Dear editor,
In June 2007, I sat with the rest of my family and listened to the principal of Lake Orion High School describe my daughter’s graduating class in unflattering terms as he gave his charge to them.
It bothered me – a lot – to be sitting in the seats at Meadowbrook and listening to him (in a paraphrase) tell her class he was frightened for the future if the students seated before him represented the hope of that future.
In that moment, I wanted to stand up and tell him not all of the students were as he described; I knew some intelligent young people with integrity.
But I held my peace and chose to celebrate the occasion without letting his less than gracious tone spoil the evening for my daughter.
What the principal failed to do is address not only the students, but the parents and community of people who’d invested in the lives of the graduates.
If there really was a group of non-descript and bland students with little drive and respect for the value of hard work, lacking a moral compass and lofty ideals, they did not get there on their own.
They were coddled and allowed to sail through, taking the easy way. They were given whatever they desired – in the name of not wanting them to feel ‘left out?.
And they were given slaps on the wrist instead of having to face consequences for unwise and illegal behavior.
Of course, police should balance the crime against long-term records, (Rumors true, and false, May 19) but haven’t we had enough teenagers in Lake Orion die from drunk driving?
Haven’t we had enough young adults continue on the path of making poor decisions because their behavior was indulged when they were still in school?
No one does these students a ‘favor? by teaching them they can get away with breaking the law.
In this case, I think the community failed, miserably, in teaching them the lessons they probably won’t learn until later when the consequences will be even greater.
B. Harris
Lake Orion