In response to the article “This lefty is hooked” (Dec. 3 Sports): I think this girl is putting a great influence on other girls who want to play men-only sports.
She is right: Men aren’t always the best in every sport they play!
Women do deserve a try; this is a free country, you know.
So, I say go for it if that’s what you like to do.
Katie P., 13 Orland Park
Madam President
I think our generation will be the first to have a woman president. Lots of girls I know have high hopes to become the first woman president.
I know many won’t succeed, but just the thought that so many want to be the first gives me hope.
Ellie G., 13 Wheaton
No vote
In response to Dana C. and Ashley H. (Dec. 10 Backtalk): Think of how important electing a president is. Think of all the issues facing the United States. We can’t have kids voting for just anyone. Some kids, if given the chance to vote, might not take it seriously. It’s not what you know about elections that counts, it’s what you know about politics and taxes.
Only adults can get that sense strongly enough to be able to vote for someone. Every vote does count, but it won’t make a difference unless taken seriously.
Gwynne R., 12 Evanston
I think kids under 18 should not vote. Most kids could care less about the issues. When some kids watch the news they are totally clueless about what they are talking about.
Some kids would vote for the candidate who is “younger” or “cuter.”
Annie P., 11 Chicago Ridge
Nasty racism
I believe racism is bad. I believe in God, and I think that God made us different forms and colors.
I think that God made us to be friends. We should get along as a family.
The rule is that you should always treat people like you want to be treated.
Michelle B. Chicago
In memory of Tupac
I don’t think that it was right to kill Tupac Shakur during the drive-by shooting. I think they killed him because he was involved in gangs a lot.
But Tupac was a good rapper and made a lot of money when he was alive. I liked Tupac, and I am still very sad that he died. He was only in his 20s.
Dominique C., 11 Chicago
What is that?
I don’t understand the federal court’s treatment of Eve Bruneau (Dec. 3 Tough News). Why didn’t she sue the people who were harassing her instead of the school? What does she mean by protection? Why depend on the school? Some of those places are weird anyway.
The article says that only adults are affected by the sex discrimination and harassment laws in school. What about the little kid who got suspended for kissing a girl? That’s the sort of stuff you see on Hallmark cards, not the stuff you have to miss an ice cream party for!
Anyway, if this country’s laws can take away a child’s right to ice cream, you would think they could give a detention to a few others. Or they could award Eve a few million dollars and everyone would be happy. Sarcasm aside, these federal governments have to make up their minds!
Monica N., 12 Naperville
Respect
I disagree with what Kevin D. (Nov. 5 Backtalk) said about girls only caring about their nails. That’s not true.
Look at it this way – some boys only care about their hair.
Girls should have respect! I think girls should be able to play in the stadium like the Chicago Bulls.
Rita R., 11 Wood Dale
Dressed to express
I’m writing a response to all the public school uniforms. I think that people should be able to wear what they want to wear, and if they feel their outfit is appropriate, then they should be able to wear it without wearing a school uniform. I for one like wearing my own outfits and being different from other people.
Nadiah M., 11 Chicago
Uniforms are soooo BORING! The Board of Education decided for our school and some others to wear uniforms. Well, we say it should be our decision. We have to wear white tops and blue bottoms. Get a clue!
It’s a world of colors, and we want to wear them every day, not only on weekends and after school.
They say that uniforms will protect us from gangs. Well, white and blue are gang colors anyway.
Kasia W., 11 Paulina T., 12
I think it’s a good idea to wear uniforms. There are so many gangs that if we don’t wear the color that the school asks, the students maybe wearing gang colors.
Even though the students didn’t have anything to do with a gang, they might get killed.
Priscilla, 12 Chicago
Horrible list
In response to “Horrible list” (Dec. 3 Tough News): I used to live in a small town in Kansas. I got in the newspaper like three or four times and on TV too – just for going to a museum with the Summer Fun Club. I never realized what kind of danger I was in about my pictures in the paper until you wrote about the “list.”
Some pedophile could have used my pictures or something for a nasty catalog.
Thank you for writing that article. I really appreciate it. It really gives out a warning to everyone.
Amanda L., 15 Milwaukee
If a person could get access to a computer in jail, couldn’t they break out?
Not only is that list bad, but security should be heightened. Things like that should never come to be!
George J., 13 Palos Heights
I think KidNews is very smart the way it keeps kids’ anonymity. And these people are some pretty determined perverts. I do not see how you could molest a little kid, go to jail and still write a book to send to other molesters so they can molest them.
In my mind this is what is wrong with the world.
Zachary T., 13 Palos Heights
Sticky situation
I’m responding to “Back in black” (Dec. 10 Tough News). I think she should be able to wear any color lipstick she wants. I don’t think it would distract students at all. Maybe if the teachers were nicer about it, she wouldn’t wear it.
I also think they shouldn’t suspend her. She has the right to wear black lipstick.
Jennifer S., 13 Crestwood
Reversal
I am responding to Elizabeth M. (Dec. 10 Backtalk): I agree with you that women shouldn’t wrestle. I also read about boys joining a lacrosse team. I think that is wrong, because it’s no fun for the girls if the boys are dominating the sport. Things are all right the way they are.
Natalie B., 13 Palos Park
Unappetizing
I think lunch supervisors have gotten very mean. They shout in our faces. They won’t let us sit at the tables at the end because they don’t want to wipe the tables. Now that’s lazy!
On the playground, they yell at us for not zipping our coats, for wearing sneakers when there’s only a little snow or for wearing shorts or skirts in cold weather.
I think school should hire NICE teachers.
Megan P., 11 Geneva
Bad dad
In response to “Bad dad” (Dec. 3 Tough News): I think it’s horrible how that dad pushed his deaf daughter in front of a pickup truck just to get the life insurance. How can people be so stupid?
I think that dad should get a life. And if he wants money, he should stop trying to kill innocent people and get a job.
Beth H., 12 Palos Heights
I think it’s awful about that dad who pushed his deaf daughter. I don’t feel this way because she’s deaf; I think it’s terrible that this would happen to anyone.
I hope the father is disciplined in the right way. It’s just sad that a girl who needs more support because of her disability doesn’thave a loving family.
Ana M., 13 Palos Heights
Ganging up
I am in 6th grade. At my house when I come back from school, all I see when I look out the window is gangsters on the corner every day.
I ask my mom if I can go outside on my bike, and she says “no.” I ask why not, and she says, “Because the gangsters are in the corner.”
Why do they have to be there? Why can’t they leave or go to their house?
Cindy B., 11 Chicago
Halt homework
I am in 7th grade in Chicago. I think in my school, there is too much homework.
We have to read 30 minutes every day. We have math, spelling, social studies, science, reading and English.
I have friends and I want to spend a lot of time with them.
Ula M. Chicago
ANT ANOTHER THING…
Wouldn’t you know… we at KidNews were just getting over our fatal ant-farm experience (remember, most of our ants croaked). We had dried our tears, found closure, learned to let go… blahdeeblahblah… when we got an interesting offer. The company that invented the trademark Ant Farm, Uncle Milton Industries, has offered to replace our ant farm and let us try again. (The ant farm we used was another brand.) The company’s president even wrote us a letter, promising us a plot of farm land and new ants, which would become “the low maintenance, high energy pets you’ve been searching for.”
We’re not sure we’re ready to go through the whole experience again… but we will if you say so. So call us from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. Wednesday (that’s tomorrow) and let us know: Should we give another ant farm a go or give it a rest? Call 312-222-4217. (If you get voice mail, you can still have your say: Leave a message with your name and age.) We look forward to hearing from you. Our fate as ant caretakers is in your hands!
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Write letters or send editorial cartoons to Backtalk, Room 567, 435 N. Michigan Ave., Chicago 60611. We won’t use your last name, but you must include your full name, age and phone number (we may call to make sure you wrote it). You can also contribute by computer (screen name KidNews) if you subscribe to Chicago Online. Call 1-800-922-0808.
