Superintendent’s Chat

Richard McClements, Shonto Preparatory School

Other than yourself and your immediate family, what else that is going on in the world that concerns you? If you think what else is important, you are being shortsighted. There are issues that will directly affect you in coming years that you ought to have an opinion about. Here are just a few:

• Global warming – Our health, crops, and environment will be changed unless the issue is resolved.
• Global terrorism – Sooner or later, terrorists will use a nuclear or bio-chemical, weapon that will take the lives of many Americans
• Social security – you have heard on the news that either we correct this issue or there will not be a means to take care of you in your retirement.
• The national debt -
• Aids – in some countries in Africa, one out of three teenagers will never live to become an adult. AIDS is a huge problem here as well.
• Illegal immigration – if we can’t protect our borders, we cannot stop terrorists or the flood of immigrants.
• Crime
• The decline of family values
• The decline of Navajo traditions and culture
• Computer hackers and Internet viruses
• Nuclear technology in the hands of rogue nations – they will use it or sell it to terrorists.
• The loss of American jobs and our trade deficit. (We buy more from abroad than we sell.)
• Child labor in third world countries. Children work in horrible conditions for pennies a day.
• Drug addictions – not only does it ruin lives, but it also is a direct cause of the increase in crime and violence.
• Children who have life threatening health issues.
• European self interests may not match Americas.
• The military might of China. This is a very dangerous nation that must be watched. They are becoming a growing economic power and use much of their money to upgrade their weapons systems.
• Alcoholism throughout Native American reservations.
• The instability in Russia. That country is ripe for another resolution.
• Civil war in Iraq. We have spent billions and thousands of American casualties to bring about stability. There are two rival Muslim religious groups: Sunnis and Shiites that want power when American troops leave. Religious fervor may turn that country into the same wacky rule in daily life that was prevalent among the Taliban in Afghanistan.
• Child abuse/spousal abuse.

The list could go on for pages. The point is you can not be an ostrich with your head in the sand. While you can not tackle every issue, you should find something that is important to you and try to do something about it. You can start by knowing more about it.