Colton, CA—At the end of January, students in Chad Hackworth’s English class each received a letter and packet from current President Donald J. Trump.
Hackworth’s junior English III students sent their own letters to the President back in September as part of a class project.
Students wrote to the President about a number of concerns: national issues involving the presence of ICE agents in communities, immigration, the First Step Act, concerns about inflation and the economy, and even the quality of school lunches.
One student, Amber Landeros, wrote the President to address concerns over ICE. “The President has to fix issues with our country,” she said.
The President’s letter, dated Jan. 15, thanked students for their interest and encouraged them to continue pursuing leadership opportunities. The packet also included a head shot of both the President and Vice-President J.D. Vance, a document that explains the powers and duties of the President, and another document about the Bill of Rights.
“Mrs. Trump and I are inspired by young people like you,” the letter begins, “who are paying attention to issues facing our Nation and are trying to find solutions to our most critical challenges.”
When the class received their letters, according to Hackworth, “They were a little surprised. I told them he would write back, but they didn’t believe me.”
This is not the first time Hackworth has had his students write to the President.
As part of the English III curriculum, Hackworth teaches a letter that 16th President Abraham Lincoln wrote to a mother whose five sons died in the Civil War.
This inspired Hackworth over a decade ago to encourage his students to write to the President, hoping for a response. Students are encouraged to write about how they feel about the decisions the President is making in a professional way.
According to Hackworth, not a lot of students know they can even write to the President or the White House. “He works for us,” Hackworth said. “So you can send him what you think or think that he should change.”
Since beginning this project, students in Hackworth’s class have received responses from every sitting President, including Barack Obama, Trump during his first term, and Joe Biden.
“I think it’s important they understand that you can actually do something,” Hackworth said.
