(Editor’s Note: The following letters were submitted by Escalon High School students as part of a class exercise; students were asked to write about what they feel is a local, state or national issue they feel needs attention. Opinions are those of the author; the letters were randomly selected for inclusion in the paper.)
The Pink Tax
Dear Editor,
What do you think the cost of being a woman is? Well the New York City Department of Consumer Affairs in 2015, found that women’s products cost 7 percent more on average than similar products for men 43 percent of the time. This is an ongoing problem in America. Some states consider products such as pads and tampons as non-essential items. Even though this is a product every woman who menstruates requires to take care of themselves. Products such as razors are raised up in price, not because they’re made differently, but simply because they’re the color pink and targeted towards women. So the question is, why? Why are women forced to pay more for basic needs? When not everyone is fortunate enough to afford these “luxury” items. This is unmistakably a discrimination issue women are forced to pay for, just because they happen to be born women. In order to make America a more fair and just place for our mothers, sisters, daughters, and friends we must fight to pass the Pink Tax Repeal Act. While most states have passed this act, it’s not all. Therefore we must continue the fight for fair and equal treatment in all of America.
Aramay Rodriguez
Homelessness
Dear Editor,
A clear statement of what is the homelessness biggest problem is the lack of deeply affordable housing. This problem needs attention because people are living like this everywhere. There is not a single town where someone is homeless just walking around. This needs attention because not everyone can keep on living like this. It is not healthy for people to continue to live in these unhealthy conditions. This is concerning to others because of their well being. The people also don’t know what they’re going to do. They could be walking up to you trying to sleep in your house, they could be asking for food, asking for money, etc. You never know what they could be doing and what they are going through. Things that could be done are trying to get a job to get money. If you are having a mental illness and you are not physically and mentally stable you can get help by going to a therapist. If you are using substances please get the help you need before it gets out of hand. If you can get a job you can earn the money back and get an apartment or something to get off of the streets.
Brody Abbott
Focus On Field Safety
Dear Editor,
In this town, many children grow up playing city recreation sports. For some, it’s a great childhood memory of playing with your friends or having your mom or dad be your coach. Our town helps children grow up with helpful skills for the future, but while doing this, many kids get hurt. The fields at the Escalon Community Center provide great memories but many injuries. The fields seem to be neglected in some areas and overgrown in others. Some fields will contain bunches of weeds and most of the fields will have potholes or gopher holes dispersed around the area. This can be a hard thing to fix, but it’s a safety hazard that should be solved. Many players or children can step in the holes and roll their ankles, or get their cleats caught in weeds and trip. To fix this problem, you could patch up the holes with grass or dirt, but make sure to not do it while it rains to prevent creating a mud pile. Another idea would be to get weed control to contain or kill the invasive plants. Once a conclusion has been acted upon, the amount of injuries will drop and many kids can grow up with more positive memories of playing sports as a child.
Sincerely,
Brooklyn Dugo
