I would like to commend Gov. Mike Easley for his position that illegal aliens should be permitted to attend North Carolina colleges. It is unfortunate that our state Attorney General's Office recommended denying them this privilege. Any hardworking student here, illegal or not, should have the right to attend college in our state.

Many of these illegal aliens came to North Carolina as children with their parents and have worked very hard to fit into our society. After facing great difficulty in coming to America and overcoming language barriers, these individuals have qualified themselves for college. If denied the opportunity to attend college, they would now face an unnecessary obstacle to advancement.

As Americans, we do not benefit ourselves by depriving these people of educational opportunities and dooming them to low-paying jobs.

Clare Howerton

Freshman, Smithfield-Selma High School, Smithfield