May 1, 2014

back of the bus

Discrimination is a major theme in To Kill a Mockingbird, which is set in the Jim Crow-era South. But discrimination isn't always a black-and-white issue. While it is often race-based, people are often treated differently or unfairly for a variety of other reasons: age, gender, sexual orientation, religion, physical appearance, disabilities, and more. The pervasive nature of discrimination means that most of us have experienced it.

For extra credit this May, write about a time that you were discriminated against. (If you can't think of a personal experience, you may write about one that you witnessed or heard of that affected you.) What happened, how did it make you react/feel, and did it teach you anything?

(For extra credit, post your response by midnight on 5/31.)

42 comments:

  1. So this may not seem like something to be discriminated about but I am a theater student and I do get crap for that sometimes. Some of my friends in the past have connected thespian to lesbian and that really pisses me off. I can't stand it when people change the name of something actually distinguished in most places and make it hurtful. If they didn't do that some people wouldn't be as reluctant to go out of their comfort zones. In the future I hope that this kind of behavior stops so be can just be themselves.

    Cameron Engle
    Per. 3

    ReplyDelete
  2. One time i was discriminated was because of my religion. I am a Mormon ,as i think most know, while i am not discriminated a nearly a severely as other people i believe that i am discriminated in small and insignificant ways to others. Mostly its just little comments like: o hes a Mormon he wouldn't get it... , or when people stop talking when i arrive and when i ask why im told Cu's your a Mormon. I feel that in these small ways i have been discriminated against me because of my religion.

    Abe Nelson
    P.3

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  3. When I was a kid, I think I got treated a little more different by some of the kids at the Korean church I went to because I was one of the younger ones and half Korean, they were all full Korean and most were older than me. I looked different compared to them, couldn't speak the language fluently, etc. etc.
    I remember I would be left out sometimes and I didn't really understand why, but it did make me sad. As I grew up though, I learned to embrace who I am and I'm glad I did.

    Miriam Henifin
    P.4

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  4. I have never really been discriminated against, but I have felt left out before, and I think that could have about the same feeling. Even though I haven't been discriminated against myself, I have witnessed it on the news and internet, mostly with gay rights. I think it's ok to have your own opinion and to have the right to express it whenever you want, but I don't think it's cool to be mean about it because then you're taking it too far and being a jerk. It makes me feel bad for whoever is on the other side of the attack because if you can express your opinions freely, you should be able to express yourself and be who you are whenever you want without getting a bunch of crap for it.

    Kinsey McNaught
    Period 1

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  5. I have never really experienced discrimination in my life before but I have witnessed it. I've seen people be left out or made fun of for something as stupid as their looks. Not just the color of their skin, but their size/features. I think it's so wrong to judge someone based off something they can't even control. Everyone is unique and life is too short to have judgemental people hold you back.

    Madi Hingston
    P.6

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  6. I dont really remember ever being discriminated, but ive witnessed others. Ive seen people just being made fun of or receiving racial jokes towards them. Ive even had a teacher once in middle school say borderline racial things to a student that was a friend of mine. People are intitled to there opinion, but if they dont have anything nice to say they shouldnt say it at all, at least thats what my mom always says

    Janie Jarmin
    Period 4

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  7. I haven't really been discriminated against personally, but I've heard of people of my religion being discriminated against. I think most people know that I'm Mormon/LDS, and I never hear about Mormons being seriously discriminated against, but I hear a lot of Mormon jokes and people making incorrect assumptions. I think that if people are going to say things about a person's religion they should know what they're talking about before they say offensive things. It bugs me when people try to tell me things about my own religion and then attempt to disagree with me when I correct them.

    Jolie Larimer
    Period 6

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  8. I have been discriminated against before. To be I think of discrimination as a form of bullying. I have been left out or judged because of they way I look or the way I learned how to do things. Some have even went to the point of criticizing me because of who my family is or because my dad died. I don't think it is okay for that to happen, but people are going to say what they please because they have the right to. I just don't let it get to me because I don't want to stoop to their levels. I was raised better than that.

    McKenzie O'Dell
    Period. 4

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  9. Discrimination is not cool. I have been discriminated for my age and for my name before, needless to say they were not the most enjoyable experiences in my life. In seventh grade I was playing soccer, my favorite sport, on a team that was in high school, they were not that excepting to the fact that I was quite younger than them and didn't treat me like a teammate. Although I had probably been playing the sport for just as long as they had, the team didn't treat me that way. I can understand where these older girls were coming from, but it still wasn't cool. I didn't really get to play soccer that season, which is a real bummer. I was treated so badly that it made the sport not fun anymore, which led me to not signing up for another season. It's really sad that people will discriminate others for the silliest of things, I know from this experience and others that no one should discriminate others for anything.

    Fallon Dunham
    Per.4

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  10. When I was little, around the age of 4-12 I wasn't the richest kid on the block, and I didn't dress as nice as everyone else in my classes. No one wanted to hang out with the kid who's shoes literally fell apart off at school and pants had holes in them. At the time, I didn't really notice what was going on and it wasn't in tell later that I noticed everyone around me was dressed better then me, I really started to notice when I would play in sports and I was placed on the lowest team possible every year, and the players on the higher level teams had their own bats and had new cleats every year. Discrimination happens everyday in the U.S. and always will. People don't mean to discriminate, but almost everyone unintentionally discriminates someone else at one moment or another in their life.

    Matthew Koopman
    Per. 3

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  11. I never really get discriminated against mainly because I am a normal white citizen, but I see it happen all the time at our school. I am mainly talking about gay people that are at McNary. A lot of the times you hear people talking behind their backs about how they do this and that. Even though I do not support gays, I do not think they should feel less of themselves at school. School is a place for people to learn and should all be treated as a human being.

    Adam Raschko
    period 6

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  12. I used to get discriminated a lot when I was younger, and I still do now though not as much. My step mom and my dad are Mormon, therefore when I went to his house I had to go to Mormon church. The other kids that grew up in the church would leave me out of discussions and some wouldn't even talk to me because I wasn't a member.They would also make rude comments whenever me not being baptized in the church came up. Even now when I go to church I get rude looks just because I may not be wearing what they think is appropriate for church. I have made some friends though seeing as I've been going there for nine years, but it still bothers me when the new people ask if I'm new. Like really I've been going here longer than you haha. I have nothing against Mormon people at all, I just don't particularly like the ones at my church because they treat me different. In my eyes, that's not how you treat someone at church.

    Sammy Strout
    Period 3

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  13. For me, I get discriminated a lot because I'm Chinese. Apparently, all asians have squinty eyes, like mine for example. I always hear a lot of asian jokes, but at the most part, I'm ok with it. I just casually laugh along without a care in the world. The only part that I disapprove about is religion. It's not alright to crush and make fun of anyone's beliefs.

    Gary Zhen
    Period 1

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  14. I see discrimination in our school daily. People are made fun of for things like their race, their body, their religion, or their disabilities. Kids are even made fun of for how smart they are? Just today in World History class a kid raised his hand to answer, and immediately some boys started murmuring things like "oh here we go" and "Wikipedia boy" and many just started giggling while he was answering. Like no its not funny when someones ten times smarter than you because they actually pay attention in class. He started getting all red and stuttering when people started laughing, and I felt so fired up. I haven't recently been discriminated against or bullied, but when I was little kids would make fun of my name, and call me Ocean, Stream, and say my parents must have been drunk when they were naming me. These remarks used to hurt me, and I'd act like a little baby about it, but now the comments don't get to me as much, they're annoying sometimes, but now I like my name so I don't let it get to me. Anyway, no one should ever be bullied for unique things about them that they can't change, or for things they believe in.

    River Harri
    P.4

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  15. I have never been discriminated against because of race or sexual orientation, but when I was younger, i was often discriminated against for my weight. I was a very large individual, basically, I was fat. My friends would run away from me and laugh because I was too slow and fat to catch up. They would also incessantly make jokes about how chubby and fat I was. It was not very fun. I wasn't as cool as them because I was huge. Now i realize I just should have sat on them. But that's how i was discriminated against.

    Colden Garro
    P. 4

    ReplyDelete
  16. During elementary school, I was harshly discriminated because I was Korean. I was nicknamed as chinky, yellow, and even orange chicken. There was even some kids that screamed "Go back to your own country!" or made fun of my name. This was probably why my personality is so violent today. Now, I am proud to be who I am and don't really get offended. But when I think I should feel offended, I usually punch the person in the stomach or chuck something at them.

    Seong Jeon
    Period 1

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  17. In the summer before sixth grade, I was playing soccer against one of the best teams in the state and I was about two or three years younger then the rest of the players. Before the game, one of my team mates had told me that the players on the other team had played dirty. Being the focused player I' am, I disregarded the comment and focused on the game. Just before half time, I was blindsided after a play was called. The player hit my knee and almost tore my ACL. This trauma caused me not to exercise at all for about a year and a half. So during that time, I got a little chubby. Going into sixth grade I was already nervous and frightened, but when I saw my friends, I was bombarded with insults. They would ask me, "how many kids did you eat," or "JEEZ WHAT HAPPENED!?" Being that timid sixth grader and coming into contact with that type of brutality ruined those few years. Most of the time I couldn't tell people what happened because they were to busy discriminating against me. Now I hardly get reminded of those days, but when I do, I try my best to disregard the comments. Through this experience, it's allowed me to realize if someone is different, whether its their size, their sexuality, appearance, or even their beliefs, it's shown me not to judge because there is probably a story behind it.

    Chance Lemon
    Period 6

    ReplyDelete
  18. I can't really list one time when I have been discriminated against, but it has happened to me my whole life. For me it has never been about race, sexuality or gender, but my discrimination has come simply from "labels". I have always been labeled as one of the "weird kids" by all the "cool kids". I have heard people make fun of my clothes, my actions, and my beliefs. Even my good morals have been made fun of by my peers. I have watched people mock me and make fun of what I was wearing and there isn't anything I can do about it. It made/makes me feel like dirt because even though I don't think it's fair, I know that standing up to the people that make fun of me would only cause them to make fun of me even more. I guess that it has taught me that I can't keep everyone happy and that I just need to be myself and know who my true friends are. I am still trying to figure that out though to be honest.

    Ariana Pippert
    Period 3

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  19. Personally I have never been discrimination against by race or sexual orientation, but i have always had to hear things about my weight.Even though I am not over weight I still have to hear from people that I must have anorexia and that I need to go eat a burger. Just because I'm not over weight does not mean It doesn't hurt to hear. I constantly hear people say these things under their breath. It's not my fault that I am the way I am.

    Mickaila Saxton
    Period: 1

    ReplyDelete
  20. I've been discriminated against because of my religion, which used to make me really sad or angry, but I've learned to ignore it. I do not accept the fact that people make fun of me for being LDS, because it's not right to do so, but I try to not get too hung up about it. Peers will make jokes that they think are funny, but that I find offensive. Often, people think that just because I have morals and standards, that I have no life, but that's not true. I am just like any other teenager, but I have big goals in mind, and those goals keep me from being idle. I don't think it's right to isolate people because of their religion, race, etc. because we are all human, who generally think and act the same way, and we all want our lives to be the best that they can be, free of discrimination.

    Abby Johnson
    Period 1

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  21. Personally, I can not say I have been completely discriminated against, but I have been categorized and bullied (which I feel like has a similarity in a way). In elementary school I was known as the "nerd". I was constantly harassed and bullied because as I was growing up I had braces, glasses, and acne. I was very invested into my studies and instead of being known as smart, it was seen as a negative characteristic. This was extremely hard for me growing up, and it greatly hurt my confidence as a kid. Although, as I've grown (physically and mentally), I've felt like it really didn't matter much. The world is full of hate and bullies, but who cares if I am happy. No one should have to feel ashamed of themselves for being different or having unique qualities; because, we're all alike. Discrimination is a horrid thing, and I hope someday in this lifetime we can all just be happy with each other.

    Sabrina Eder
    Period 4

    ReplyDelete
  22. For the most part, I haven't been discriminated against as much as some of my peers. One thing that I have been discriminated against is my religion. On multiple occasions I've been told that, because I'm not necessarily religious, but not an atheist, that I will "Go to hell," and "God will have damn on you." When I was younger, people on the streets supporting their religions would tell my parents that my brother and I would be "damned" if they didn't expose us to God. It used to make me really upset and I didn't understand very well why people would say these things. I felt really unaccepted in society because people would take advantage of the fact that I'm "not religious" and use it for an excuse to exclude me, but now I have friends that accept me for who I am and what my beliefs are. They clue me in on questions I have about religions and any time there is a reference to anything that I don't understand.

    Marissa Lane-Massee
    Period 1

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  23. I can't think of any time I've been discriminated about, but I do know someone who has. I knew another student who spent a few months in another country. At the time, I thought racism wasn't that common anymore, and I always pictured it as the whites discriminating against the blacks. I was shocked to learn that that wasn't true. The student was bullied at the school they attended by the other kids because they were the only white kid there. They actually ended up coming home early because they couldn't take it. Although it didn't happen to me, this experience showed me that anyone can be racist when they're in the more common race.

    Morgan Hoag
    Per. 1

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  24. I can't think of a time I have been personally discriminated against, but many times people are discriminated for their religion. I have heard it at school and in life. Often people are made fun of because of stereotypes about that religion. People can be passionate about their religion, but they don't need to force it upon other people or say that their's is right and the others are wrong. Those who do not have any religious beliefs should not make fun of those who do and vice versa. It's a personal choice and private and if you feel like sharing you should be able to without being ridiculed. We have freedom of religion for a reason. It is so people can worship their respective religions and not be discriminated against because of it. We should all respect each other's beliefs whether we agree or not.

    Schaefer Jones
    Per. 4

    ReplyDelete
  25. I can't remember a specific time I was discriminated. I do remember this one time when I was walking home from school and a guy was handing out bibles at the intersection. As I walked up, he handed me a Spanish bible when there were plenty of English bibles. I didn't feel discriminated, but I thought it was funny because I come from Filipino ethnicity. I'm sure the guy just assumed I was Hispanic so I just took the bible anyways. As far as actual discrimination, I've barely experienced any that really bothered me. Sometimes I hear jokes about short Filipino kids or I'll be told that I'm short for a corner back on the football team. Many times people have thought I was Mexican before. I just don't let it bother me because I know who I am and what I'm capable of on the football field. Also I'm taller than the average male Filipino which is 5 feet and 4.4 inches.

    Bryson Canchela
    period 1

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  26. Besides little comments and jokes about me being Hispanic, I've never really been discriminated against, but I see it happen to many people around me. A personal example is my brother. My brother moved to Gresham a few years ago, and ended up getting baptized as LDS. The rest of my family aren't of the same religion, but we support him. Some other family members aren't happy with his choices even though it's his life. I hear people talk very bad about Mormons, but most people are just assuming things and don't take the time to ask questions. He has had doors slammed in his face, and also had people in cars yell, "you're gay" as they drive past him when he is in his suit. I don't understand the concept of discrimination. It's not right to judge someone by things they cannot change such as skin color and race. It's also wrong to judge on others beliefs because we are all entitled to our own opinions. You don't have to agree with things, but that doesn't make it okay to diminish others.

    Gracie Rueda
    Period 4

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  27. A time I've felt discriminated against was in elementary school. I didn't have a lot of friends because I was "different." I honestly don't know why I was kind of an outcast for no good reason; to me, being different isn't a good reason. Of course I still had a few friends but I was left out many times and made fun of. Now I still get discriminated against, like most people, but it's gotten ALOT better.

    Harkiran Dhami
    Period 3

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  28. I remember when I was young , like 8 years back, I was with my friends and we were walking around the school and I could hear something, like someone was speaking behind us. I was confused cause my friend patted me on the back and looked sad so, I turned around and saw a two white girls , my age, point at me and they called me a " stupid immigrant" ....I was extremely offended! it hurt and I was upset cause i was born here, how dare she make assumptions. I felt embarrassed and we walked forward , but it bothered me that they'd say that to hurt me.... just because I was a different. I have heard it a lot since then and it seems like the older I get the more I hear it , but I also hear it and its used as a joke. I think that I learned that people will still judge me even if they dont know who I am and that I need to accept that there are losers in the world! Ha I also learned that its wrong to judge and I learned how it felt and how I hated it.


    Sierra Salinas
    per.4

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  29. I haven't had major issues with discrimination. One incident I had was when someone had posted a comment on my prom picture saying something about "fags" and it was really shocking to me. I didn't think someone would go as far as commenting on a public picture, ultimately ruining it. It really made me angry and upset that someone would do that. I understand that they might not have liked it but they didn't need to comment something malicious. There is so much discrimination against homosexuals. After confrontation about the comment the person took down the comment and learned a good lesson about discrimination.

    Mark Jennings
    Per. 1

    ReplyDelete
  30. Every ethnicity, race, or religion has a stereotypical idea. Once you tell people what you are, or where you are from, they automatically start assuming things about you. I've been guilty of it, everyone has! I'm a Russian. (well actually Ukrainian, but my parents grew up in a Russian part of Ukraine. So Ukrainian born, Russian at heart.) I constantly have people asking me if I have a drinking problem, or if any family drinks vodka instead of water. Or if I'm already married, ooor where is my ankle length dress. its actually pretty ridiculous the things people hear, and say. I personally really don't care. I just laugh it off (mostly laugh at them) because those question are dumb (or because they're dumb...). And because I know I can also be dumb sometimes. I don't think all people are evil because they discriminate, I just think they try to fit in. Or are really unaware of how the other person will feel. It definitely isn't right, but there is not much that can be done. You just got to keep your head up and shake the mean stuff off.

    Arina Dovgoruk
    Ped. 1

    ReplyDelete
  31. one way that i have been "discriminated" on would have to me having a twin. they judge me on what my twin has done and expect the same from me or more. this is ignoring due that we are two separate people. but we are often always referred to one person or the "twins". I don't like this due we are different people

    Adam Nelson
    Per. 3

    ReplyDelete
  32. I have never experienced severe discrimination truely in my life. However I have delt with a small bit before. For example I am the only kid on the Basketball who didnt play tournament team or on any other fancy expensive team. Many times I am made fun of because I'm the skyball kid. That being an insult. I however useit as motivation. Everytime I do something well I just think well if I'm just a skyball kid how'd I do that. I have nothing against skyball, infact I love it. The other players just think that that league sucked. I still get teased about it today, but it doesn't bother me because I made the team, and I work my hardest.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Awesoome It didn't post my name. Its
      Hayden Sader P.6

      Delete
  33. I guess one thing that I am sometimes discriminated against for would be for having red hair. Although I have not personally been insulted too badly, I have seen and heard some pretty nasty things about "Gingers". I think it is totally fine to make jokes as long as it is in a light-hearted way, and nobody is feeling insulted and beaten down after being joked at. There is a big difference between friendly teasing someone and trying to make someone feel bad about themselves.

    Lauren Hugie
    P. 3

    ReplyDelete
  34. I personally can never think of a time where I have never been discriminated against. Discrimination is a huge thing though that I hear and see nearly everyday. For example people at school arguing about religion, bashing one person's beliefs to try and force their own. Everyone is entitled to what they want to believe and that is one of the great things about this country. You shouldn't have to feel discriminated against or have to put up with people judging you for who you are and what you believe is right. For the other person they shouldn't try to force what they think is right onto other people they discriminate against. You have the right to your opinion, but when you dislike someone else's so much that you have to publicly bash them and force your own opinion on them that is taking it much too far.

    Brandon Dilger
    Per. 1

    ReplyDelete
  35. One thing people would discriminate against me is for being Asian and since I am that can't do things that others can't do. For instant some people would say I can't play basketball because I'm Asian and not built for playing sports. I think that it's really irritating, but it motivates me to prove myself and to everyone that I can do what everyone else can do.

    Randy Sarun
    Per. 1

    ReplyDelete
  36. One case of discrimination that I witnessed of was when no one would let this little boy sit next to them on the bus because he talked weird. It struck me as odd. I was young and didn’t really understand it, but it was weird to see. I couldn’t figure out why something so trivial became a big issue. The little boy seemed nice but everyone treated him as if he was a disease. At one point, the boy started crying and the bus driver actually had to make him get off the bus because no one would move over. It made me view people differently. My motto became that, until people give me a reason to dislike them, I’ll welcome happily.

    Krystin Morrell
    per.3

    ReplyDelete
  37. One time I was discriminated against was when I was younger. I had a really bad lisp. I still have it at times, but I was in speech therapy from first grade until eighth grade. People would always make fun of me for it or they would mock me. It's something I can't help, but it really isn't fun being made fun of. I was even being made fun of for it last year. Always being made fun off really motivated me to work harder in therapy and correct/train myself to say my "s" correctly. Hard-work and determination go a long ways!

    Lauren Tacchini
    Per. 3

    ReplyDelete
  38. When I first moved here in 5th grade, I was really discriminated against because I was new, and I looked/acted differently then the other kids. It was kind of hard to get used to and it really didn't feel great at all. It kind of made me feel alone and I wish I could make people like me. Also recently I got braces and have had people make fun of my lisp that I have from them. I know it will go away, but while I do have it, I don't really like having people mock me for it.

    Gabby Jackson
    Period 4

    ReplyDelete
  39. So...I've thought a lot about this topic. I saw this at the beginning of the month, and I didn't really have an answer. There was just so much of my life that I've had to get past that....I don't know I guess I just started not to really care about what others think yanno? I could talk about how everyone told me I didn't belong on the football field, I could talk about how nobody ever looked at me as anything more than that shy, smart kid in the corner, I could talk about how my own Father only ever told me that I should just quit now while I'm ahead. But...I've gotten past those things? Because if I've learned anything in this life, is to never let anyone else tell you what your limits are. I'm what is know as a Jack of all Trades, because I always wanted to try everything so I could never miss out. Drama, Orchestra, Choir, Band, Track, Football, Basketball, Karate, and more of course...but if you let other people intimidate you by their skill or prowess, how do you think the next generation is going to continue that legacy? Sure, I've come across a lot of discrimination in my life, but that's a natural thing. There are always going to be diversity in this world, so people are never going to look at one another in the exact same way. So why are we always struggling to fit in? Unique is one of my favorite words, because it reflects that each person has their own reason to smile in the end and.....also their own way of making other's smile. I know it's kind of a cliche, "everyone is special in their own way," but yanno...maybe a cliche is just what this world needs.

    Thanks for reading (as usual)
    Miss you Ms. Stefani! Give Thunder Princess a hi-5 for me

    Christian Scofield
    Period 6


    ReplyDelete
  40. I don't think I've ever really been discriminated against enough to affect me, but I have been discriminated against before. As a kid, a lot of the other kids discriminated against me because I had freckles, and even now people do because I have red hair. I've been made fun of because of my red hair and freckles, which is dumb in my opinion. People often judge me before they've even met me because of this. My hair colour is often commented on, and quite frankly it is annoying. How is having red hair different than having any other colour of hair?

    Gloria White
    Per. 1

    ReplyDelete
  41. I've been discriminated many times because of my race. I remember when I was younger, around the age of 10 or 11, my neighbor yelled something to me as I was passing by. She told me and my sister to go back to Mexico. I was so mad and still mad. It made me realize that there is still many racist people now days. I was mad mainly because I wasn't even born in Mexico but they still insult me like that. It's not right to judge people!
    Brenda Lazaro
    Period 03

    ReplyDelete