Pubdate: Wed, 15 Feb 2006
Source: Hudson/St. Lazare Gazette (CN QU)
Copyright: 2006 Lake of Two Mountains Gazette Ltd.
Contact:  http://pages.infinit.net/gazette/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/4094
Author: Caitlyn Bowser

STOP BLAMECASTING

"For now the focus has shifted much to the school and we're trying to 
find out if the school had a good enough drug program in place to 
prevent this type of thing from happening" -Rob Lurie, CTV News, 
February 8, 2006.

In the wake of the recent death of a young member of our community, I 
am shocked and disappointed at the reactions of many, who in keeping 
with a long-standing tradition in Hudson, insist on turning a blind 
eye to the harsh truth before us and instead search for an easy scapegoat.

I take great offense at the implications currently put forth by many 
members of the press, bored and starved for "juicier details" at the 
time of my writing this letter, that the school is somehow tragically 
negligent, guilty and responsible for the events that have occurred.

But what strikes me as even more tragic is the silent support this 
theory seems to have found among many of us, clearly looking for a 
quick absolution and a comfortable answer in uncomfortable times.

I have some uncomfortable questions:

What has happened to the concept of personal responsibility?

When did we decide that schools were responsible for raising our children?

How dare we vilify the people upon whom so many of society's children 
are simply "dumped" every day?

These are professionals who fight the good fight against great odds 
to help all our young people achieve their fullest potential. These 
hardworking individuals have always received inadequate support from 
our government at the best of times, and now it has become 
increasingly clear that they can expect little better from our 
society and even our own community.

I am wholeheartedly ashamed.

I am a graduate of Hudson High School, now known as Westwood High. I 
feel I would be remiss if I did not declare my support for a school 
and staff that were of great positive influence in my life, and 
always attempted to do the best they could for me with the tools they 
were given.

Growing up in this little town is a unique and challenging 
experience. It is made even more challenging by the lack of support 
and respect our young people receive from many citizens, the ready 
availability of drugs and alcohol that comes with living in an 
affluent area (often from parents' own stashes), the lack of 
"anything better to do", law enforcement that for years turned its 
head the other way, and now worst of all, the idea that personal 
responsibility is somehow an irrelevant concept.

We are doing our youth a disservice by treating them like idiots. We 
are doing our community an even greater disservice by rushing about 
pointing fingers and laying blame willy-nilly in a break-neck attempt 
to make ourselves feel safe again.

We as a community need to face facts and accept that the truthful 
answer is almost always the most difficult to swallow.

My heart goes out to the families and friends.

Caitlyn Bowser
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MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman