In 2018, 10-year-old Marcus wrote a letter to his MPP Jill Dunlop about his experiences as a student with dyslexia in Ontario. His letter describes his not-so-great experiences at school, how it affected his self-esteem, and his ideas to help students with dyslexia.
I admire how clearly Marcus translates his experiences and emotions into words: how his dyslexia diagnosis has been a source of empowerment and community, and how (rightly) frustrated he is with the education system. Same here, Marcus. Same here.
My favourite line of the letter is this:
“There is no good reason to keep letting kids feel like they are complete and total losers.”
Who can argue with that?
You can read his letter here:
Marcus’ mother, Alicia Smith, is the new president of IDA Ontario, and she presented her family’s story at the October 3 launch of the Right to Read human rights inquiry
This week, Marcus’ story was again in the media as part of a CBC radio call-in show about dyslexia — you can listen to these excellent programs online:
Boy with dyslexia: Wished I could die so I’d stop feeling so stupid
The latest science, techniques, on how to teach children who struggle to read
I’m constantly amazed at how youth are proudly demanding what is right. The kids are alright.
Related reading
My daughter’s five things a 12-year-old wants you to know about dyslexia.
