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Biden, Joe

Presidential Debate Highlights: Students Weigh in on Trump and Biden's Positions on Reopening Schools, Police Reform, and the Opioid Epidemic

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

The first Presidential Debate of 2020 took place on September 29 in Cleveland, Ohio, with President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden addressing concerns from University of Maryland, Baltimore County students. Students at UMBC are particularly concerned about the reopening of schools, Black Lives Matter protests, police reform, and the opioid epidemic.

Key Takeaways:

  • Biden stated that reopening schools costs a lot of money and called for proper funding for sanitation and personal protection equipment to ensure safe reopening. He claimed that Trump does not consider the issue a national emergency.
  • Trump's administration has advocated for states to open schools "as is," but UMBC College Republicans Secretary Corey Shulman believes a middle ground is necessary, citing Maryland Governor Larry Hogan's example.
  • UMBC College Democrats President William Lazer disagrees with both candidates' plans, arguing that schools cannot be made safe for students to attend due to indoor settings and poor ventilation.
  • Biden acknowledged systemic injustice in the justice system, but stated that most police officers are good and that bad apples should be held accountable. He favors police reform through psychiatrists and localization of law enforcement.
  • Trump failed to condemn white supremacy and refused to accept the election results if he loses. UMBC assistant professor Dr. William Blake believes this rhetoric is abhorrent and aims to win votes through racist language.
  • UMBC students, including College Republicans President Isaac Abiye and College Democrats President William Lazer, expressed disagreement on Trump's comments on protests and the administration's role in events.
  • Trump touched on the opioid epidemic, but UMBC students believe that the issue is not political and needs to be addressed regardless of party affiliation.

Statistics:

  • Intoxication-related deaths from all drugs and alcohol increased by 0.5 percent during the first quarter of 2020 compared to the first quarter of 2019.
  • Opioid-related deaths increased by 2.6 percent.
  • UMBC students mentioned the correlation between COVID-19, lockdowns, and the increasing use of drugs and alcohol.

Sources:

  • "University of Maryland, Baltimore County Students Weigh in on President Trump and Joe Biden's Debate Performance"

+ Written by Kylie Potter (kpotter2@umbc.edu)

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