Shaw profiles two Heritage Middle School students who recently collected surveys from their peers about discrimination.
FARGO — Alora Rude, 14, from Horace, N.D., and Becca Smith, 13, from West Fargo are two very impressive students, with a passion for tolerance and equality. They have both heard mean comments directed at their friends, and it really bothers them.
“It’s very personal to me, “ Becca said. “A lot of my friends have been discriminated against and mistreated. I have seen it.”
“I just feel that everyone should be treated the same,“ Alora said. “If you have a different religion, race or sexual orientation it shouldn’t make any difference.”
Becca and Alora just finished eighth grade at Heritage Middle School in Horace. As part of a school project called “Be the Change,” they focused on how fellow students are treated. So, they sent out surveys to all the high schools and middle schools in the West Fargo School District. Dozens of students responded. The comments were stunning, alarming and painful to read. Every student said they had either been victims of hatred or witnessed it.
Some students said they were badly treated because of their religion or lack of religion. One student said, “Me and my family were going on a walk and people flicked us off because of my mom’s hair covering, aka hijab.” Read more on the original article : https://www.grandforksherald.com/opinion/columns/7104499-Shaw-Two-ND-teens-try-to-be-the-change-against-discrimination