“Facts do not cease to exist because they are ignored.” – Aldous Huxley. This is a powerful quote that holds true to what is happening in our world right now. 

There are absolutely no words that begin to explain the tragedies that are taking place in Ukraine. Every day that I have come into school these past few days, I have expected there to be conversations and discussions about what is taking place. I hoped that some of my teachers would explain the situation and take time to emphasize to students how truly devastating it is, all the while stressing how important it is to stay informed. 

But over time I was disappointed by the lack of conversation about this calamity. There are millions of people fighting for their country, their lives, and their freedom, and we’ve chosen to remain silent. We are watching history unfold and instead of educating ourselves and the future generations, all there has been is silence. This needs to change. 

As a school that is raising the next generation of leaders and thinkers, we need to all be educated on world issues. We need to be educated, not only so that we are prepared for when we graduate and go out into the world but in order to be good citizens by staying informed about current affairs. Social media and other platforms are also notorious for spreading misinformation, so it’s important that students are learning the facts from reliable resources. Disinformation is a catastrophe in and of itself. 

I understand what a sensitive subject this is, I truly do. But it is worse to remain silent about a situation than to address it head-on. Ignoring the situation doesn’t make it go away or diminish the impact it will have. It is not a waste of time to inform ourselves about the affairs of our world, whether they are comfortable topics or not shouldn’t matter.

Notre Dame is also in a unique situation, as a Catholic school. We have the opportunity to come together and pray for these poor people and the leaders of their countries, as they face hard decisions and pray that they may make the right choices. With Lent beginning in a few short days, this is also a season of additional prayer, and if we aren’t going to address the Ukrainian tragedy in class, the least we can do is add these people to our prayers. 

While I am learning about functions in math class, there are children in Ukraine who are being ripped from the only place they’ve ever known as a home. Ukraine matters because they are people, like you and me, who deserve the chance to have a future. They are sisters, brothers, mothers, fathers, and grandparents who deserve to keep living and dreaming. The least we can do is educate ourselves and the future generations, so hopefully, one day we won’t repeat the same mistakes and we can forge a brighter future.