Me at age 16, the day I got my driver’s license.

On March 14, students across the nation are planning a walkout to honor the victims of the Parkland, Florida shooting.  The recent surge of student voice has gotten me thinking about how much responsibility and trust we give, or don’t give, to teenagers.  How capable are teenagers?  How reliable are their opinions?  How smart are their decisions?

In high school when I was 16, I had a Driver’s Education class which meant that I got to practice driving once a week instead of going to one of my regular classes.  At first, my instructor just had me drive around the school parking lot, but as I got more experienced, we’d drive on highways and busier roads.

One day when I got into the car, my instructor asked me, “Do you have your learner’s permit?” Continue reading →