Spotty Leadership
What''s the most important thing for the betterment of our children? Where they park!
Nick Pittman / Staff Writer
Posted on June 18, 2003

According to the Kids Count 2003 report, an Annie E. Casey Foundation study that gauges how bad life is for minors in the United States, Louisiana didn't do so well last year. Their studies found that 26 percent of our kids live below the poverty line, and we are at the bottom of the list. What's worse is that our Legislature recently made it harder for nine kids.

The Senate had an opportunity to excuse nine St. Thomas More Catholic High School students from having to pay tickets for parking in handicapped spots at the school's stadium when it was not in use. The bill, introduced by Lafayette's Rep. Jerry Luke LeBlanc, allows students to park at athletic buildings during the day, as long as no event is occurring. LeBlanc, an STM parent, proposed that the law should be retrograde, thereby nullifying the tickets. It passed only after the retrograde component was removed.

Won't somebody please think of the children? Don't these kids have enough to worry about? Think about how much of Daddy's money they have to pump into their SUVs and bling-bling Lexuses to get them to school, the mall and the malt shop. Their parents are paying big money so the little darlings won't have to attend school with all those poor, dirty children.

Louisiana's children were robbed ... wait, I can't freaking do this. Like gloves, sometimes the sarcasm has to be dropped and the claws brought out. This is absolutely ridiculous! While our economy is in the toilet, our legislators are spending time on this? While truly underprivileged kids go to class in neglected buildings and are taught by neglected, disgruntled teachers, our legislators are padding the life of the most privileged little brats?

Do you realize that handicapped spots are there for a reason? Have you ever pondered just how many disabled people there are and how few spots they have to park in? Why make life easier for those who have it so easy, without considering the consequences for those who have it so hard?

Although STM's dean, the appropriately named Rich Lane, argued that the students' offense should be ignored because the spots were 322 spots away from the school, a handicapped spot is a handicapped spot no matter where it is. Lane, I have a homework assignment for you. For a week don't use your left leg and watch as perfectly able-bodied people park in blue spots, leaving you to hobble in from the back 40. Besides, what about the handicapped kids at your school? What if they need to get to the stadium in the middle of the day?

As far as our legislators go, shame on you. By supporting LeBlanc, local senators Mike Michot and Fred Hoyt have proven that our democracy is not at all a democracy. The laws are obviously not for and by the people, but for and by the rich few who have high-ranking connections. Shouldn't you be out trying to improve our lives by bringing jobs to our state (Kids Count: 48 percent of our kids live in high poverty neighborhoods, more than double that of the nation) and fixing healthcare (Kids Count: our children's death rate is 32 percent compared to the national rate of 22)? In other words, do your jobs instead of ensuring a fund-raiser come campaign time. Constituents, remember this at election time.

As far as the precious ones at STM, they claimed, while sucking their thumbs, that they should be able to park there because there are handicapped spaces by the school and the stadium is 200 yards from the school. Yes, if a law proves inconvenient, break it! If you are at the grocery store and the line is long, leave without paying! If it is raining, don't stop your car to check on the small child you ran over, leave the scene! It's so damn inconvenient!

Michot suggested we applaud their bringing the item before the Legislature. That is what we should do: applaud the antics of rich kids crying and using Daddy's money and connections to get what they want. I'm sure this will set the tone for the rest of their lives. Meanwhile, let's applaud kids at Lafayette High and Comeaux High. True, they parked illegally and parent groups from both schools urged LeBlanc to propose the bill, but when ticketed they nutted up and paid their tickets.

In the future, if there's not enough parking spots at the school, maybe Daddy can take a break from fixing your problems and drive you to school or - gasp - you can ride the bus.