Between your man-on-the-street column and the eloquent guest editorial from the Mount Si GSA officers, I had to write in.

I was happy to read that three-fourths of the folks you polled regarding your man on the street question “Is high school the right place to talk social issues?” had reasonable responses. It gives me hope that the things so many people I encounter outside of the Valley say about our community are dead wrong.

I want to ask the readers of the Snoqualmie Valley Record: Are we raising children that will be future adult citizens or not? If we don’t teach them—allow them to drive the discussion regarding issues they are already faced with in a school setting—about these issues, we are doing them and our communities a great disservice. By high school, students find themselves in part-time jobs, looking at college options, etc. They are in the world where things like racism, sexism and homophobia, along with too many issues to list here, exist. They will have to face them.

Do we not, as parents, teachers, and community leaders, make sure they have the critical thinking skills and coping tools to counter these normally based-in-hate social issues? Yes, we do! We have a duty to provide them with not just algebra problem-solving skills, or the ability to analyze a poem, or even properly operate a computer, but also with the ideals that—especially in America—the rights of all are guaranteed. Personally, I want my children to do the right thing when faced with these social justice issues. I want them to stand up for those who are bullied, discriminated against and generally ostracized because they don’t fit some cookie-cutter American ideal.

I applaud the GSA officers and the more than 150 students who participate in the Day of Silence. Here is an example, in my mind, where teenagers are being braver than some adults. These brave souls are helping to raise awareness, transcend these social justice issues, and hopefully prepare the way for transforming our society into one where everyone is valued and viewed as equal. For those who find this subject matter upsetting, I will tell you there are LGBTQ students in the school, and their peers know they are there (except for when violence and lack of acceptance make them silent, hence the Day of Silence necessity). We should be talking, discussing, learning, and all should be a part of it.

At one time in our country, the subject of racism was deemed too upsetting. Yet, today we learn about civil rights leaders like Martin Luther King Jr. Students can identify Rosa Parks, Gandhi or even Cesar Chavez. But how many students can identify Harvey Milk?

I would proffer that these discussions not only should be done in high school, but they should begin in middle school. It’s time to stop hiding behind silence and “it’s uncomfortable” and start preparing our children to enter the world and be our future (just) leaders.

Casondra Brewster-Rothe

North Bend