The Editor,
Re: "Rodeo reveals who can parent," the Now, May 22.
How brave of Beau Simpson to write and publish this column. It is a topic that rivals the "elephant-in-the-room" mentality. It's scary to see what's happening to some of our young people.
This scenario is all-too-real, and these are the problems our teachers face daily. There is no recourse for teachers who try to work with these troubled children - very little help, backup or support. The problems are rampant. Somehow, we have lost our compass. Education is not valued by this government - instead, the education system is being eroded.
Private schools are the preferred setting for those who can pony up the tuition; as one parent told me, she wants her son to avoid the riff-raff of public schools - and she has a point.
There are wonderful supportive parents, like you, who put their responsibilities as a parent first. Other parents have simply reneged on their parental responsibilities.
Raising children is a shared responsibility. There are many stakeholders - the adage "it takes a village to raise a child" rings true.
Somehow, we all need to set priorities and put the care and education of children at the top of the list.
I have been a teacher for 36 years. I have witnessed the erosion of our schools. Sadly, this profession has been downgraded and forced to make do with less while social and economic problems rise. It's a pressure cooker situation that desperately needs attention.
The problems you noticed at the Cloverdale rodeo are everywhere - it will take government resolve to improve the situation for our young people.
As you pointed out, there are many wonderful young people who will strengthen our communities but they are outnumbered.
Pointing the finger doesn't work - we need to point the whole hand at the problems. Can we pressure our government to understand that developing citizens outweighs developing pipelines? The present governing party in our province has turned its guns on teachers - again. Who can win in a situation like this? Thank you for your timely article.
Donna Walker, Surrey