‘Persepolis’ teaches students about life

I’m always reading. Novels, magazines, newspapers, band lyric sheets — whatever I can get my hands on.

I’m always reading. Novels, magazines, newspapers, band lyric sheets — whatever I can get my hands on.

And I’m a big believer — like one of our letter writers below — of expanding one’s mind with different outlooks on life and other cultures that we may never experience in person.

The book “Persepolis” is such a case, however, some local parents don’t feel their children should be exposed to the struggle of a young girl growing up in Iran. Sure, what’s detailed in the book isn’t pretty, but it’s happening and kids shouldn’t be sheltered from reality. They should know about the world, even at a young age — actually, the girl in the book is close to our local students’ own age. They might not be able to relate to the exact situation she’s in, but they can certainly feel for her as a fellow teenager.

Maybe the students who read “Persepolis” or watch the nightly news will open their minds and get involved with causes like “One Voice to End Slavery” or “Save Darfur,” both of which have attracted Bothell and Inglemoor high-school students.

In actuality, while the book may seem harsh now, parents may soon be proud of their children for what they culled from the story and how they learned to stand up for themselves in tough situations. Life can be brutal, and reading a book like “Persepolis” isn’t one of the problems — it’s beneficial for understanding the world.

• In other news, by the time you read this, the Carole Ann Wald Memorial Pool at St. Edward State Park may be closed. If so, there are going to be some unhappy faces on all the synchro girls, high-school swimmers, lifeguards and others who frequent (frequented?) the pool on a regular basis.

I’ve been up there many times to conduct interviews with athletes and take photos. It’s a special place and will be missed if the axe falls.

The Inglemoor High Viking boys competed at the state meet last weekend and no doubt were swimming for Wald the whole way.