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CITY LIGHTS

By CONTACT _Con-3CADCC471 \c \s \l Al Hooper

Back when you were in school, the world was a better place. All the girls were pretty and all the boys noticed. Opened doors for them, carried their books. Remember?

Well, not really. The girls opened their own doors and carried their own books. But the boys often felt an urge to be helpful. It usually passed. Maybe next time

Most important, the mood in the corridors and classrooms was one of shared purpose. Attending class wasnt anyones first choice, but you knew you were enduring all this cruel structure for a reason even if you didnt know what it was.

And heres the thing. Nobody leaned over during assembly and whispered, Lets party later and get stony.

Or: I forgot my blow. Can you spare any?

Nobody got up during an oral presentation, as a high school junior in Gig Harbor did before summer break, and lit up a joint.

I favor legalizing pot, the kid announced. I stand up for what I believe in. Kid was suspended, but be assured he lost no points among his peers.

Different eras, different values. Psych majors tell us doddering types (anyone over 25) that we should welcome change no matter what. Its that no-matter-what part that gives some grownups pause.

Start with the social environment.

The Drug Enforcement Agency reveals that 95 percent of the currency bills circulating in the U.S. and Canada today contain traces of cocaine up from a relatively modest 67 percent in 2007. Which is one more reason to remind Johnny or Annabelle to wash their hands after pocketing their weekly allowance.

In Olden Days a parents main concern about a youngsters coming of age was reckless sex. If a kid got caught reading Lady Chatterleys Lover, he was sentenced to hard time forced to watch TV, no books. Which was a harsh experience for a growing boy who loveduh, reading.

Today the priorities have shifted. Moms parting shot as Johnny goes out the door is: Keep your nose clean, sonny! And Johnny knows enough to take it literally.

Tuesday, Sept. 8, a new school year will be upon us. Edmonds, as much as any city in the state, cares about and supports its schools. As we should.

But these are parlous times.

Programs had to be trimmed.

Others were dropped outright.

Among the casualties is DARE (Drug Awareness Resistance Education). Presented by the Edmonds Police Department, the DARE program helped persuade kids that some adults know whats going on out there, even if the adult species in general appears to be out to lunch.

Without DARE in the wings, the responsibility for keeping the message fresh and viable will fall on someone else parents, family, friends. Simple message, really:

Good choices let you build on your potential.

Bad choices may damage your life forever.

Sure its trite. But so is happily ever after.

Love that yellow school bus

School buses symbolize education on the move, but their presence in the Edmonds School District will be sharply curtailed this year.

As a result of the state revenue shortfall, district rep Jennifer Piplic says, reduced student transportation services are in place for 2009-10. It means limiting transportation to students living less than one radius mile from the school they attend.

Translation: Mom-pop-grandma or some other designate will be making a lot of school runs on behalf of students living outside the prescribed radius.

Each school is evaluating its parking lot configurations, Ms. Piplic says. We want to ensure that the increase in parent drop-off and pick-up of students can be safely and efficiently accommodated.

Whichever way you parse it, the result will be an early start to the day for many students and their designated adults.

Jean Kerr, celebrated author of Please Dont Eat the Daisies, once defined this looming challenge.

You can be in prime health, exercise daily, watch your diet and sleep eight hours, she said. And when you get up at 7 a.m., youll still feel terrible.

So take heart, kids. This time youre in the majority.