Hudson – Students in Kate Tobiasson’s class seventh grade English Language Arts class at the Quinn Middle School recently competed a unit on persuasive writing. As such the students chose topics of interest to them and wrote a letter to the editor on that topic.
Here in the second part in this series – more letters will be printed in future issues of the Community Advocate. Part one can be seen here.
——————-
Dear Editor,
A.L.I.C.E. is the name of the safety drill schools are practicing. These are important and need to be respected by all. I am a 7th grader at Hudson’s Quinn Middle School. Recently, while practicing the evacuation procedure, I was sad to see some students not taking it seriously.
Some may not be taking the drills seriously due to being in denial that something like this could happen. I feel that it is parents and teachers duty to inform students that such an event could occur in Hudson. When we do the drills they need to take it seriously.
The A.L.I.C.E drills are an important subject, and need be treated as such. In order for this to happen, students must understand that shootings could occur at any moment. If they are not prepared, they are putting lives in danger. This is very serious because school shootings are sadly common. Already in 2018, there have been 20 school shootings where people have gotten killed or injured, leaving students afraid it will happen at their school.
The A.L.I.C.E drills need to be respected by all people in schools. You can make a difference by talking to anybody in the school community. That when there is an armed intruder in a school, students must listen to the teacher, and take the information from the drills and put it into action.
A Student Wanting Change, Kelsey Lundberg
——————-
To Hudson School Committee,
Dress codes in schools should be more fair as they are based on gender and body stereotypes. I am a seventh grader at Quinn Middle School and from what I’ve seen, more developed female students are often singled out.
Dress codes are put in place at schools to reduce distractions. This labels women’s bodies as distractions, especially more developed ones, which is unacceptable. This sexualizes the female body and makes them feel like the way they dress is more important than their education with the possibility that they could be pulled out of class.
People who carry their weight in one area look completely different than someone who carries it elsewhere. Students should not be punished for what they can’t control. Dress codes make girls feel like their body and perception is out of their control. Women should be able to wear what they feel confident in without the fear that someone will look at them the way they didn’t intend to be viewed.
Think about all of the children in your life who may be affected by these issues in schools. Students should be taught that they are not distractions to their peers, but equal to them no matter their gender or body type.
Sincerely, Bryana Miranda
