Wednesday, May 6, 2009
The Negative Side Of Helping Children
“What could possibly be negative about helping children?” is the question Mayor Sue Kay asked the Weymouth School Committee recently. The question, standing alone, will most assuredly get a “nothing” answer, but when mixed with politics, be careful. In this case we revisit our most popular subject lately, the “canning in front of liquor stores debate”. Our quick response to that question is to tell you to read Setting The Wrong Policy and the dangers involved with having government make rules for everyone and everything.
In this specific situation however, the answer is “because YOU, Mayor Kay, should be finding ways to raise funds for our children’s education rather than telling US how to do it”. Rather than spending inordinate amounts of time debating a non-issue such as canning, School Committee Members, Superintendents and Substance Abuse Coordinators should be focused on TEACHING and not setting policy aimed at how parents raise their children. That would help our children.
We could ask “what could possibly be negative about fundraising for our education?” Don’t masquerade an agenda by an individual intent on justifying her position to secure federal grant money, by stating that you’re “helping children”. If you truly want to help children and parents REDUCE underage alcohol abuse, as a Mayor or a Substance Abuse Coordinator, then there are various proven methods of doing so such as:
Loitering around liquor stores by anyone, for any reason, is easily preventable by shop-owners, parents and police and no amount of policy-making will change that. We don’t need the Athletic Director, coach or teacher adding to their work load to enforce a fundraising policy.
There is always the question of how far a policy should go once it is in place. If we don’t allow canning in front of liquor stores, do we also prevent it in front of a supermarket that sells beer? What about CVS? Over the counter medication is a relatively new addition to the substance abuse topic. What about Burger King? Do we prevent canning there because the food is bad for our children? What about advertising and donations in general? Do we stop accepting money from anyone associated with anything on the “bad list”? And who decides what’s on the “bad for our children” list?
Lastly, in the “can’t let it go” category, we notice that the agenda now has become the “no canning in front of a liquor store with a school uniform on” policy. I’m not sure what that has to do with underage drinking or how it’s going to benefit children other than teaching them how to be stubborn and don’t give up even when you’ve already lost. Regardless, us Waheys were all in the Ski Club and didn’t have uniforms, so I guess we would be able to raise money at the liquor store. Do they still have a Ski Club? Probably not in the budget.
POSTED BY STAN at May 6, 2009
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