Parents should support efforts to protect students

The Dec. 21 letter by Miss Erika Gray, a student at Colony High School, clearly illustrates the inadequacy of applying emotion over logic to a security problem concerning the children and young people under the care and supervision of the professional educators at Colony High School. The article has a few choice contradictions that mitigate her arguments against the school district and the state police [troopers]. Taking her word for it, she clearly states the police had the legal right and authority to conduct the investigation as they did. After that point, the remainder of the letter is just a case of pointing out that things in Alaska were not “fair” like they were in her former home state of California. Fairness is in the eye of the beholder. As a parent of two teen-age young people in high school, I believe the actions were fair, right and commendable.

The actions of the Colony High School administration need the support, commendation and encouragement of the parents. The administration’s cooperation with the Alaska State Troopers ensured the swift and lawful handling of a situation that might have turned very ugly for the entire community. Too many schools in the USA and around the world have experienced tragedy of school bombings and shootings. The Valley does not need to repeat the story.

The threat to bomb a school is, in my opinion, and most parents’ I know, to be treated with the utmost speed and diligence for the safety of all our young people and staff members. The punishment for the perpetrators of such an action, whether prank or precursor, needs to set an example for all that might be enticed by all the attention such actions generate. Having everyone in the school submit handwriting samples precludes the charge of favoritism, racism, sexism, or one of other legal discrimination charges that those without the responsibility for the students’ safety like to use in court against the school district. Having everyone submit an example sends two distinct messages to all students in the school. The first message is one that says to those guilty and those thinking of copying such illegal actions, “We will not stop until you are brought to justice.” The message for the innocent students should be, “We will do all to protect you; thank you for your cooperation in catching these thugs.” Parents and teachers need to reinforce the positive actions of the innocent in helping to catch the guilty.

The attitude that the government, whether school officials, police officers, or members of the legislature, cannot be trusted is an unfortunate cancer eating at the soul of many young people today. I do not advocate blind faith, in fact a hearty skepticism is a very good tool in the hand of a thinking person, but blind emotional distrust of all things governmental is just plain wrong. We, the people, are the government. We, the people, elect other people to execute the laws and duties that we the people cannot, or will not do for ourselves. School administration and safety is a proper governmental function. I appeal to all rational, thinking, and less-emotional parents to discuss the proper respect, trust, and honor we, the people, should show to the fellow citizens that help us every day. Maybe if some of the more critical citizen-parents among us like those of Miss Gray walked a mile in the administration’s shoes, they would be less critical and more realistic in their reactions and expectations. The skeptic in me predicts that they will not. In fact, I predict a lawsuit against the school district will probably come soon over these actions by some enterprising civil-rights attorney or group.

The bottom-line is this: in a few years, Miss Gray may have children of her own under the care of others in a legal position to be responsible for her children’s safety. I daresay that she might think twice about opposing something as simple as handwriting samples when it comes to the safety of her children. It is unfortunate her parents did not feel the same way.

Steve Schwartz is a Palmer resident.