Inland Valley Our Times ChildrenofferviewsonElian splight...Inland Valley Our Times...
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Inland Valley Our Times Children offerviews on Elian s plight U ·ttle Elian Gonzalez is back in the news again, ith renewed efforts to return him to Cuba and his father and reinvigorated resis- tance to that plan. Since the 6- year-old boy was rescued on Thanksgiving Day off the coast of Florida, his fate has been a focus of international attention and dispute. Fishermen found Elian cling- ing to an imler tube after his mother and 10 others died when their boat capsized en route to the United States. Elian's father and Fidel Castro want him returned. So do some people in this country, induding Atty.Gen. Janet Reno and the Immigration and Naturalization Service. But Elian's American relatives - and some members of Congress - would like him to stay here and are fighting for his citizen- ship and political asylum through the U.S. courts. We've heard a lot of peo- ple's opinions on the matter, but not much from the per- spective of children. Are many of them aware of Elian's plight? Do they care? Children, after all, are often caught in the middle of disputes, with adults making decisions in which they have little say. I asked a sampling of area w:.i'WR,.. •••••. ~~W'8l_ CLOSE TO IIOME veronica james youngsters for their views. Most had heard about Elian. While some didn't have strong feelings about the situation either way, several did, includ- ing Jesus Gonzalez, 11, of Pomona. "I think he should go back to Cuba," he said. Jesus is a student in Robert Lamascus' class at Sumner Elementary School in Claremont. He learned about Elian's situation from the newspaper and had been involved in lively class- room discussions of current events. "His dad has the right to get the little boy because he's his clad, and his aunts and uncles are just his aunts and uncles," Jesus said. "His dad is the one who brought him into the world; he should have the right to get him back to Cuba. Also, the people who are deciding to let him go, they should listen to the little boy - his opinion." But Jesus said a boy in his class who was from Cuba felt that Elian should stay in Florida because "it was his mom's dream to come to America." Most of his class- mates took that position, he said. Unlike Jesus, most of the fifth- and sixth-graders at Pepper Tree Elementary School in Upland had not dis- cussed Elian's destiny in class, but many had clear opinions about the issue anyway. "I think they should let him go back to his father," said Chad Vandersluis, 10, "because he's a little kid and he probably wants to see his dad." Steve Laforce, 11, agreed. So did Tyler Haines, 11, who tried to imagine himself in Elian's shoes. "I would go to my dad," he said. Ivy Povoa, 12, thought more about family responsibility, saying that Elian should live with his dad because "he's probably the person responsi- ble for him - not his relatives, even though they are part of the family." At Foothill Knolls Elementary School in Upland, Steven Gonzalez, 10, had dis- cussed the issue extensively as part of current events in Raquel Carlson's fifth-grade class. Steven thought Elian should stay in the United States and said most of his . classmates thought so, too. Upland resident Rebecca Garrett, 10, is home schooled. She saw the story on television and in a newspaper. She had discussed Elian with her fami- ly, and she thought he should return to Cuba if he wants to. "They should ask him," she said. Alexa Singleton, 11, a sixth- grader at Lyle S. Briggs School in Chino, agreed that Elian should have some say in the decision. After hearing the story on the news, she asked her mom to fill in the details. "It's his life after all," she said. "Instead of them fighting over him, deciding where he's going to stay, have him decide." • VERONICA JAMES is a columnist writing about family issues for Inland Valley Our Times. She can be reached at [email protected].
Transcript of Inland Valley Our Times ChildrenofferviewsonElian splight...Inland Valley Our Times...
Inland Valley Our Times
Children offer views on Elian splightU·ttleElian Gonzalez is
back in the news again,ith renewed efforts to
return him to Cuba and hisfather and reinvigorated resis-tance to that plan. Since the 6-year-old boy was rescued onThanksgiving Day off thecoast of Florida, his fate hasbeen a focus of internationalattention and dispute.Fishermen found Elian cling-ing to an imler tube after hismother and 10 others diedwhen their boat capsized enroute to the United States.
Elian's father and FidelCastro want him returned. So dosome people in this country,induding Atty.Gen. Janet Renoand the Immigration andNaturalization Service. ButElian's American relatives -and some members of Congress- would like him to stay hereand are fighting for his citizen-ship and political asylumthrough the U.S. courts.
We've heard a lot of peo-ple's opinions on the matter,but not much from the per-spective of children. Are manyof them aware of Elian'splight? Do they care? Children,after all, are often caught inthe middle of disputes, withadults making decisions inwhich they have little say.
I asked a sampling of area
w:.i'WR,.. •••••. ~~W'8l_
CLOSE TO IIOME
veronicajames
youngsters for their views.Most had heard about Elian.While some didn't have strongfeelings about the situationeither way, several did, includ-ing Jesus Gonzalez, 11, ofPomona.
"I think he should go backto Cuba," he said. Jesus is astudent in Robert Lamascus'class at Sumner ElementarySchool in Claremont. Helearned about Elian's situationfrom the newspaper and hadbeen involved in lively class-room discussions of currentevents.
"His dad has the right toget the little boy because he'shis clad, and his aunts anduncles are just his aunts and
uncles," Jesus said. "His dad isthe one who brought him intothe world; he should have theright to get him back to Cuba.Also, the people who aredeciding to let him go, theyshould listen to the little boy -his opinion."
But Jesus said a boy in hisclass who was from Cuba feltthat Elian should stay inFlorida because "it was hismom's dream to come toAmerica." Most of his class-mates took that position, hesaid.
Unlike Jesus, most of thefifth- and sixth-graders atPepper Tree ElementarySchool in Upland had not dis-cussed Elian's destiny in class,but many had clear opinionsabout the issue anyway.
"I think they should let himgo back to his father," saidChad Vandersluis, 10,"because he's a little kid andhe probably wants to see hisdad."
Steve Laforce, 11, agreed.So did Tyler Haines, 11, whotried to imagine himself inElian's shoes.
"I would go to my dad," hesaid.
Ivy Povoa, 12, thought moreabout family responsibility,saying that Elian should livewith his dad because "he's
probably the person responsi-ble for him - not his relatives,even though they are part ofthe family."
At Foothill KnollsElementary School in Upland,Steven Gonzalez, 10, had dis-cussed the issue extensively aspart of current events inRaquel Carlson's fifth-gradeclass. Steven thought Elianshould stay in the UnitedStates and said most of his
. classmates thought so, too.Upland resident Rebecca
Garrett, 10, is home schooled.She saw the story on televisionand in a newspaper. She haddiscussed Elian with her fami-ly, and she thought he shouldreturn to Cuba if he wants to.
"They should ask him," shesaid.
Alexa Singleton, 11, a sixth-grader at Lyle S. Briggs Schoolin Chino, agreed that Elianshould have some say in thedecision. After hearing thestory on the news, she askedher mom to fill in the details.
"It's his life after all," shesaid. "Instead of them fightingover him, deciding where he'sgoing to stay, have himdecide."
• VERONICA JAMES is a columnistwriting about family issues for InlandValley Our Times. She can be reachedat [email protected].
