Wasted Potential

child, being called stupid and slow made me question if I would be able to advance in my academics. Elementary sent an expectation for how the rest of my academics should be. In Middle school, my teachers are teaching me comprehension, metaphors and literacy concepts. Yet, I still fail the FSA every year even after I constantly studied and grasped information, so why am I failing the school’s expectations if I am required to master their concepts.

ANA FERREIRA, 11

Filled to the Brim

Dear Editor,

Our school has about 300 more students than it has capacity for. Many of my classes are crowded, and that limits how students learn. In my Algebra 2 Honors class, there are more than 35 students, which makes me feel a lot like a number. In my Advanced Placement class, another 30 or so students are squeezed into the tight classroom, making it challenging to ask questions and participate in discussions. My friends who attend private school in Texas have 10-14 students per class. That is roughly 20 less students than in many of my Stoneman Douglas classes.

So what can be done? Construct another building? Change the boundary of the school to send more students elsewhere? These are all issues public officials are discussing. I just hope they move faster to make some decisions because my classes are fast and challenging, and I want to learn in a less crowded environment. I shouldn’t have to compete with others in my classes to get our teachers’ attention, and I shouldn’t have to sit so close to others while COVID is still with us. Let’s figure this out very soon, so more students don’t have to suffer.

JOSH FOOKSMAN, 10