“There can be no keener revelation of a society's soul than the way in which it treats its children.”
-Nelson Mandela

"There comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe, nor politic, nor popular, but he must take it because conscience tells him it is right."
-Martin Luther King, Jr.

Martin Luther King, Jr. and Nelson Mandela are shining examples of forbearance, dedication, integrity and humility. Their words and their deeds reflect their understanding of the importance of leadership and character as the foundations of democratic society. Nothing can be more important in this regard than to remember that we are role models for our children. We must be the people we hope them to become. For better or worse, our children learn more from what we actually do than from how we tell them them they should behave.

The ongoing environmental situation at Malibu High School and at Juan Cabrillo Elementary School is an opportunity to teach our children by our actions. It is an opportunity to show them how the missteps of our generation can and should be addressed by theirs. 

Nothing could be clearer than the three steps that our community and our school district can and should be taking. First, there needs to be thorough testing of the environment at both schools. Second, the parents, teachers, staff, classified employees, experts, school district leadership, and students all need to discuss, explore, and understand the results of that thorough testing together. Finally, based on that understanding, those same people, our school community, must agree upon and see to completion appropriate remediation - however large or small.

We can all agree that first and foremost comes the safety of the children and adults who frequent school premises. Let us all act in a manner such that this situation becomes an opportunity to demonstrate leadership and responsible stewardship to our children and to the larger community.

We are heartened by the hiring of the environmental engineering firm, Environ, and the selection committee’s enthusiasm for Environ’s competence, experience, professionalism, and integrity. We support and encourage all involved to foster an attitude of stewardship, cooperation and responsibility - to teach our children and all those watching by their example.

Sincerely,

Craig Foster
AMPS President