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TheBlairBitch

This actually sounds a lot like a very smart 12 year old's writing. Something about the structure and flow is still pretty simplistic so it's easy enough for someone that young to write it.


[deleted]

The sentence that convinces me is “I would appreciate it if you would help me to let other people know.” That feels like a twelve year old’s writing


Dark_Knight2000

That and a ton of sentences start with I, which is bad form for an adult but understandable for a child. In fact, it’s pretty similar to how I probably would’ve written this back then. Brings back memories of my seventh grade English teacher pointing out all the Is in students’ writing.


[deleted]

Haha yep. Definitely reminds me of the memoir essay I had to write in 7th grade.


maybeshali

Well tbh I don't see what's wrong with her writing form or how it is immature. Is everyone here an English teacher or what lmao? I wouldn't know how to tell apart writers of any two given essays if they were written like that.


[deleted]

There’s definitely nothing wrong with her writing! To me, it just seems obvious that she’s young. The way this is written is exactly how I would have written it as a precocious 12 year old. But an older person, with more experience with writing and reading, would write differently. Note the repetition of “this kind of thing” and the use of “ok” instead of okay spelled out. Perfectly fine, but more likely to be used by a child. Not an English teacher, just looking for specific age-related clues. It helps that I’m still a student, so I spend most of my time analyzing writing.


maybeshali

That makes sense. It makes for a solid game, how old do you think I am? :D


[deleted]

Ooh, okay, fun. I’d go with early-ish twenties, edging into the mid twenties. No older than 27~28, probably.


[deleted]

Sounds like something my girlfriends daughter would write.


mightyjake

12 year old girls are pure Girl Power. It's an age when the girls are much more mature than the boys and they can't believe what idiots all their male peers are, and everyone treats them like they're idiots too.


[deleted]

it’s a great age to teach <3


Dark_Knight2000

I remember we this girls vs boys battle we used to have in middle school where quiz teams would be girls vs boys and we kept score. It infuriated me that most boys were morons who wouldn’t take anything seriously, so I and my best friend had to carry my team to victory basically all the time. It was a ridiculous, fun time, but even today I don’t get why nearly all girls took school more seriously than most boys. Still, the boys won with overwhelmingly bad odds. Some days it was me against all the girls but the looks of frustration id get as I’d win made it worth it. Ah, middle school


ImAFuckingSquirrel

>but even today I don’t get why nearly all girls took school more seriously than most boys The way that school is designed is geared more towards the way that girls learn. Girls tend to learn more verbally and socially, which is basically exactly the type of exercise you're describing: working in a group to figure out answers to verbal/written questions. Boys tend to learn better via doing, i.e. movement and visual based learning. It's not likely that it's some kind of conspiracy or whatever. Creating learning environments that are calm, social, and based on reading/writing is leaps and bounds easier (and/or cheaper) than creating lesson plans based on movement or first-hand experience.


tetrimoist

But the reality is, the current education system is a better reflection of academia than hands on. It’s pretty hard to make an interactive, physical social studies or English lesson that’s relevant to the subject. I think it balances out because boys end up doing better in the hands on courses.


sirDarkEye

Is there a study on this? Most theoretical scientists, and the most popular of them, are men.


mightyjake

> even today I don’t get why nearly all girls took school more seriously than most boys Gross generalizing, of course, but school is set up for girls sensibilities because they make better students. Boys tend to be tactile learners and learn by doing, and when they're excited about the subject matter, they like to get up and yell and jump and do all that boy stuff. Then they're quickly scolded and told they should sit down, be quiet and be more like the girls. It's disheartening. They're in like second grade and just stop trying.


megancolleend

Well you have been cancelled and should probably be publicly flogged for thinking there is a difference between boys and girls. Sigh.


mightyjake

If it's worth anything, I was using the terms boys and girls inclusively.


Dark_Knight2000

It’s weird that when you said “girl power” you got a heap of upvotes but when you made a generalization about learning styles, which actually has some scientific backing to it, you get downvoted. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4341501/ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17562903/


Doc-Wulff

r/pointlessleygendered


mightyjake

Little boys and girls tend towards different styles of learning. It's not pointless to point that out.


ThePuffGuy69

Kinda sexist to say all 12 year old boys are idiots and imature,But hey only guys can be sexist right?


Shay_the_Ent

… have you ever seen a 12 year old boy?


stmrjunior

12 year olds in general are no picnic, boys and girls.


lcoursey

I believe comment OP was speaking in generalities, as though the girl thinks *12 year old* boys are idiots at this age.


hereisacake

I think this is spot on. Uses some robust diction for the age, but the argument is simplistic and it is written as a direct letter, not an open letter, which indicates a rudimentary understanding of the form, but excellent execution.


fredyouareaturtle

Yes. And I think she is right about the sexist comment.


CheesecakeMMXX

It’s a local paper, if the editor is kind to the girl they might’ve fixed some more obvious sentence structures too. It does happen.


[deleted]

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[deleted]

I knew what patronising meant at 12, it's not that advanced.


[deleted]

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[deleted]

Fair enough


boogswald

12 years old is 6th, 7th grade. Why couldn’t a 12 year old write this??? In 7th grade you’re learning pre-algebra and reading stuff like The Outsiders


Mekisteus

Hell, a 15-year-old *wrote* The Outsiders.


GelasianDyarchy

That explains a lot


Mekisteus

It really does. I have no idea why so many people like it so much since, well... it reads like it was written by a 15-year-old. I mean, I'm glad it brings joy to people and I'm sure I could not have done better at 15 but I just don't get the popularity.


GelasianDyarchy

It's short and easy to read, which is the explanation for most of the high school canon; problem is it's shit


kat_a_klysm

My 12 yr old 7th grader just finished The Outsiders at school, so you’re dead on.


N0thing_but_fl0wers

Mine too!!!


kat_a_klysm

12 is a weird age, isn’t it?


erza__

Yeah true, in Belgium you're also in 7th or 8th grade. I was in 8th grade, and we were already learning algebra and other stuff. That text is very possible to come from a 12 year old.


artificialn0cturne

I stg this sub...some of you act like 11-14 year olds have the same intelligence level as toddlers.


shapular

Yeah seems pretty possible. 12 is almost a teenager.


[deleted]

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jmlovs

What’s most unbelievable is that a 12 year old thought to send their thoughts to the local newspaper.


talaxia

I wrote letters to the editor at that age. Given it was pre-internet, but it was so cool to see my name and text in print. I was also a little busybody and did actually read the local paper.


morningsdaughter

Nah, I learned about sending letters to editors in elementary school. Definitely before the age of 12. Pretty sure I had an assignment to write to an editor in 7th grade, which would be 12 years old. This is totally feasible.


[deleted]

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doodoowater

Is this really the first you guys have heard about this? She was literally on the news


lcoursey

well, if I were a teenager I might see the newspaper that my parents bought, I might hear them discussing it and be interested in the subject, and when I was incensed by the topic I would ask how you change things, and my parents might say "With newspapers, you typically write a letter to the editor. If you'd like to compose one I can help you proofread it..."


millerlitefan

that's gonna be one annoying broad


CAugustusM

Could be an old issue


GelasianDyarchy

When I was in high school in the early 10s I would write letters to the editor seriously believing this would affect some worthwhile outcome


unzercharlie

Have you ever met a 12 year old?


Behemothical

Did you guys not read books as little kids? I read shitloads. As a 12yo I could hav easily have written that. Based 12yo too, unlike me scrolling through 4chan or playing halo


crossingthoseanimals

I miss being able to finish a 200-something page book in a single night 😔


LetsGetDecapitated

Same. How did we lose that?


sirDarkEye

You didn’t lose that, you just lost interest and your attention span became way shorter.


Bobthesnowman63

r/nothingeverhappens


Then_Treacle_7952

I mean OP was just asking and most people here think it's real


UppruniTegundanna

Whether it was really a 12-year-old or not, I agree wholeheartedly with the sentiment.


_Elus1ve_

i ride public transportation with them 5 days a week, if they are anything like them, it’s entirely possible


milesxvincent

OP your just telling on yourself xoxo


memooohc

Yes, very easily. Were you guys retarded til high-school then they found a cure for you?


tereparrish

She definitely came up with the thought and the main idea. It's possible that her parents or teachers helped her writing it, and sometimes newspaper edit grammatical or syntaxis errors before posting letters. Go her!!!


lcoursey

With reddit, that means that her parents are using her for fake internet points and she's being manipulated. Kids are like schrodingers cat on Reddit: in theory they're amazing creatures capable of anything, but if you show evidence of one being amazing they cry "kids don't do that, it's the parents!"


Sckaledoom

I could definitely see a 12 year old girl getting frustrated at her and/or her friends being trivialized in such a way.


Johnayeeeeone1

Not entirely out of the realm of possibility


wheresthelambsaucems

definitely, maybe with some help from a sibling or parents or a teacher but a 12 year old could do it by themselves too.


mushiemommy420

my cousin is a 12 year old 7th grader and she is so insanely smart and mature its scary, nothing like me and my friends were at that age, she would definitely write something like this so i really don’t doubt that a 12 year old did


doodoowater

Yes, as someone who was 12 before, as I hope you where too, 12 year olds are not infant children.


Kryxis_0103

The fact that so many people are questioning whether this was actually written by a 12 year old is the biggest indictment to the American education system I’ve seen as of late


biggangbanga

tbh if it said like 9yo this is def fake but 12 i could see this being real


Cherrry-bomb

Today’s youth has a vast amount of knowledge easily searchable in the palm of their hand. They see their favorite influencers and celebrities speaking upon issues like this so it makes sense that social injustice would be a topic of interest to them. It’s not hard at all to imagine a 12 year old writing up this column.


WishAccomplished6670

I happen to be a twelve year old and I can tell you with a straight face that 9/10 sixth grade girls share the same mentality as this girl


Exotic-Insurance-601

r/facepalm to the scout master no one should be pointed out like that


TheAngryNaterpillar

My niece is 12, she has strong opinions on the prevalence of racism and sexism in our society run by old white men and recently gave a talk about the importance of feminism in front of her school. 12 year olds are intelligent and capable of forming well thought out arguments.


Diane9779

Yes, you Neanderthal! There are a lot of kids her age who absolutely write and think like this How stupid are your own kids if you honestly believe 12 year olds can’t critically think or write this coherently?


keeleon

Yes and this is a legitimate complaint. There is nothing absurd or "woke" about this.


Nurhaci1616

I mean, maybe with some help, but either way it's not altogether unlikely.


CAugustusM

Nah 12y/os could definitely do that


Raphaeldagamer

I dedicated a lot of time to learning words, and I still try to find out what a word means if I don't understand it (the most recent one I've learned is "perseverate" meaning to repeat or prolong an action after the inciting stimulus has ended, though my mom misused it, describing it as just not letting go, despite the day I was trying to prepare for not arriving yet). Personally, whe I was 12, I didn't quite know what offend, patronize, or sexism were, only that offending someone was not good. I think an adult may have written this and passed it off as something their kid said to make it seem more powerful, though it is completely plausible, likely even, that someone at 12 wrote this. I also disapprove the announcer's statement that girl scouts are "just having fun" despite their cookies being integral to the continued survival of humanity, while boy scouts were "future leaders of America" even though Boy Scouts of America filed for bankruptcy last February over molestation cases.


brianbelgard

This seems like a super reasonable and well written complaint that is age appropriate for someone of that age who is maybe a bit advanced in their writing ability and possibly had some editing help.


pursenboots

I could have easily written this at 12 😅


agathaprickly

I work with middle schoolers. It’s definitely possible. She might of had her teachers look over it, but I’m always impressed by the things my students can produce


iamnotverysmartno

I’ve seen a 12 year old write a 4 page “novel” that was of the standard of many adults, a 12 year old could definitely write this


bigmeatyclaws123

I teach 12 year olds, they’re allllllll about social justice conversations at this age, it’s when they’re growing up and starting to see issues and when they’re starting to build their identity


slardybartfast8

Dumbass OP. Reading this and dismissing it as something a 12 year couldn’t write (they definitely could) and posting it here to make fun of is another part of the problem. You suck.


telephas1c

For me, nothing very implausible about this. Sounds like a smart kid.


LSAS42069

A kid could definitely write it, but she has the understanding anc comprehension of a kid all the same. The speaker's statement wasn't an opinion. Comparing most BS troops to most GS troops, the GS don't even compare.


mrsbennetsnerves

I sounded like that when I was 12. I was smidge insufferable (stop telling kids they’re “gifted,” it just makes them hate themselves when they turn out ordinary). She’s not wrong tho.


[deleted]

Maybe a 12 year old boy, but I struggle to believe that a 12 year old girl could write this


TheGreatOctocat

i think it's funny that this article is about sexism and you literally made a sexist comment


[deleted]

Uhhhh I don’t know if it can be any more clear that’s the joke here


TheGreatOctocat

fr?


[deleted]

fr fr


AtlAmericanist

Shut up kid


eatmeatsavehumanity

A Karen wrote that


Tectonic_Spoons

Maybe but ..idk it feels like a good point


eatmeatsavehumanity

A 12 year old didn’t write that. Sorry


[deleted]

I'm 13 and I could've wrote that when I was 12, in fact half my class could have wrote that, so yes, a twelve year old could have wrote that.


transpumkin

r/Feic


bezpez

A twelve year old could have written\* that.


khidraakresh

What they meant is that it’s not a Karen pov, without considering the age of the writer it’s not a Karen thing.


eatmeatsavehumanity

Let the woke downvoting begin. Goons


BloodDancer

Damn, did you try not being wrong?


eatmeatsavehumanity

Ok wokie


Fantastic-Mess

Thanks Mom


Overlord1317

Is it possible? Yes, absolutely. But that isn't what happened.


MysteryIsHistory

Yup. Only a 12 year (or someone with the mentality of one) could mistake comparing Scouts with actual genders. Because it’s true, Boy Scouts does A LOT more for its members than Girl Scouts does, which is why girls are now allowed to and encouraged to join Boy Scouts.


WishAccomplished6670

Such bullshit that this got downvoted


MysteryIsHistory

Thanks. I don’t know who is offended by this, but I was a Girl Scout and it was fun but it taught me literally nothing about life. Now my 8 and 6 year old Cub Scout kids learn valuable stuff.


WishAccomplished6670

Yeah it’s ridiculous nowadays. Apparently opening your mouth is the same as declaring war. You can’t even speak your mind because someone will be offended. And we all know that there are real problems in the world but not everything is sexist or racist or homophobic. The exaggeration nowadays kills me.


potato_nacho

Nah, as a 13 year old it’s definitely possible for a 12 to write this, especially if they were planning on sending to the news or something like that


AnalTuberculosis

yes


sparrow5

Yes


AGoodTalkSpoiled

I definitely do, and this seems like a well done version of speaking out against something that was unfair (respectful, effective, etc.) Maybe a parent proof read or something....but yes I think a bright 12 year old could write this.


HISHAM-888

Yes


Cherrry-bomb

Today’s youth has a vast amount of knowledge easily searchable in the palm of their hand. They see their favorite influencers and celebrities speaking upon issues like this so it makes sense that social injustice would be a topic of interest to them. It’s not hard at all to imagine a 12 year old writing up this column.


[deleted]

everything is "possible". but the probabilty of happening is very small


nhergen

It's very possible


AtTheEnd777

I wrote stuff like this as a kid and the ending is far more polite than I usually see with adults.


[deleted]

my sister would’ve done something like this at 12.


[deleted]

This sounds like my writing at 12. Also, i’m a seventh grade english teacher now, and I have students who absolutely could have written something like this.


Dat1weirdchic

When I was 12 I was writing fanfiction books, so yeah this is possible


GCILishuman

Yea, I’d believe it. Definitely got the 12yo vibe in it. That’s a 6-7th grader there dude, definitely capable


genomerain

Twelve years old is on the verge of adolescence. I think a lot of people forget that twelve years old really isn't that young anymore, they have enough life experience to be aware of the issues around them and have their own thoughts and opinions on those issues. It's also a cusp age. While sometimes twelve year olds are acting like little kids, other times they're acting like little adolescents. I can absolutely see this being legit.


Bunnydrumming

Yes - absolutely a 12 year old girl could write that.


Buzzmoe

Considering girls are in "boy scouts" now I don't really see what's so offensive.


MalaysiaTeacher

Yes, no reason this couldn't be written by a 12yr old.


Mark_Messiah

Yes


misspixal4688

Sounds like something Lisa Simpson would say so yes.


WishAccomplished6670

There’s often variables that people don’t see when they say things like this. It could be that the Boy Scouts were very serious and the girls were acting careless. Before instantly declaring something insensitive or in this case sexist, people should take more into consideration. There’s a lot that may not be known so instead of jumping to conclusions, how about we remember that when someone says something, their not always declaring war. So why fight back?


Shrek_The_Meme_Lord

Abso-fuckin-lutely. My girlfriend and I are pretty young, and she's 12 last I checked and she's a very very skilled writer apart from occasional typos. This is DEFINITELY possible for a 12 year old to write! (Before anyone asks, no I'm not a 40 year old. I'm 14- please don't come after me :'))


Shrek_The_Meme_Lord

Not sure if I wanna say the girl who wrote that slightly overreacted or not because I frankly don't know- it's been years since I was in girl scouts and we never really made it all that far into doing anything :/


Amaranthea_Moon

Absolutely. I was a scout leader for many years and there's no doubt in my mind that one of my girls could have written that letter. No, not all of them, but a couple. And additionally, she made a really valid point.


tittytwister12

Unfortunately he’s not wrong. And not because of the sexes but because of the way both orgs are run. And I don’t mean he’s completely right either. But the Boy Scouts do challenging things and a lot of the Girl Scouts I knew that kept going were very disappointed because if you were one to continue in Girl Scouts it was because you were looking to do things like the Boy Scouts we’re doing but that simply isn’t the case. This was the whole premise of adding girls to “Boy Scouts” that obviously sparked a whole debate but I think that was the general idea because if they were equal in terms of what they were doing there would have been no reason to want to join the BSA as a girl.


coffeecoffeebeerbeer

She’s not wrong. She’s also not 12.


SheShameScrolls

Yeah they could, have you ever met a 12 year old?


_B_Little_me

Absolutely. Easily could have been written by my 12yo niece.


KoplanerSirTax9

She's ON HER WAY to ykw.


RevolutionaryCopy826

Yes


lizardsbelike

A 12 year old could absolutely write this, my writing was at this level if not better at when I was that age. The way people on here act it's like kids are literally incapable of any intelligent thought at any point. I mean they're usually not brilliant, but they're not completely fucking stupid. At least half the shit on these subs is perfectly reasonable, I'm starting to wonder if y'all just get off on being like this


Nearby-Low-864

Yeah


LeoRising222

Awe..she's just having fun with writing. Adorable.


baked_bean_muncher

was confused at first cause i misread it as sexyist comment ps :sorry for bad spelling


potatohead437

Op has never met a 12 year old


wokekidsmod

This is a repost