WHAT'S THE HARM IN ASKING?

Chilliwack parents and educators will get a candid look at what's
going on in the world of local teens, thanks to a new survey being
conducted by Queens University and the World Health Organization.
(See story, page 3.)

But they almost didn't get the chance.

That's because some school board trustees were reluctant to allow the
survey to take place.

It's a common fate for these kinds of questionnaires. School trustees
are unwilling to let their students take part, often because the
questions delve into the uncomfortable depths of drug and alcohol
use, and sexuality.

Although the surveys are anonymous, some trustees argue that even
asking the questions is inappropriate.

But if the questions are never asked, how are we ever to get a
realistic portrait of the lives of our local teenagers lead? How can
we structure programs, provide responses if we lack a clear picture
of our teens' reality?

Granted, no anonymous survey is going to provide all those answers.
But it is a start.

The lives of young people have become increasingly complex. The
challenges they face and the world in which they live is far more
complicated than it was when most of us were in school. Asking how
they cope with those challenges is a step toward understanding that world.

As Trustee Louise Piper said, "If we don't understand what students
are doing, how can we help them?"

In the past, Chilliwack has shied away from similar surveys.
Thankfully this time around, the board has agreed to take part. It
understands that while we may not like all the answers we hear, we
can't be afraid to ask the questions.