12/9/98
Opelika * Auburn News* THE NEWSPAPER OF EAST ALABAMA*12/9/98
Letter: YRS disrupts harmony
The Auburn community is one where intelligent, educated and spiritually minded people live and work together in harmony--most of the time. As adults we do a pretty good job of being good role models for our children--most of the time.
I think most of us have similar goals as far as what kind of people we want our children to grow up to be. Our careers are important as well as our civic involvement and church participation if we choose to be involved and participate.
The last time I checked, America was still a free society where we have the luxury of choosing whether or not to have children, be involved in civil organizations or political groups and if we want to attend church or even believe in religious things at all. While we're making these choices, we need to remain humble enough to be thankful for the gift of choice. We all know that in any community there will exist and be heard because if they are not, we can't determine what it means to be reasonable and moderate. Auburn has a rep utation of being reasonable and moderate--most of the time.
The issue of YRS has become one that makes it almost impossible to decide what the reasonable and moderate viewpoint is. It started out as a concept that could bring both negative and positive benefits to the students.
Then the committee to investigate was criticized no matter what information they provided. The committee members were willing to work together--most of the time. For some reason, the left viewpoint and the right viewpoint no only stated their positions on this issue, they sort of went to war over it. When war is declared, how do you find reason and moderation? What kind of an example is set for our children?
I can't see either side being anything but extreme. I know people on both sides who are reasonable people but they can't be heard for the bombardment of the masses of unreasonable folks.
I'd like to say that one thing is for sure. We have a school board made up of people who have the chil dren's best interest at heart. By now we've heard EVERY viewpoint of the warriors about 50 times. I'm not sure where the citizens have been that keep saying they don't have enough information. They haven't been moving in the same circles I have. I've been pounded with informa tion and insulted when shown how to fill out the survey. The issue is out of hand and it's obvious the reasonable and moderate peo ple on the school board have been given enough information to do the right thing.
The "against YRS" folks have to STOP saying there isn't enough evidence, it's beneficial or that the "for YRS" folks are distorting the information. The "for YRS" folks have to STOP trying to satisfy the "against YRS" group because it can't be done. There isn't ever going to be one certain thing that can fix problems in ACS. We are fortunate in Auburn to have a small amount of problems compared to other school systems.
We are fortunate to have teachers and administrators who want the best for our children and strive to resolve the problems that do exist. We are NOT fortunate to have normally reasonable parents turn into extremist warriors over something like a school calenclar. What have our usually reasonable children learned from all of this?
I can only hope that when and if our community is struck with catastrophe of some sort, that these same "warring extremists" are ready to work just as hard to feed, clothe, support and defend ALL of the children that live here and nol just their own precious little darlings. I know all of the reasonable moderates will still try to do what's best for everyone--most of the time.
Joye HughesAuburn