I am a retired elementary school teacher with young grandchildren and I take great offense at the F-word displayed on huge flags and signs in the community. School buses go by those signs every day with young children learning to read and trying to understand the world around them. Is there no respect or consideration for others? I can turn the TV off if I choose not to listen to vulgarity and obscenities, but these signs teach our kids that “freedom of speech” means anything goes.

If your favorite sports team loses, just say they cheated and stole the game? NO! Let’s teach our children good sportsmanship. Learn from your mistakes to become better players; don’t waste time disparaging the other team.

Inappropriate language (and insulting behavior) is NOT acceptable behavior to teach our children. With freedom, comes responsibility. Let’s all try to be positive role models and set good examples! Children are watching…

SHARI DAVIS,

Alpena