GW University Tells Students to Prep for Election Night Like It’s a Natural Disaster
The email came as D.C. storefronts were boarded up in preparation for election night.
Storefronts and buildings in major cities around the United States boarded up their entrances over the weekend amid fears that unrest and violence could potentially break out on election night. Now, at least one Washington, D.C. area university is telling students to prepare for the same.
Emails obtained by The Interlude, which matched existing student social media posts, show George Washington University told students Friday morning to stock up on nonperishable food items and medication to prepare for “potential disruptions” resulting from the election.
“We suggest preparing for the Election Day period as you would for a hurricane or a snowstorm that would prevent you from going outside for several days to grab food or order takeout,” wrote the GW Office of Student Rights and Responsibilities.
The email goes on to tell students to be vigilant, requesting that students make sure doors are locked behind them and to seek shelter if a “disturbance” unfolds.
Graphic with excerpt of GW’s email to students Friday by Maggie Chirdo.
One student, whom The Interlude granted anonymity to protect the student from university retaliation, told The Interlude via email that the messaging was anxiety-inducing as students are also grappling with midterms. They said they rushed out to two grocery stores after receiving the email from GW, and said the university’s last-minute email only added to what they described as “chaos” in the city.
“At the end of the day they were just saving their ass if a kid was injured or arrested during this time,” the student told The Interlude. “If the school actually wanted to prepare us for civil unrest they could of [sic] sent it weeks in advance to be more prepared.”
A spokesperson for GW told The Interlude Monday that the email was sent to a “small cohort” of on-campus students, with similar messages going to students, faculty, and staff.
“Our goal is to help our campus community plan ahead for any potential disruption that may happen during the election period,” wrote Assistant Director of Media Relations Crystal Nosal in an email.
GW did designate Election Day as a university holiday, according to two other emails obtained by The Interlude.
Concern over violence in the aftermath of the election isn’t unwarranted. Over the weekend, a Donald Trump-supporting caravan surrounded a Biden/Harris campaign bus on a Texas highway, which Former Vice President Joe Biden called an attempt to run the bus off of the road. The FBI is investigating the incident. In early October, President Trump told the far-right group Proud Boys to “stand back and stand by.”
UPDATE: Tuesday, November 3, 2020.
This story has been updated to reflect a comment from George Washington University.
