from TFK World Report: October 23, 2009 Vol. #15 Iss. #7
Debate: Should a 13-Year-Old Girl Be Allowed to Sail Around the World Alone?
Photo: AP
“Laura Dekker, 13, lives in the Netherlands. She wants to be the youngest person to sail alone around the world. Her voyage would take place in a 26-foot boat. The trip could take up to two years. Laura would have to deal with bad weather and mechanical problems by herself. Her father is an expert sailor, and he says that Laura is too. He supports her wish to go on the voyage. But judges in the Netherlands have said not so fast. They think the trip might be too dangerous for a young person. They will make a final decision at the end of the month.” from TFK World Report: October 23, 2009 Vol. #15 Iss. #7
Click here to read two different opinions about this topic. What do you think?
Entries (RSS)
October 30th, 2009 at 10:02 am
I think that Laura should be able to go on her trip because as her dad said “She’s an expert.” I also say she can because she’s not a little girl. I also say yes because I think she should follow her dreams.
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November 4th, 2009 at 12:59 pm
I think Laura is to young for traveling along by her self what happen if she have trouble with the boat or what if a big storm is coming in her way and what about if she get hurt and nobody is their to help her how would she survive what if she have hungry and she does not have enough food to eat or drink I think she still young for that.
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November 5th, 2009 at 1:54 pm
I think that Laura Dekker should be allowed because…
1. Kids should be able to do what ever they believe they can do.
2. If your parents say that you can do somthing than you can do that thing.
3. And if you are an expert than go for it.
And that is why I think Laura Dekker should go.
Sincerly,
KJMundorf
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November 6th, 2009 at 8:03 am
Hi Mr.Mundorf, this time for kids was tough to choose if she should or not but I figured she shouldn’t be able to go around the world on a boat because she might get attacked by a shark or something. And when it rains she will have to take cover and avoid the rain. If she did go she might run out of food and water and that would end to starvation. I do not think she should go at all.
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November 6th, 2009 at 8:07 am
I think she should be able to go on the trip because parents think that kids are too young. Parents need to trust us because parents think that they know everything but they do not know every thing. If she goes on the trip she goes on the trip she could check in with her parents every thousand miles. parents. I think she should able to go on the trip.
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November 6th, 2009 at 12:46 pm
I think Laura Dekker is not allowed to sail around the world alone. She might get caught in a storm. Or here boat will sink and she could die, here boat could not start. That is why I don’t she should sail alone.
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November 6th, 2009 at 12:48 pm
No because she cuold get caut in a storm and never come back even if she was abil to say in touch with her parents they can not do anything for her.
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November 6th, 2009 at 1:01 pm
I dont thank laura delker sounld not go on the 2year trip because she well lose lots of info every day and willget lost and lose contaken with her parents. Thats wount go on the trip.
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November 6th, 2009 at 1:05 pm
I think that Laura Dekker should not go around the world by her self. She is doing a bad move. Laura Dekker could be a expert on boating but is she a good fisher. There could even be a very bad storm with big waves and she can go over board. She could get lost and dose not know where she is.
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November 6th, 2009 at 1:08 pm
I think laura Dekker should NOT go on a boat for 2 years because she might get caught in a vary bad thunder storms. And she is gana miss 2 years of school and she might get home sick and miss her frends. So I think not but that is just my opinoin.
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November 9th, 2009 at 7:23 pm
I think she SHOULD go because it is her life not ours. She looks like she is mature anough to do this alown but she has to have a sell phone,raido plus a GPS.and thay should bring lots of water and food.people think just because she is a girl that she cas not do this but I do.that is why she should be allowed th go around the world.
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November 10th, 2009 at 1:23 pm
I don’t think Laura Dekker should go out for 2 years. The reaosn is because what about thunder storms, funnels, hurricanes, and sharks. And the other reason is because what if she loses track if they had GPS on her and then she gets lost then she dies then her parents doesn’t know.
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November 10th, 2009 at 1:25 pm
I think she SHOULD be able to go out on the trip.Cause kids cant do what they want to do she should be able to go on the trip cause she is experniced and her dad thaught her so she should be able to go out on the trip but she should bring food,water and a emergency kit in case of a huge storm
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November 10th, 2009 at 1:32 pm
I think laura dekkerre
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November 10th, 2009 at 1:35 pm
I think Laura Dekker should not be allowed to go on this trip around the world in a boat on her own. I think it is too dangerous for a thirteen year old girl. She could stuck in hurricanes or tsunami. She also could get stolen or killed by bad people. There would be no way for her family to help her if she got into trouble.
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November 10th, 2009 at 1:49 pm
I think that laura Dekker should not go sailing around the world alone because she would get caught in the thunderstorms and a hurricanes. And a shark could eat her and can get kidnapped by pirates and also be missing two years of school.
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November 10th, 2009 at 1:52 pm
Laura Dekker is makind a terrible mistake and choice wanting to go at sea because she mite get trapped in tornatos and hurricans. Lura is only 13. Somthing can hit the boat or she mite run into a shark.Maybe she mite get bord and tired of sailing. Once again it would be a terrible thing if she went at sea bye her self.
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