Students and teachers at Paideia are expressing concern about the gory news clips they have seen in the coverage of the conflict in Iran. Many people are feeling confused about what is happening with the bloodshed there and angry for the lack of details from the administration. From gas prices to the country’s overall economy, many feel the need to be educated and research the issue.
“As a school community this is just the next disaster our students are confronted with, in a seemingly endless barrage of chaos and cruelty from this administration,” says Iran club supervisor, John Terry. Terry expressed anger, concern and disappointment about the conflict. He stated that he felt the Trump administration is to blame, and there is no other word to describe the struggle other than war. “The administration has been totally inconsistent in what they want to call their bloody adventure in Iran, but I believe what my eyes tell me,” Terry says.
Although most Paideia students are aware of the ongoing conflict, many students haven’t fully grasped how huge this conflict is. Cyrus Rahbari ’26 emphasized how complex the war is, saying that there are many layers to the conflict. “There’s one, which is what the Iran people want, a free state of their own… There’s just brutal oppression by the government, and that has been there for a while. Iranians are tired of that.” The second layer to the conflict, according to Rahbari, is primarily related to politics and is very intricate, consisting of the interests of many countries, including the U.S. and Israel.
Both Terry and Rahbari emphasized how bloody and horrifying the war is. The conflict in Iran is not just a political struggle but a war affecting millions of people. Rahbari stressed how the war “is a pertinent issue because so many people are involved.” Although the conflict in Iran is a continent away, the effects are being felt throughout the U.S. Paideia students and teachers alike are looking for answers about the still-unfolding conflict.
