Peter
Benson’s book, “The Troubled Journey,” paints a portrait of youth from sixth
through twelfth grade.
In
it, he made an interesting observation.
He
wrote: “It is not clear whether growing up now is riskier business than it once
was, or whether we are simply doing a better job naming and counting problems
that have always existed.
“It
doesn’t really matter,” he wrote. “What matters is that there are too many
casualties, too many wounded, too many close calls.”
Looking
around our community, it is clear that he is correct.
His
recommendation is one we can all agree with. He wrote: “Our highest national
priority should be to mobilize our collective energy, commitment, and ingenuity
to ensure a bright future for each and every child.”
It
is hard to argue with that worthy goal.
The
good news is that efforts are underway locally to help in that battle,
particularly through various nonprofit and government organizations, and
through our local school districts.
We
should not, and cannot, rest until we make sure we’ve given every child an
equal chance to succeed, in a safe and supportive environment.
