Dani, your observations are so powerful - especially that connection between nihilism and teen mental health. The quote from your student about 'it would be better if we just had one president' got me. It suggests something deeper than apathy and seems like a longing for certainty in an uncertain world. Which, who could blame anyone for wanting that right now?

I wonder if there's a connection between this learned helplessness? When everything feels equally true and false, maybe checking out or embracing authoritarianism feels like the only sane response. Teaching in this environment requires not just content knowledge but real emotional intelligence, which you clearly bring to your classroom.

What strategies have you found effective for helping students move from that anger and helplessness toward engagement? I'd love to learn from your experience.