08):
"Welcome back to the Teaching with Valor Podcast,
where we tackle the challengingissues shaping our classrooms,
our communities, and sometimes,even our country.
Today, we’re diving into anunusual yet critical
conversation that might seem abit outside our usual classroom
focus, but in reality, it has aprofound impact on the

(00:29):
educational landscape we operatewithin.
We’re breaking down seven keyreasons the Democratic Party
lost the 2024 presidentialelection.
Now, as educators and parents,why should this matter?
Well, politics sets the policiesthat shape our schools, our
communities, and even the moralein our classrooms.

(00:50):
Today, we’re examining theelection through an educational

lens (00:54):
how do national trends and choices impact us as citizens,
and most importantly, how dothey ripple through to our
students?""Let’s start with asensitive but pivotal point that

was widely discussed (01:06):
President Biden’s cognitive abilities.
Concerns about his ability toserve effectively had grown
significantly by 2024, raisingquestions in Congress and among
the American people.
The 25th Amendment was designedprecisely for this scenario:
where a president might be unfitto serve due to mental or

(01:29):
physical incapacity.
However, Congress did not enactit.
Inaction here createdfrustration and division,
leaving many feeling as thoughthe government was choosing
party loyalty over the nation’sbest interest.
For educators, this situation isa reminder of how

accountability (01:46):
or lack thereof: at the highest levels can impact
the trust in our systems.
Just like in our schools,transparency and timely action
can help build trust andconfidence.
When leaders in power don'taddress these types of issues,
it erodes trust, andunfortunately, that ripple
effect makes it into our schoolsand classrooms.

(02:09):
Students and parents alike sensethese shifts in national trust."
"The next issue that impactedthis election is one we’re
feeling even more directly ineducation: the open-border
policy.
With policies that manyperceived as lenient, the
country saw a significantincrease in immigration, which

(02:29):
had direct consequences in ourschool systems.
We’ve seen districts struggle toaccommodate a sudden influx of
students without the necessaryresources to support them
adequately.
Teachers face larger classsizes, language barriers, and,
in some cases, heightenedsecurity concerns.
This isn’t about politics alone;it’s about the very real,

(02:52):
on-the-ground impact on ourclassrooms and our ability to
provide quality education to allstudents.
The open-border policy led somevoters to feel that national
interests, including educationfunding and school capacity,
were being sacrificed.""Closelylinked to the border policy is
the increase in crimeattributed, fairly or unfairly,

(03:15):
to illegal immigration.
Now, it’s essential to rememberthat the majority of immigrants
are law-abiding individualsseeking a better life, but there
have been isolated incidentsthat have left some
communities—and somevoters—feeling uneasy.
As educators, we always want ourschools and neighborhoods to be
safe for our children.

(03:36):
Yet, public perception plays apowerful role.
Fearful communities can quicklytranslate into fearful schools,
where parents, students, andstaff feel more vulnerable.
This narrative of crime, whetherexaggerated or grounded,
certainly influenced voters.""Nomatter where you live or what
you do, you’ve probably felt thestrain of the economy these past

(03:59):
few years.
Inflation, wage stagnation, andrising costs have hit educators
and parents hard, from groceriesto housing to education costs.
Many voters felt that thecurrent administration’s
policies weren’t helping butrather exacerbating these
issues.
Schools feel the pinch, too, asbudget cuts lead to larger class

(04:21):
sizes, limited resources, andfrozen salaries.
It’s difficult to engage ourstudents when families—and
teachers—are worried aboutpaying their bills.
The economy’s downturn was atangible reason why so many
voters went to the polls withchange on their minds.""Another

contentious issue (04:39):
the inclusion of transgender men in women’s
sports.
For many, this was a matter offairness in competition.
As educators, we know theimportance of inclusivity, but
we also see the need forbalance.
In schools, we’re faced withreal questions: how do we
support our students’ identitieswhile maintaining fair standards

(05:02):
in competitive environments?
This question made its way intothe political sphere and became
a hot-button topic in 2024.
Many parents and voters feltthat policies allowing men in
women’s sports were unfair andeven potentially unsafe, driving
them to the polls with thesefrustrations in mind.""Here’s an

interesting twist (05:24):
a significant part of the campaign was shaped
around the focus on Trump’spersonality rather than his
policies.
Regardless of personal opinionsabout him, his policies
resonated with a large segmentof voters.
By fixating on his character,Democrats may have
underestimated the importance ofaddressing the policy impacts he

(05:46):
championed that resonated withvoters.
This misstep reflects animportant lesson for us all.
Sometimes, in education orpolitics, we get caught up in
the person and miss out on whatactually affects the day-to-day
realities of those we serve.""Finally, foreign policy played
a crucial role.

(06:06):
Perceived weakness in addressinginternational issues like trade,
defense, and foreign relationsleft many feeling that America
was no longer projectingstrength or reliability.
Weak foreign policy doesn’t justaffect our national pride; it
impacts trade, nationalsecurity, and even educational
exchanges.

(06:27):
Students’ futures areintertwined with the nation’s
standing in the world.
When America is strong on theglobal stage, there are more
opportunities and fewer threatsthat might jeopardize their
futures.
Many voters seemed to feel thata stronger foreign policy
approach was necessary tosafeguard these values.""In

closing, these seven issues: lack of response to cognitive (06:47):
undefined
concerns, open border policies,concerns over crime and safety,
economic strain, gender policiesin sports, fixation on
personality over policy, andweak foreign policy: formed a
complex web that ultimatelyshifted many voters’

(07:08):
perspectives.
As teachers, parents, andcommunity members, we need to
stay informed and engagedbecause each of these political
factors trickles down to affectthe students in our classrooms
and the resources we have tosupport them.
Understanding the reasons behindelection outcomes isn’t just
about politics; it’s aboutpreparing ourselves to be

(07:30):
advocates for the values andpolicies that benefit our
schools and communities themost.""Thanks for listening to
this deep dive episode ofTeaching with Valor.
Whether you agree or disagreewith the reasons we’ve
discussed, I encourage you tokeep exploring, stay informed,
and keep advocating for the bestin our schools.

(07:51):
Let’s keep this conversationgoing.
Keep learning, keep advocating,and as always, keep teaching
with valor!