Your entire life, you’re told to “just be yourself!” and “be creative” but as soon as you are, you’re ridiculed for it.  Kids like Ahmed Mohamed have fallen victim to this. The 14 year old built a clock that resembled a bomb, and he was removed from school. Another 14 year old in 2012 committed suicide due to bullying for his sexual orientation.

These are not isolated events. “Minority” students (race, LGBT people, the “unpopular” crowd, etcetera) have to face these challenges and worries everyday within the walls of their school. A school where they should feel safe around their peers, teachers and advisors.

I’ve heard far too many snide remarks from teachers and students about someone who is seen as “different” yet we preach about acceptance and have assembly after assembly to spread awareness that people do not take seriously. Yes, acceptance has improved tremendously in the past 20 years (thank you Supreme Court!) and people do talk about underground issues thanks to social media. We as humans are moving forward. Slowly, but getting there.

But still, starting an LGBT club has been refused. An atheism/agnostic “questioning” group has been denied. How will we grow as adults if we cannot grow as students? I know so many people and hear so many stories about how they just wish to have a support group. They wish to be involved. But they can’t. A place that they feel they would fit in doesn’t exist. If they don’t fit the mold of “normal” they don’t fit at all. I am completely okay with Christian based clubs at school as long as diversity of clubs and activities exists. But they don’t. How is that fair? Does separation of church and state even exist? Why do I hear so much about the laws of the bible when I want to know more about the laws of the land?

I want this “diversity” I hear so much about to actually exist. In my school. In every public school. Children from every walk of life spend eight plus hours a day in one building, and they should feel accepted. If we are actually concerned with teen suicide and depression, we should have support clubs to help them. To help everyone.