That video is delightful; Feinstein actually won my respect for that encounter for telling it like it is and indirectly giving the middle finger to whoever tried to manipulate her using a bunch of kids as sockpuppets.
OMG, I’m no fan of Feinstein’s position on many issues - and am not her constituent - but yes. That teacher should be ashamed of herself, not only for trying to use kids as a front to push her own agenda, but clearly she’s been preaching apocalyptic visions to these kids. Wonder why your kids have anxiety problems?? Because people they view as ultimate truthful authorities are telling them the world will literally end within their lifetime. There will be plenty of time for those kids to make their lives a stressful hell, but as adults there’s something to be said for sheltering children from the worldly issues that make our own lives hell. Try your best to insulate little children from stress, provide a solid sense of strategic security (along with freedom to make tactical mistakes, get injured and recover), and avoid passing on your own insecurities and daily anxieties to them. Above all, don’t use them for political gain. It’s one thing to teach them civics that young but you can just hear the fear in that little girl’s voice saying we only have 12 years and we’re impacted by you not voting for this shitty spending proposition we have no earthly comprehension of. Bad adulting! Bad!