On February 19, Fieldston students enrolled in the spring semester elective ‘Rise of the Right in Contemporary American Politics’ once again departed for the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) This year’s event, held at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center in National Harbor, Maryland, attracted a combined 61 students across four sections of the class—two taught by Dr. Tammi, the Upper School History Department Chair, and two by History Teacher Dr. Banks.
The trip was initially proposed over a decade ago with hopes of enabling Fieldston students to take a step outside of the school’s “liberal bubble” and learn first-hand about the conservative movement. Banks recalls taking a trip down to DC around 2010, during which they met with conservative think tank people, Andrew Langer and more libertarian think tanks. During this visit, they realized that the experience was centered around policymakers at an elite level, and CPAC was simultaneously becoming much more popular. Banks shares, “It’s a place where conservative ideas were getting debated and where activists would be gathering, they had student tickets and it would just be a great learning experience.”
Banks shares how going to CPAC has been a really eye-opening experience, particularly in this class, because “you get to put all of our learning in context at CPAC, and you’re also talking to people who, for the most part, Fieldston students aren’t coming in contact with on a daily basis.” Banks also emphasizes the importance of remaining informed, regardless of one’s political views. “Whether you’re completely opposed to what’s going on right now with the conservative movement or supportive, it’s a learning experience, and it’s a unique one.”
Ela Garlin (Form V) reflects on her experience at CPAC, revealing how she was not expecting to fit in as a “young liberal black girl,” which “aren’t exactly the target demographics of the Republican party at the moment.” Garlin shares how she engaged in several captivating discussions with people, most of whom assumed she shared similar political ideologies. Garlin emphasizes a fear that her experience would not have been so pleasant had she been honest about her beliefs, having reported only encountering one group of moderates in her two days at the conference.
Garlin mentions how none of the speeches came as a surprise, yet some were “definitely a bit jarring.” She describes encountering a “deportation center” backdrop of people posing for photos in front of a man wearing an ICE jacket.
Garlin reflects, “I later saw an interview where he explained that he likes to wear it to Home Depot and scare undocumented immigrants.” Garlin shares how this made her “question the morals of the ‘right’” and the role this extremist behavior plays in the rapidly increasing political polarization. “CPAC displayed the shift of the Republican Party in a direction further and further from conservatism in its original sense.”
Alexander Goodman (Form V) states how attending CPAC was a fantastic experience, exceeding his expectations. He shares how a highlight was getting to see Elon Musk speak. “[I] loved the chainsaw and how obviously high Musk was.” Goodman then goes on to discuss the evolution of politics and the Republican Party. “Politics used to be quieter, more dignified, you know? CPAC showed me that now it’s closer to a circus. Whoever can produce the most shock and awe wins.” Goodman adds, “I didn’t hear a single piece of actual legislation mentioned by any of the mainstage speakers…Very, very funny.”
Isabel Gorman (Form V) describes her overall experience as “enjoyable and entertaining,” but upon entering the hotel, quickly questioned what she had gotten herself into. Gorman reveals how she expected the conference to be “much fancier” than it was. “I thought everybody was going to wear dresses or a suit and a tie…I definitely didn’t expect to see people walking with their cats and really showing who they are.” Yet, the conference was not just an entertaining comedy show. Gorman reveals how she learned about the education system from Erika Donalds, chair of America First Policy Institute Center for Education Opportunity, and reflects, “I thought it was quite interesting to hear that the popular system is a failure. I didn’t know that, nor had I thought about that.”
Charlotte Symons (Form V) reflects on her shock to discover that many of the January 6 participants were in attendance and that many of such were treated as war heroes. Symons commented on the tattoos many of them had, sharing, “There was even a guy signing autographs.” She emphasizes the surprise of bearing witness to this because “you never see that here, but they were big hits down there.”
Sarah Gallen (Form V) reveals how one of the attendees she interviewed started crying “because he loves America so much.” She shares how remarkable it was to be surrounded by such patriotic citizens, a stark contrast to the New York City crowd she encounters daily. Gallen also mentions being approached by several attendees to sign petitions for Trump 2028. “I didn’t realize people were actively trying to find a way for Trump to remain in office. I assumed it was a given that after serving two terms, his time as president would be terminated.”
Gallen reflects on receiving condolences from several attendees once they discovered that she resides in New York City. “These women expressed genuine concern for my safety and sanity. They asked if I ever felt unsafe due to the overwhelming immigrant population.”
For many Fieldston students, being in an environment like that of CPAC was a drastic adjustment and wake-up call. Growing up in the liberal bubble that is New York City and is further illustrated through our progressive education system, attending CPAC enabled students to experience the opposite extreme.
