A Better REGION 8

Our Halloween Village

Thanks to Hillary Clinton, we are all too familiar with the African proverb, it takes a village to raise a child. That saying has become somewhat of a cliché since the Clinton Administration, but I would really like you to consider its merits, specifically this week. In the last few days we have reported disturbing stories regarding the safety of children. Two little girls, one in Florida and one in Missouri went missing and were then found dead days later. Unfortunately, we have to report these types of stories far too often. With Halloween this Saturday night, we will send our children out into the night into areas where people, both children and adults, will be shielding their true identity. We will send them knocking on strangers’ doors asking for treats. It is tradition, and it is fun. However, it can be dangerous if precautions are not taken. But, we can limit the risk if we all work together. If we act as that proverbial village to guard over our children, we can increase their level of safety this Halloween.

 

Here are some things to keep in mind.

-Warn kids not to eat treats before they are examined

-Make sure, whether you’re in costume or not, that your clothing is bright enough to be clearly visible and carry a flashlight.

-Children should always be accompanied by an adult

-Children should not enter homes or apartments

-Children should only go to homes where the residents are known and have lights on

-Finally, watch out for your children, and the children of others let’s use the entire village to watch out for our kids

The safety and well being of our children should be a high priority every day, but especially during Halloween. Having a safe and happy Halloween will create lasting memories for you and your kids, and it will make this A Better Region 8.

Longer School Year?

Last week we ran a web poll on Region 8 News that asked “Would you favor a longer school year in public schools?” Almost 75% said no.  Here are some of the responses we received.

Elizabeth said:

“I would just like to know...when does a child get to just be a "kid"? They go to school long enough now. Add homework and that doesn't leave much time to be able to play and "just be a kid" before dinner and bedtime. I think they need to be given a break!”

Rebecca added:

“Sometimes we are trying to keep up with other countries and our children are paying the price for it. Do not make our kids go to school longer than they do now. They don't even get much of a break now in the summertime and what about those teachers. That is a very stressful job to begin with. Do we really want to see our teachers working longer hours too?”

Folks, these are all valid points. However, this world we live in is changing rapidly. In order to be successful, our children will have to have a better education than we did. They will have to know more, and know how to better utilize that education for this to remain the greatest country on the planet. I don’t know that simply extending the school day or the school year will make that happen. But I do know that if we all made the education system in this country a bigger priority, it would make our country and Region 8 better.