Almost a month after Brett Kavanaugh’s confirmation as the newest Supreme Court justice in a slim 50-48 vote, students at West Essex still dispute over the confirmation and the sexual assault allegations presented by Dr. Christine Ford.

“I was really upset when I first heard the news because sexual assault is not a joke and this man has been granted a significant amount of power,” sophomore Ava Franchi said. “I am scared that Kavanaugh will be biased if another sexual assault case is presented in front of the Supreme Court.”

“I agree with the FBI report,” freshman Justin Weisberg said, referring to the federal investigation’s results that there was no wrongdoing on Kavanaugh’s part. “I think that Christine didn’t want Kavanaugh in Congress for political reasons, so she lied.”

History teacher Beth Vaknin said that the confirmation is a historical event and important to discuss in school.

“The Kavanaugh case certainly presents some challenges for a history teacher because of the sensitive nature of the accusations against him,” Ms. Vaknin said. “In this case, as in many others during these highly polarized times, teachers must work out for themselves how best to present an issue in class so that students will understand all sides and will be able to form their own opinions.”

For Republican leaders, Kavanaugh’s confirmation was a victory in tipping the balance so that a solidly conservative-leaning bench exists. Trump took to Twitter to congratulate Brett Kavanaugh and said that he was going to be a great leader for decades to come. Other Republicans expressed similar opinions and apologized to Kavanaugh for the situation.

“Kavanaugh won the case because this entire trial was based around hyper-exaggerated accusations of events that were irrelevant 35 years ago, but have become relevant since they have the potential to stop further Republican domination over Washington,” sophomore Jimmy Alamina said.

Kavanaugh’s position on the Supreme Court holds the high-priority job of making decisions, regarding including abortion, the role of religion in society and the rights of the LGBT community.

“I am very concerned for our country,” Junior Julia Rubenstein said. “To elect a man like Kavanaugh is extremely low and should have never happened in the first place. I am worried for everyone who believes in their right to choose if they want an abortion and who belong to the LGBT community.”

After Kavanaugh’s nomination on July 9, reports surfaced regarding rumors of alleged sexual misconduct. Kavanaugh and Ford held a public hearing on Sept. 27 when the two battled in an emotional session before the Supreme Court. Ford detailed her alleged traumatizing experience of being pushed onto a bed at a high school party and said she believed Kavanaugh was going to kill her. Kavanaugh denied all ties to the incident.

In lieu of Ford’s story, the FBI conducted an investigation on Brett Kavanaugh. CNN confirmed that the agency was not directed to investigate a third sexual assault allegation or Kavanaugh’s honesty regarding his drinking tendencies in high school.

At the end of the investigation, the evidence surrounding the allegations proved to be inconclusive. Kavanaugh was sworn in by Chief Justice John Roberts, replacing Justice Anthony Kennedy, who retired after 30 years of service.

His confirmation sparked outrage not only among Democrats but among all survivors of sexual assault. Critics see Kavanaugh’s elevation to the highest court in the land as a great loss for the rights of sexual assault victims and the momentum of the #MeToo movement, which has been behind Ford since the allegations arose.