I spy from the corner of my eye

The last of summer dripped from the trees this week. Kids ride their bikes along the roadside with urgency as if it were their last hurrah before the snow arrives.

Don’t be fooled by the fancy stunts, baggy pants, and bangs in the eyes; kids are dressed best for spying. They are watching for the rules on how to grow up and behave. Children are natural mimics who act like their parents despite every effort to teach them otherwise.

I know my kids learned all of my bad habits minus any instruction. I spent hours teaching them to clean their rooms, to say thank you and please. Though they sometimes make their beds, they know best what I tried not to teach — like cursing.

So, I say, best be careful. Our kids are watching and taking notes.

Our kids read the ugly (and misspelled) comments in the paper about anything from union contracts to recent outbursts at the fair. Our kids can read the accusations and name calling during elections, meetings and negotiations.

The children watch the adults follow the group for the sake of the group. They watch adults align themselves with like adults, elitists — FOX vs. CNN, us against them. Clearly, kids understand the choices made.

So, this is civil discourse, they jot down in their rules of life book. This is how decent and educated people behave. They refuse to talk. They degrade, spread rumors, and rely on hearsay.

Diversity?

Just as scary as the Euro. Might must be right.

Name calling will not stop in our hallways no matter what the rules. They will do as they see done, bringing the practice into public meetings. They will point fingers at their neighbors. They are already singing Harry Chapin’s “Cats in a Cradle”, “I’m going to be like you dad. You know I’m gonna be like you.”

As much as we would like our youth to see the good side of our impassioned devotion to careers, our honest endeavor to stand for integrity, they are as likely to see how we fail at just that.

Obviously, it is a precarious position for me to dare whisper practice what we preach. I know what happens to people living in glass houses who throw stones. But I have to remind myself that it is equally wrong not to remember that young eyes are upon us and the terrible responsibility that carries. My career, as well as simply being a citizen of this Valley, includes a social and moral contract.

Our borough embraces change right now with a new superintendent of schools, along with a new borough manager and mayor very soon. Indeed, our nation is in the crux of change.

The fair is over and the fishing rods put away, but I guarantee our kids are still out, spying. With any luck we remain the grownups in the house and can show the children what open dialogue, transparent process and good manners look like. Or I fear down the road our community will echo John Locke and wonder why our streams are bitter, when it is we who have poisoned the fountain.

Emily Forstner teaches seventh grade language arts at Wasilla Middle School.