Giving teenagers a bad name

It's hard to be a local teenager these days when there is a type of teen group, who do undesirable things within the community.

The public therefore thinks that all teenagers who like to go out to a disco at night, or go out to a party at the beach are all rebellious and irresponsible.

The whole thing is, the group responsible is only a small portion of local teenagers.

You may think that any teen you see out at night is for sure the one who does all the graffiti, or the one who burnt out that car, or even the one who broke in to that house Sunday night, but 99% of the time you are wrong.

Of course teens will be the main suspect for any crime on the Peninsula, but I think you all forget there is a lot of adult crime and that most teenagers are from respectable families that have taught them well about how to avoid trouble.

Those quick to judge should remember that teens are our future and you should treat people how you want to be treated.

So next time you see a 15 year old girl walking down Ocean Beach Rd with a few friends, don’t automatically give them a dirty look, because chances are they are not even involved with that crowd.

Some families have brought their children up like that because that’s the way they were brought up to act so the children may not know any different, while others can tell right from wrong by themselves.

Most of the time, unless these kids are really messed up, they grow out of it and become responsible citizens, like the rest of the community.

So don’t stereotype the boy walking down West St at 8pm because he probably had to walk up to the fish and chip shop to get dinner.

Don't criticize the girls walking down Blackwall Rd at 11pm on a Saturday night, because they are most likely coming back from a Gosford dance party.

Stereotypically, teens are raving rat-bags, but as an insider, I have seen everything and anything happen, and I assure you we’re not all delinquents.

Felicity Heath, June 20