Editor:

Sadly our system failed Amanda Todd and her family. However, there are other issues in my mind that need to be addressed.

Strong points in Dr. Leonard Sax’s article “The Dangerously Empty lives of Teenage Girls” (Maclean’s 2010) should have raised more red flags. Where is the supervision? Where are the boundaries?

First and foremost, we need to take charge of our role as caregivers/guardians to be able to help our youth develop the skills and backbone they need to safely function in today’s social networking abyss. Plain and simple, our children need boundaries and restrictions. We watch with bated breath as our preschooler navigates the playground to ensure their safety. Why do we back off? Because they ask us to? Parenting is not a popularity contest. We also need solid, caring, educated young mentors.

The City of Vancouver initiated a task force to combat gang violence. I believe we need to create an all-encompassing task force to address this heartbreaking issue of bullying … 10 years ago.

Mokie Burnham, Sechelt