Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Weymouth News Rebuttal
Last week, the Weymouth News came out with an editorial to “Can Canning In Front Of Liquor Stores”. The article basically sided with the minority of people who feel that town government should set restrictions on how parents raise their children, which is the hidden issue in the discussion of fundraising at liquor stores. One of our Wahey Boys, submitted a rebuttal that he had hoped would be printed this week but it conveniently missed the print deadline even though the canning policy had already lost. Interesting that this newspaper prints articles on old national topics such as Bush-Cheney labeled “Free Speech” but ignores controversial local topics such as this. Regardless, we’ve printed it here on www.waheyboys.com because we’re FREE to do so.
“Kids don’t belong hanging out in front of liquor stores.” Now there’s a news flash for everyone, right here in the Weymouth News, in last week’s editorial section. And what good parent would allow it? That’s right, none. And I’m also thinking that if liquor stores don’t want underage kids hanging out in front of their stores, for whatever reason, there going tell them to leave; or here’s a novel idea, CALL THE COPS! The truth of the matter is that, as usual, a few, well meaning, albeit naïve people are attempting to set policy on how to be a parent. Those high school kids collecting money in front of the liquor store weren’t “hanging out” there, they were fundraising for their education. Simply put, if a parent, a store, the police or whoever don’t want children collecting money anywhere, then they only need to ask them to leave. Since when do we need to involve the Mayor, the School Committee, the Superintendent Of Schools and the Police Chief to help us regulate our children’s fundraising methods? Do some kids “pretend” to be fundraising as a mask to acquire alcohol? Probably, but that’s a police and parental problem, isn’t it?
A few months ago, a school teacher out in San Diego started selling advertisement space on the exams he gave his students. The short version of the story is that he felt he shouldn’t have to personally bear the costs of his students’ education just because the school department couldn’t afford to cover those costs. I mention this because it is something that will be happening more frequently across the country as municipalities, parents and educators try to find ways to come up with money to properly educate children. That might be a subject worth debating and setting policy.
These days, unlike in the past, children and their parents are expected to pay for their education, particularly if they’re interested in sports. They do that through various fundraisers, not the least of which is “canning”, or standing out in front of establishments “with a can” and asking for donations. I can imagine this is a difficult thing to do for a young person. Certainly difficult enough, in and of itself, that other people shouldn’t be allowed to restrict how, when and where they do it. Isn’t it enough that we ask parents and children to pay for their own education? Do we really need policies in place to restrict how they do it? I know that I didn’t vote for those people sitting on the Weymouth School Committee so they could spend time debating whether or not children should be allowed to can in front of a liquor store. Perhaps they should be spending time trying to find more funding for education. I also know that the Superintendent Of Schools should focus her attention on what’s really happening in Weymouth schools with regard to substance abuse. I can guaranty you it has nothing to do with children trying to raise funds for their education.
Underage alcohol abuse, and substance abuse in general, involve a completely different type of education. It is arguably one of the most dominant issues of America. I find it reprehensible and irresponsible for a newspaper and people in positions that set policy, to make light of the problem by assuming that it is related to “canning in front of a liquor store” or that the people and parents who allow it are not only wrong but may have a substance abuse problem themselves.
Keith "Stanley" Spain
POSTED BY STAN at May 6, 2009
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