Of safety and violence...

My daughter starts kindergarten in a couple of weeks. Like many kids her age, she’s nervous about a new school. New friends. Riding the bus. All the things that should be scary, I guess, when you’re five years old.

But, for so many kids today, riding the bus isn’t scary. It’s a relief.

There are multitudes of parents in the city school district who request their kids be enrolled in a school that's not in their neighborhood—just so kids can ride the bus for safety reasons.

Scary, actually, is walking to school when you are six—and in fear of the violence that can erupt around you.

Scary is going to the playground, and sitting on swings that have been gnawed down by pit bulls that were being trained to fight. I’ve seen the swings. It’s like seeing shattered glass on a favored childhood blanket.

There’s no one cause to this… and there’s no one solution. But, when we act as one—we’ll continue to cut down on what’s really scary, and prevent violence.

When I think about the school year ahead… I think, optimistically, of all the kids who won’t carry guns… because you’ve given them the tools they need to stay the course in school and graduate.

I think of the kids who won’t be abused… because their parents got critical help, and the cycle will be broken.

I think of the after-school programs that will be energetically beaming with kids, mentors, libraries—all the stuff that makes for good solutions.

Stick around. We’ll have some inspiring blog postings soon on how you help prevent violence.