originally published January 20, 2019
I encourage my kids to speak up if they believe in something. I’ve taken them to an anti-gun rally and a local women’s march. My older daughter led a “sit in” at her school on the one month anniversary of the Parkland school shooting to honor the victims. I’m proud of my kids and their interest in social activism, but I’m also part of it. I go with them to keep them safe — from themselves and others. They’re children. I would never put them on a school bus and send them to a rally out of state wearing political paraphernalia and hope for the best. The parents of these boys from Covington Catholic School should be punished; not the boys.
Honestly, what did they think would happen when they sent those boys in MAGA shirts and hats to Washington, DC? Are they unaware of the political climate in this country and the hate emanating from both sides? Frankly, it was completely irresponsible and dangerous to send those boys into that situation. I don’t even want to go into why I think it’s wrong on so many levels to send a group of adolescent boys to protest a woman’s right to choose — that’s a whole other argument. Those boys parents should have been with them to protect them from themselves, the protestors on the other side, and the media.
While I don’t agree with the sentiments of the boys, I can’t blame them. They’re still children who are likely repeating the things they hear at home. Their parents — and the school administrators — should have known better than to send them into a political shit storm and expect them to come out of it clean.