In this yuletide season when we should be merry, we have instead had three distressing stories to report this past week.

 A coach has been charged with a mortgage fraud crime, a paraprofessional has been arrested and charged with enticing a child for indecent purposes among a slew of other charges and then a 10-year-old was arrested in his home for bringing a cap gun to school.

 The first thing we want to say about the afore mentioned charges is that although each one of the persons involved is associated with the Newton County School System, it is not the school system’s fault that they are in trouble.

 This is an "us" problem — us meaning parents, grandparents, pastors and teachers.

 A great deal of our readers and the leaders of our community are members of the Baby Boomer generation, a generation of people who have brought about the most magnificent changes in American life styles and medical breakthroughs than during any time of man on Earth.

 In doing so, that generation apparently has forgotten the discipline and family values taught to them by their parents.

 As parents and grandparents we need to take the time to spend quality, loving time with our children. Living by and teaching the Golden Rule would be a good start.

 Pastors need to teach and council people that to following the teachings of God means setting foot on a narrow path, not a jagged one that deflects consequences as long as you attend church on Sunday.

 Teachers and administrators need to enforce discipline and encourage young minds to think positively and critically.

 The Baby Boomer generation was left a magnificent gift — a gift of a society grounded in honesty, character and perseverance.

 Apparently that society is off course, and it’s up to all of us to point it in the right direction again.