THE EDITOR, Sir:

Senator Kamina Johnson-Smith has made a clear-cut declaration that pregnant teenagers should not face discrimination in schools and is giving the young, sometimes misguided teenagers another lease on life.

Not all students who fall under this umbrella are delinquents. Some are victims of peer pressure and are never given a chance to fulfil their true potential again.

Have we no vision? Have we lost our sense of security and our love for humanity? I have overheard females like these young girls saying, "A bad gyal dem! Dem fi leave school!"

We need people who will advocate for justice for children in dire straits. All of us do falter at times, but this is a formidable challenge for some of these children who can be declared enterprising.

Nothing can ever eradicate the phenomena of teenage pregnancy and school dropouts, but we can pursue measures other than expulsion to address them.

A few years ago, I saw a young lady relating her story of dropping out of school. She is now a full-fledged lawyer.

Human sympathy is a hallmark of a good man or woman. We can change the status quo of many who cringe in our society, seeking another chance in this sin-filled world.

PARIS TAYLOR

paristaylor82@hotmail.com

Greater Portmore

St Catherine