Re: ‘Higher-income families part of St. Albert’s appeal,’ Gazette, April 3.
After reading Chris and Karleena Perry’s letter I felt I had to comment. Being a lifelong resident of St. Albert and having never come across such sentiments as the Perrys have expressed, I freely admit that I am thoroughly disgusted and appalled by this obvious inflation of self-worth. I wonder about their idea that St. Albert is a place for higher-income families, and at their reasons for moving to this city. I feel I have to disagree and point out your perceptions are mistaken.
From looking at Alberta Education’s website on class size averages for 2009/2010, it’s clear that St. Albert’s Protestant district has no better class sizes than Edmonton does. As for your concerns about drugs and violence in schools, I’d like to inform you that there is already a great issue with drugs and violence in St. Albert’s schools — one that I highly doubt would be much affected by low-income families joining the community. I graduated high school last June, so I can almost guarantee that the amount of drug abuse and violence I saw in school has not changed in any significant amount. Not to mention, I personally know several people who’ve admitted to me that their drug abuse began around the years of late elementary to early junior high. Though few, they’re still present.
As for your concerns about cars speeding and hitting children, I think it’s unfounded. I can’t possibly fathom where you’d develop the idea that low-income families are more prone to speeding. If St. Albert is as high class as you think it is, then I should feel at least relatively safe crossing the street — which I certainly don’t — and my friend shouldn’t have already had to go through being hit by a car.
I come from a lower-middle class family. I come from a family that has had a great deal of financial issues — one that, for some years, could hardly afford to live in St. Albert. Did I have issues making friends? Very little, and those friends that I made during difficult times continue to be my close friends now.
I pity your son. I pity that you’ve perceived his friends as ones that became attached to him only through his home and possessions. Ask anyone with a heart and a respect for other human beings, that is not what friendship is based on. I pity you, that he and his friends may read this and see what type of people you are.
I welcome Habitat for Humanity’s project in St. Albert, and I’d welcome a hundred more if it would use the space that might be taken by people with mindsets like yours. Open your eyes; St. Albert has residents with financial issues, just like every other city. The least you can do for them is get off your marble pedestal and allow them to live in comfort that they can afford in a community such as St. Albert that can offer them more than a slum in Edmonton could.
Bethany Polis, St. Albert
