Finding hope may seem challenging, but one Mississippi State University instructor’s new writing prompt shows students they do not have to feel alone in their search.
The prompt, “Dear Other Side of the Fence,” asks students to write a message to someone on the opposite side of their fence about what they would like to say or know. It also encourages students to consider things they could do to make a better, safer world.
Antoinette Hayden, an MSU English composition instructor, came up with the idea for the prompt. She said she wants students to gain a better understanding of how others feel as well as how they feel by participating in the prompt.
“Our goal is to give a healthier forum,” Hayden said, “and the whole purpose of this is to cause reflection and encourage writing, and show that you can talk, you can write without having high stakes or backlash.”
Hayden understands, given the current atmosphere, many students feel uncomfortable sharing their thoughts especially when those thoughts concern politics.
Because students write anonymously, they do not have to worry about fear of retribution, judgement or being ostracized.
What Hayden said she does not want the project to become, is a forum for harassment and bullying. She discourages students from writing inflammatory, violently provocative or targeted messages.
In her classroom, Hayden encourages a welcoming, learning environment for students, and tries her best to keep the environment from getting too political. However, that does not keep students from attempting to provoke Hayden from her neutral classroom stance.
Many of Hayden’s students responses surprised her. Some wrote about others not needing to be a jerk all the time. Others wrote about angry people needing to smile and relax more. 
Not all students who responded to Hayden’s writing prompt wrote about politics. Some chose topics like gender and being a different person.
One of Hayden’s students, Jayla Dorse, a freshman biochemistry major, said when the prompt was presented to the class, it shifted discussion away from the president to a discussion on equality.
The class discussed the question concerning equality of how whites and blacks are treated differently in society. Some of the responses Dorse’s classmates gave surprised her. 
Many of Dorse’s white classmates showed empathy on how having a different skin tone would result in them receiving different treatment. 
For many students Hayden teaches, college is the first time in their lives their parent’s influence does not play a central role in their lives.
“We want people to think outside their largest influence,” Hayden said.
Growing up, Hayden said her parents did not instill a certain way of thinking on her which allowed her to develop her own thoughts. Now, Hayden’s parents will ask her what she thinks about something to which she responds back, “what do you think?” 
Jy McNair, an undeclared freshman, said the prompt was somewhat difficult for him to respond to because he did not really have an opinion on either side. He said he is neutral on politics and did not vote in the last election. McNair said he wrote his prompt about unity. 
McNair said what prompted him to write about unity, is the world’s current state. With the prompt McNair took an individualistic approach because a better world starts, he said, with making yourself a better person.
Division will continue, he said, as long as there are people in the world who think their opinion is greater than someone else.
 
Avery Harwell, a freshman kinesiology major, and Corban Todd, a freshman psychology major, said Hayden’s classroom fosters an open environment for student to express their opinion. 
Most of Todd’s friends and family have different opinions on politics and the things they believe in. Todd said writing Hayden’s prompt gave her a nice outlet to write and express her opinion which felt “pretty nice.”
Harwell said she had similar impressions of Hayden’s prompt. Harwell said she hates conflict or causing misunderstandings.
Like Todd, many of Harwell’s family members and friends have opposing political views which makes it impossible to talk about politics without getting into an argument or insulting one another. 
Harwell said she wrote her prompt about shutting down other’s opinions. Many people, Harwell said, use social media websites like Facebook as platforms to voice other’s beliefs as wrong. Comments turn into arguments on things that do not really matter.
At the end of the day, “what is hating on others going to do?” Harwell said.
Harwell noted how Americans have right to speak freely though many forget other’s entitlement to the same rights.
“It’s okay to fight for what you think is right that’s okay because that’s what America’s founded on,” Harwell said, “but you don’t need to insult those who are protecting what they think is right.”
Shannon Forshay, a sophomore political science major, said she would make the theme of her prompt about understanding how others think and feel about things, as well as creating a more positive environment for dialogue.
Forshay admits it is difficult to be positive when so much negativity permeates the environment, but students should strive to achieve it. 
For example, Forshay said, students should avoid acting like politicians who call one another losers. The name calling leads nowhere and has resulted in fostering the current climate.
As a Washington D.C., native, Forshay said, she comes from, “the heart of it all.” Her father practices law which she also hopes to do one day.
Forshay said participating in the Stennis Montgomery Association has allowed her the opportunity to meet with representatives from the Mississippi Legislature. Many of the legislators she has met with do not even attempt to see the other side’s point of view, which at times, Forshay admits, can be a little frightening.
Hayden wants to expand the prompt beyond her English students to other departments such as: history, political science and psychology. Hayden said her ultimate goal is to collect the responses for an e-book to print and give to students.