Have you ever wondered what it feels like to have your every move watched? Teenagers have to deal with this in stores where they get followed around and stared down. The reality is that teenage are targets for suspicion.

When we walked into Osco, all of a sudden a “routine” floor walk for all the employees began. Why weren’t we surprised? The past few times we went shopping, everyone working there suddenly became very suspicious of what we were going to buy. Our crime was being a teenager.

Because some teenagers steal, store employees feel the need to follow us around to catch us in the act. Well, that day, everyone in this store felt it was their duty to make sure we didn’t steal anything. When we walked over to the makeup aisle, they all found several things that needed to be done in that aisle.

With three employees around, watching our every move, we got a little mad. Who were they to assume we were going to steal? We would have said something to them, but an older lady caught our eyes. She was stupid enough to steal make-up, even with all the employees and cameras everywhere. But, none of the employees noticed that lady. Why? They were still staring at us, waiting for us to steal something. They hadn’t even bothered to look at the older lady, because she wasn’t a teenager.

Discrimination happens daily to all teenagers. In a recent survery, results show that 8 out of 10 teenagers have had to leave their bags at the doors of various stores in the Stoughton area. A full 10 out of 10 teens have been followed around by an employee at least once. Only 8 out of 10 teenagers feel, however, that this practice is justified.

This is discrimination. If a certain store were following around people because of their race, or gender, they would have to change, or close down. This is just as serious.