Support your schools

Editor,

I would like to encourage all parents in our communities to lend greater support to our local schools. I have worked as a substitute teacher now for about six months. In that time I have seen a great many good things of our youth within the school, but there are still many problems that exist, of which the greatest seems to be the lack of respect for others.

I hope to encourage all parents to support our schools by supporting what is right and encouraging our children to be respectful of others no matter what their race, status in life, age etc.

I have seen many parents get offended if their child gets in trouble on the bus or at school and their first inclination is to defend their child whether right or wrong.

It is good to defend our families, but if we are defending children when they our wrong, what are we telling them and continuing to encourage in them? We must let our children know what we stand for by defending what is right. There may be times when we may believe that a teacher or administrator is wrong and there are channels to take where we can plead our case, but it is my feeling, overall, that the teachers and administrators are doing a wonderful job and need our support.

The still recent deaths of our young people is a symptom of a serious problem within our community. Just as we would go to a doctor when we are ill and can understand what our illness is by giving our doctor the symptoms, so it is in our society.

We simply cannot ignore these societal ills. Let's talk with our children and youth and teach them by word and deed how to properly live within our communities with respect for all living beings including themselves, respect for rules and laws and those that are called to enforce them, that we may live in a peaceful community that is truly concerned not only about the current trends, but also for our future.

Charleen Crenshaw

Ronan