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It's about respect

As a parent of two previous and one current Brent Kennedy elementary school students and a former director of the BK PAC, I submit my thoughts on this recent protest at the school.

Re: “Students protest over new litter policy,” September 21

As a parent of two previous and one current Brent Kennedy elementary school students and a former director of the BK PAC, I submit my thoughts on this recent protest at the school.

While it may seem amusing to some, reading about a group of elementary school students staging a protest regarding a new litter policy, I believe this is representative of a much more complex challenge that this school faces. While I wholeheartedly support a litter free school, perhaps the way to achieve that is not as simple as creating another policy. Perhaps we need to ask why the kids are littering in the first place.

Respect is not dictated, it must be mutual and earned. School communities do not appear, they are built. Pride is not a policy that can be enforced, it is within us.

I implore all leaders, students, parents, teachers, administrators and elected officials to use this moment to reflect and consider devoting more in depth thought to how we are truly engaging with our youth — on all levels.

Eva Hernandez

Shoreacres