(Editor’s Note: The following are a few letters from Escalon High School students, written as part of a class assignment with students choosing a topic of current interest.)

Putting Athletes At Risk

Dear Editor,

The new school year has begun and soccer has moved from fall to winter. As if playing conditions weren’t bad enough. Now soccer players are going to be forced to play in wet soccer fields. Even during the fall, the field would be wet just from normal watering. The field needs to be redone because there are so many ways people can get hurt there. If any team really wanted to win, they could claim that the field isn’t playable and automatically win that match. Luckily the teams don’t do that because that would be an unfair win. The reason a team could say that the field is not playable is because there is such a terrible gopher infestation, and with the long grass it is sometimes hard to see whether you’re going to twist your ankle.

To make things worse, girls soccer was also moved from spring to winter. How are four teams supposed to share two fields? Lucky soccer only has four teams and not six like other sports or else this situation would be even more chaotic. How are practices supposed to work? The soccer fields don’t have lights. Winter has shorter days, there will only be time for practice right after school. With only two fields and four teams, things are going to get chaotic.

The school either needs to change soccer back to how it was or make the improvements necessary to play. Let’s not forget how bad the JV goals are, they don’t even stand up straight. Those goals need to be replaced. If the school doesn’t want to make those improvements, at least let the soccer team use the football field. Almost every school plays on their football field, because the football field is perfect for soccer as well. The football field has drainage, low grass, bleachers and, most importantly, lights.

Diego Salcedo

Be Responsible About Your Posts

Dear Editor,

Social Media is a worldwide problem in teen life. Social Media can cause teenagers personal problems, cyber bullying, and problems when they try to apply for a job or a college. Most teenagers don’t think before they post. They feel that they are safe on social media if they simply just hit the delete button, but once you put something on the internet, it is there forever. The most popular social media accounts that are used today are Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. These websites have caused problems for people all the time by the click of a button. People post derogative language, nudity, or even simply a picture of them with a red solo cup in their hand because it’s “cool”. Many kids get in trouble at school for what they put on the internet, for example, poorly posting about a school staff member that probably isn’t their favorite. These examples can easily ruin someone’s career or education. Teens need to think about if their post is really that important to them and what it could possibly affect in the long run. Teens could lose their chances of a specific job or school because of what they once said three years ago. Not only can a teen ruin their own life, but others can too. If someone posted a picture about another, that doesn’t affect the person who posted it, it affects the person in the picture that is possibly doing something that they shouldn’t. Posting on social media can also put your life at risk. Posts such as, “Yay home alone for the weekend” or “Going to the mall!” gives people an idea on where to get you, if they want to kidnap you, or even kill you. Social media is very distracting and fun, but people need to think about what really matters. Teenagers, please think before you post.

Amanda Salvador

Corruption And Money In Politics

Dear Editor,

We have a large problem in our country. With the presidential election drawing near the corruption in our national government is an important topic. The presidential Super PAC’s which are in charge of raising money for the candidates are accepting millions of dollars from large corporations to help their campaign. This in turn makes it so big businesses are running our country. This is not how our founding fathers wanted our democracy to be like. This is a large problem as it runs our democracy.

The politicians should have to raise money before they start on their journey, or they should have to announce who they received money from, how much money as well as the reason they received the money. This would allow for clarity in who our politicians are really working for and what the companies are trying to receive from them. The politicians are supposed to have our best interest as they work for us. The current system we have is not good for us as citizens because we don’t know what the politicians really will do when they are in office. If we have a system where they are required to say who donated, how much, and for what reason, this would lead to politicians having to be more clear about their intentions when they get into office.

Sincerely,

Parker Franklin

Give Respect, Get Respect

Dear Editor,

As human beings, we all should be able to treat each other with respect. We all crave respect and we all should give respect. The Golden rule, do to others as you would have done to you, is a perfect example of respect. Whether it be at school, at home, in public, or with peers, all people have the right to be treated equally. Society today, especially if you focus on younger individuals, the amount of disregard and juvenile acts, are out of control.

There is a very thin line between teasing/joking and being plain over the top. For example, when it comes to school, students do not respect their teachers nor administration. It seems to be that some students are developing the mentality that in order to be liked in school by their peers, they have to be complete jerks to adults. Social media has a lot to do with that also. Since young individuals aren’t necessarily monitored on social networking websites, they feel as if they are “unstoppable.” By saying that “unstoppable”, that is meaning that they feel as if they can do anything behind the keyboard, for example: calling people out, making fun of one another, or even making harsh judgments. We live in a diverse nation made up of many different cultures, languages, races, and backgrounds. That kind of variety can make all our lives a lot more fun and interesting, but only if we get along with each other. And to do that we have to respect each other. It means being treated with consideration and esteem and to be willing to treat people similarly. It means to have a regard for other people’s feelings, listening to people, and hearing them, i.e., giving them one’s full attention. Even more importantly, respect means treating one with dignity.

Sincerely,

Macie Chase