Neenah Park Rules Seem Unnecessary
As many as 40 to 60 Goth teens apparently have been congregating on the weekends in Neenah's Doty Park, alarming city officials to the point that they've enacted a series of new rules to discourage them from hanging out there.Now, any group of 15 or more people must obtain a permit to gather in all Neenah parks after 8 p.m.; park users may not smoke within 100 feet of any park building, athletic field or playground; and anyone cited for violating park rules or city ordinances in parks twice within a year will be evicted from city parks for an additional year. Also, a chaperone 21 years or older is required for every 10 minors.
The rules came on the heels of complaints about the Goths, who typically dress in black clothing and don black hair and dramatic makeup.
Some residents complained about the kids' use of profanity, underage smoking, littering, property damage and intimidating other park users.
Though Neenah Mayor George Scherck said that these kids aren't being singled out for their appearance and the new rules equally apply to any large group, even "senior citizens dressed in pink," we wonder if the city would have been so quick to act if large groups of, say, preppy kids, were hanging out in the park.
Sure, it's understandable that so many teens, especially if they're dressed all in black, might seem intimidating to an unsuspecting mother taking her toddler to swing at the park.
However, it's the behavior that city and park officials should be concerned about — and what they should be able to address with ordinances already on the books, such as underage smoking or vandalism.
If these kids — or any park-goers — are breaking the rules, by all means, ticket them. But to step up police patrols just for the sheer volume of teens who are hanging out together seems like a $1,000 remedy for a 10-cent problem.
We wonder if police will enforce the new rules on everyone. Will family reunions, for instance, need to secure a permit before having a picnic in the park?
Or is Neenah just looking for a way to clear its parks of one group whose problem may lie in perception only?
What do you think of this?
