We say this election is about the kids, but I don’t see the kids as topics of conversation these days.
The verbal abuse has gotten nasty during the Douglas County School Board election here in Colorado. We – parents, role models, advocates for our children – are calling each other juvenile names, arguing about whether our online personal attacks qualify as bullying, and, incredibly, resorting to the old childhood defense, “They started it.” Some adults, who’ve engaged in the nastiest of the name-calling, are outraged because their posts are re-posted elsewhere and their names are displayed. Let’s stop.
Let’s put our children first, together
A few weeks ago, a child who attended the middle school next to my son’s high school committed suicide. The details are not public, and I am glad. The parents and family have the right to privacy. But it was a profoundly sad and troubling event. In the last two years, we have lost two teens to incidents related to drugs.
If we are truly putting kids first, let’s stop sniping at each other and come together to talk about how to prevent future senseless deaths. Let’s put the polarizing personal attacks aside and work together on the issues on which we can agree. Let’s work together to pull resources necessary to address these life-threatening issues with the same vigor we’ve put to use in the school board election. Let’s come together for our children on this, not least so that we can grow our cooperation and lessen our division.
Our choice: do we see ourselves as parents and teachers – or victims?
We descend a slippery slope when we decide that we are victims. If “the other side is cheating,” then we can steal yard signs. If we think the other side is suppressing the vote, then, perhaps, we persuade ourselves it is okay to engage in voter fraud so we even the score. If the other side calls me a nasty name, then I will call someone on their side a worse one. Really? This turns out well…for whom? This shows our children…what? This affects the election, local or national… how?
Let’s change the dialogue – now
During the rest of the election, let’s be accountable for our words, so we model to our children what passionate yet principled support for a given idea looks like. Let’s not debate whether we are engaging in cyber-bullying, another scourge that also drives kids to despair and self-harm. Let’s keep the dialogue about the facts and ideas. Let’s think about the consequences of our words on ourselves and the people with whom we disagree. Let’s keep it mutually respectful. Let’s keep it about the ideas, not the people.
Brilliant!