Dancing

Teens will be teens

Know what concerns me most about this whole “grinding” thing? Not the “grinding” itself, whatever it is. Do a little research on Elvis Presley, and see what adults were saying about teenagers and their mores in the 1950s.

These kids are teenagers. We adults do not always approve of everything they do. ’Twas always thus and always thus shall be.

It wasn’t how quickly the school district administration dropped the pretense that high schoolers are people who are developing into responsible, self-managed individuals and reverted to the classic stand-by known as “you’re the kids, we’re the adults, and what we say goes” cloaked as that may have been in statements about thoughtful and respectful dialogues.

Once again, the Great Adult Conspiracy drops its mask and lays down the law. But hey, they’re teenagers, they’ll get over it. They don’t have any choice.

Nope. What concerns me the most is that the opponents of “grinding” have invoked the two classic bludgeons of Vashon Island School District politics: lawsuits and taxes.

The statement that “Vashon taxpayers need to understand the school district’s legal exposure on the issue” rolls both weapons into one rhetorical gut-punch.

What’s a high school or school district administrator supposed to say to that? There’s nothing to be said: You have to give in.

And what is hard-working and tax-paying Joe or Josephine Citizen going to say when you put lurid descriptions of dirty dancing into the same sentence with “lawsuit”?

In the 30 years I’ve lived on Vashon (while raising a Vashon High School graduate, a girl, by the way), I’ve repeatedly heard lawsuits and taxes invoked by minority constituencies who were determined to force their views onto the school district administration or the school board and to coerce the outcome they want.

Here we go again. ’Twas always thus and always thus shall be.

— John Sage

Donations sought

Other faith groups haven’t asked

Regarding Abbot Tryphon’s request for funds, I am certain our Catholic priest would love to go to Rome and meet with the Pope. Or perhaps the Unitarian minister would like to travel to Unitaria to meet with the Great Unit. Or think of it, perhaps the Mormon Church would like to send a delegation to Salt Lake City.

I have not seen any other faith petition the community for funds for such travel.

These are slim times and perhaps the cash would be better spent on our hopes to house the homeless and feed the hungry right here on Vashon. Perhaps the World Wide Web would better suit the delegation via video conference! Think of the carbon footprint! What would Jesus, Buddah or Allah do?

— Janet Sichi

Editor’s note: The request for donations came from Father Ralph Carskadden of Seattle, a member of the Sister Churches Program Board.

Vashon roads

Leave space for bikers, runners

As a frequent runner and cyclist on the roads of Vashon, I beg drivers to give us some room!

As a vulnerable human with nothing protecting my body from the steel of a vehicle coming at me head on, less than two feet from where I occupy space on the road, would it be asking too much for the driver of the vehicle to move towards the center line, and better yet, if another car is nowhere in sight, go beyond the center line into the oncoming lane to give the runner or biker some space?

It never ceases to amaze me how many inconsiderate drivers are out there on the early mornings when I try to sneak a run in before people are out driving in such a hurry that they can’t move over and give us some space.

Imagine what it feels like to have a car coming at you going 35 to 45 miles per hour. What if I tripped? Then the driver would be involved in an accident that could have easily been avoided with just a little common sense and courtesy.

— Teri Smith