In today’s political sphere, conflict is more abundant than ever.

Rather than talk it out in a friendly manner, people resort to name calling and refuse to tackle the issues head on. The internet further exacerbates this, both Democrats and Republicans shield themselves behind walls of information that are tailored to their beliefs, generating hostility and ignorance.

Unsurprisingly, these attitudes have increasingly bled onto school campuses. The news is chock-full of stories about violent rallies breaking out at universities, and guest speakers having to be canceled for personal safety issues.

But I’m not here to talk about colleges, I’m here to talk about the breeding grounds for these feelings: high school. Don’t get me wrong, there are plenty of high schools in America that are diverse, open, and well-rounded. But being in a college town, I can’t help but feel a little close-minded.

In my opinion, this is a problem. Since the majority of Iowa City is liberal, it’s hard for anyone with different ideas to speak out and share what they think without being ridiculed. This lack of idea-sharing causes many impressionable teenagers to think that everyone around them shares the same mindset, and that it is therefore the only correct one.

The inverse is true for Republicans in Iowa City. As a disclaimer: I personally can’t speak for Republicans because I am more liberal leaning, so take what I say here with a grain of salt. They may often feel trapped or singled out and resort to online forums to speak their mind, instead of talking to their friends or family.

All of these themes are further fostered in schools. While teachers opinions are supposed to be filtered, they often bleed into the coursework.

The violence and hate we see in our country today are not just a product of the internet. High schools like City High around the country need to be wary of putting their own ideas and projecting them on to their students.

As for the future, at this point it does not seem like the political climate is going to change very much. Perhaps the next presidential election in 2020 will bring about change, but as with everything in our country, it has to start with the youth.