The Beacon column 05.2010

Editor: DC graduation

I travel often to Washington, DC. My son is now a college graduate - The George Washington University, Elliott School of International Affairs, class of 2010. I have so loved these trips. I get to be motherly and embarrassing in public rather than just on Facebook. I get to take hungry, sleepy college students to restaurants. They are so appreciative. When they try to pay, I tell them that some day they will be earning a living and must be sure to treat their kids’ friends to a real meal.

There is usually a particular reason for my trips. In the past it was to see Harry in a musical or play. This time it was to see him and his wonderful friends graduate. Sigh.

We did a little sight-seeing. I love to see the American history stuff: the memorials, the portraits, the government buildings. Harry toured us to the great documents held in the National Archive. I get tears in my eyes over the Bill of Rights and the Declaration of Independence. Who would have figured? I’m the one who hated Social Studies and didn’t admit it to my kids until they were out of high school for fear of setting a bad example.

I always have a little brainstorm in Washington. This time it was about the Equal Rights Amendment that the states failed to ratify. At the time I was horrified: how could states fail to see that it was important to explicitly extend full rights to women? While viewing the documents related to the 19th amendment (“The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex.”), I thought of this: the authors of the 19th amendment must have considered that it was enough to extend to women the most important right of all, the right to vote for those who make our laws. The Equal Rights Amendment was redundant!

May is the month in which we elect school board members and vote on a school budget. Americans go to lands far away to fight for freedom on behalf of strangers yet most of us won’t go to the corner to vote in an election. The turnout for school votes is a fraction of the pitifully small turnout for regular elections. I love to vote. Everyone should.

So, last September, our first lady challenged the class of 2010 to perform 100,000 hours of community service with a promise of speaking at graduation. Both sides were true to their word and Mrs. Obama gave the big speech at the big ceremony. There were 30,000 graduates, teachers, and fans assembled outdoors on the National Mall. You can’t easily march a huge number of caps and gowns into seats in this situation and they wisely did not try. The “procession” instead was candid shots of the kids in their seats, just like at a Sabres game, jumping and waving when they realized they were on the big screens. The cameraman must have known my son because we got at least 4 shots of him. Most exciting. Some of the caps were decorated with “Thanks Mom and Dad,” some with “$,” some with symbols we parents did not understand.

After every motherhood milestone, I wonder what my inspiration will be for another PTA column. I suspect grandmotherhood is a ways off. I know I will come up with something. Until then, your editor extends thanks and best wishes to outgoing Region Director Maria Eagen and WRPTA “retirees” Etta Czaja and Sue Andrijczuk, congrats to 2010-11 Region Director Kelly Stephenson, and hope for a glorious end-of-school-year to her faithful readers.

Anne Ehrlich
Editor, The Beacon