PARENTAL ACTION

OUR VIEW: Even the best, most well-meaning government program can
only take youngsters so far because their parents hold far more sway
over them.

At Halifax County Middle School, a $70,000 grant will fund a program
called Positive Action, which will help the school's "at-risk
students" and provide such things as grief counseling, anger
management, smoking and drug prevention and help for kids with
various classroom problems.

"Our middle school . which is grades 7 and 8 . doesn't have any
ongoing programs (similar to Positive Action)," said Barbara Speece,
coordinator of gifted education and testing for Halifax County Public
Schools. "It's a void we had."

The students have their own problems.

Even a casual observer of contemporary society knows today's middle
school students face all of the problems . and more . Positive Action
hopes to address. Is anyone surprised middle school students would
need help with grief, anger, smoking, drugs and all the other things
we used to think wouldn't affect children of that once-tender young
age?

Growing up isn't what it used to be.

It's possible that Positive Action will turn out to be a godsend for
the students at Halifax County Middle who need help. Certainly,
caring, hardworking school teachers, counselors, coaches and staff
can make a real difference in the life of a child who needs help.
And, for that matter, solid, universally accepted standards, such as
keeping kids away from cigarettes and illegal drugs, can and should
be reinforced in our schools.

We think Positive Action has been launched with the best of
intentions, and for the sake of all the young people who will be
touched by it, we wish it luck.

But even the best, most well-meaning government program can only take
youngsters so far because their parents hold far more sway over them.

Positive Action sounds like a good thing for the youngsters attending
Halifax County Middle School, but the most positive action those
children will ever get while growing up will come from their parents,
not from a government-funded program.