From the Mouths of Babes, the Issues of Concern to All

Louis XIV was only 4 years old when he became king of France, so there is historical precedent for political awareness in the very young.

Then, why am I surprised, not to mention sobered, to read letters from fourth-grade teacher Diana Larsen’s students to the three presidential candidates? Without question, the kids impress with their sophistication and empathy about society’s problems. Yet, it’s that very awareness that gives me a twinge of melancholy.

“If you get elected,” wrote one student, “will you promise to keep people off the street? Some people live in tents, boxes and some don’t even have shelter. Some just sleep in sleeping bags in doorways. Please take them off the streets and give them homes. Give them a home like this one.” (The student enclosed a picture of a stylish house.)

Should 9-year-olds be stewing over things like that? I realize her fourth-graders at Serrano Elementary in Villa Park aren’t spending recess discussing the New World Order, but I almost wish they didn’t have such a grasp on the nation’s problems.

A 19-year teaching veteran, Larsen tried to ease my mind. She said presidential elections tend to rev up students’ interest in national affairs because teachers discuss the presidential election process.

“I always believe that if you aim for the stars, you’re going to get higher things from kids,” Larsen said. “You have to have high expectations, and they’ll achieve them. . . . They’re so capable and they pick up so much. You’d be amazed what they can talk to you about and what they can write about.”

They pick up information from their parents, exposure to the media and their friends, Larsen said. She also asked her students to watch at least part of the presidential debates to get a feel for the candidates and what they talked about.

She isn’t worried that they’ll be wearied by the load. “When we bring this up in class, it helps them understand. Rather than worry about something like nuclear war or not fully understand it, it just gives them more information, and so they’re less ignorant, and then less fearful.”

Larsen strikes the balance by letting the class know that although problems exist, possible solutions do, too.

Here are some other excerpts:

Dear Bill Clinton: “I’m only a fourth-grader but if you get elected, will you help the needy and not let any more people go hungry? Will you help to keep the air clean? Why can’t women be elected president? Is it because they aren’t as good as men? NO! It’s because it’s always been that way. It’s time for a change.”

Dear President Bush: “In my class I voted for you because you sounded the best. But how are you going to keep the air clean so people stay healthy and animals are healthy? What about people in the year 2000? Will they have to wear some kind of mask? And what about the water? Soon we won’t be able to swim or drink it.”

Dear President Bush: “I am worried about the environment because of what the sun can do to our skin. My mom makes me put sunscreen on whenever I play outside and I hate it.”

Dear Mr. Perot: “What would you do about the homeless people? I’m concerned because last week I saw a man with crutches and he was bald and sweating. Maybe we will be next. Yesterday I saw people eating out of the trash cans and sleeping on benches.”

Dear Bill Clinton: “Would you see to it that big factories don’t make a lot of pollution to the air and water? Would you make the country a better place to live for me and everybody else? If so, I hope you get elected president.”

Child psychologist Jean Parker-Johnson, on the staff at Children’s Hospital of Orange County, commended Larsen for letting the children voice their concerns, saying it has the additional benefit of alerting society to what children are thinking about. “It’s important to acknowledge that they do have these concerns and are aware of what’s going on nationally and globally. . . . I also think we can say that we wish everything was much better than it is, so children of this age don’t have these concerns.”

That today’s youngsters are more socially aware is an inescapable fact of life, she said. “It’s a sad commentary, in some ways,” Parker-Johnson said, “but we’ve made a real effort to educate children around drug use and safety issues and sexual abuse and we want to protect them. But on the other hand, it probably is a burden to carry around all this adult knowledge on these issues.”

Karen Rowley directs the extended day-care center at UC Irvine for children ages 5 to 12 and also has a 10-year-old son. Of today’s grade schoolers, she says: “At a very young level, they’re aware of a lot of social issues,” including homelessness, abortion, gay rights, AIDS and the ozone layer.

While not criticizing teachers for letting students air their feelings, Rowley said: “Children are real aware of issues and vocal about it, and if you lend an ear you’re going to hear about it. My own feeling is that there are so many pressures on them, they don’t have an opportunity to just be kids. They’re pressured into being adults, into accepting adult social values, instead of being able to enjoy life with some innocence.”

I’ve been sitting here trying to decide if I’m glad young people are informed and concerned or saddened that 9-year-olds fret over pollution, homelessness and every other problem.

Duh, suddenly the little light went on: If we adults don’t want our kids to be so stressed out, why don’t we make the problems go away?

Dana Parsons’ column appears Wednesday, Friday and Sunday. Readers may reach Parsons by writing to him at The Times Orange County Edition, 1375 Sunflower Ave., Costa Mesa, Calif. 92626, or calling (714) 966-7821.