Teacher Of The Year Poses For Pic With Trump, But Her Attire Has The GOP Spiraling

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Teachers, who are unpaid and overworked, are one of the most necessary pieces of our society. An informed, critically-thinking population is vital, and any awards or accolades they are given is well-deserved. That was the purpose of the award ceremony that Trump led on Wednesday, but he failed to notice that the teacher receiving the highest honor was presented by him to a woman who stood in direct protest of his policies and rhetoric.

Mandy Manning was the recipient of the Teacher of the Year Award and Trump, in yet another display of how clueless he is, didn’t even seem to notice her silent protest.

According to The Guardian:

‘Manning wore six badges on her black dress. According to a pooled report, they included one with a poster for the Women’s March that followed Trump’s inauguration, one that said “Trans Equality Now” and one in the shape of an apple with a rainbow.

‘The badges also represented the teacher of the year programme, National Education Association and Peace Corps, where she began her teaching career.’

Manning has spoken publicly about her support of refugee and immigrant students’ rights and the rights of trans citizens, both groups that Trump has repeatedly targeted for vitriol and hatred. Manning, on the other hand, has fought for the rights of these marginalized populations.

Following the ceremony, during which Trump posed for proud, smiling pictures with Manning, the teacher spoke with the Associated Press about her mission as a teacher and the reasons for her protest during the award presentations.

‘Manning told the Associated Press after the ceremony that she used a private moment with Trump to give him stacks of letters written by her students and members of the Spokane community. She said she told Trump she hoped he would read them, and she encouraged him to visit her school.

‘“I just had a very, very brief moment so I made it clear that the students that I teach … are dedicated and focused,” Manning said in an interview. “They make the United States the beautiful place that it is.”’

Trump dug his own hole by catering to the worst tendencies of his supporters, and now he’ll have to live with it throughout his presidency and beyond.

Featured image via Getty/Chip Somodevilla