The student is now in 10th grade, but her memories from kindergarten are still vivid. Back then, when this student would try to communicate using sign language, her teacher would clasp her hands together.

“No hands,” the teacher would tell this student. “Just pay attention.”

The now-10th grader is Deaf. Back then, this student attended a mostly hearing kindergarten. (LAist is withholding the student’s name to protect her privacy because she’s a minor.)

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