(Editor’s Note: These are more letters from Escalon High School students, submitted as part of a class project.)
Being Different Doesn’t Change You
Dear Editor,
They’re just like you and me. Having a disability like Autism, doesn’t define them as “special” or “different.” What is Autism you may ask? Autism is a developmental disability that affects how a person communicates with, and relates to, other people. It also affects how they make sense of the world around them. It is a spectrum condition. This means that, while all people with autism share certain difficulties, their condition will affect them in different ways. I believe as a child or young adult you have a right to equal treatment. Equality is about recognizing that everyone has the same worth and should be treated with dignity. I believe autistic kids are discriminated from equality because they look or talk differently. I feel like kids with disabilities are shut out from the real world because they are different and I don’t think it’s right.
I believe everyone should be able to learn new things and hang out with the same age groups or genders even if they have a disability. We shouldn’t shut them out. No one should be treated unkindly for having a disability. A child or young adult with autism will inspire you to be a special kind of person, you just need to give them a chance.
Difference doesn’t change who you have become.
Kyleigh Raffety
Talking Immigration
Dear Editor,
Illegal immigration isn’t a problem. It is just perceived that way. I think the way that we are not only looking at it, but also handling immigration isn’t very good and we need to change that. Immigration is seen as something so bad because many people are coming into this country illegally. But what people don’t realize is that all of those people who are coming into this country are no different than those who are already here. Yes, some may not speak the same language as you, but that does not make them “rapists”, “criminals”, or “drug dealers”. These immigrants are leaving their country for those exact things. They leave their homes and families to come somewhere safe for their children illegally because our government isn’t doing their job when it comes to becoming legal in this country. Our government shouldn’t be complaining about immigration if the only way these people can get into this country takes months and even years to get noticed.
The way to fix this problem is not to make security better, but to give immigrants better and more opportunities to become part of this country. Kicking them out and/or building a “wall” isn’t going to stop people from coming in to this country because they’d rather get back into this country illegally and face all of those risks than face the horrible circumstances there is in their home country every day.
They don’t come into the United States to “steal” people’s jobs. They’re just doing every single job that no one else wants to do. They do this out of necessity to provide for their families and put food on the table. They work hard in order to make not even minimum wage just because our country isn’t doing the bare minimum to help these people.
Sincerely,
Gerardo Guerrero
