Published: October 24, 2009 11:39 pm      

WOLCOTT: PIG, an acronym we should all know

A young man took a seat at the town board meeting and the clerk asked, “Are you a pig?”

He nodded.

The town attorney was puzzled and said, “I’ll bite. What’s a pig?”

It could mean “Pretty Intelligent Guy,” or “Pretty Interesting Girl,” to students. It’s Pride Integrity Guts to police and “Passive Income Generator” to tax accountants.

PIG is an acronym for at least 25 people, places or things — including pigfish in the FAO fish species code. (That’s the Food and Agriculture Organization.)

Want to know about your new washer, use the Product Information Guide. What’s in the well? Go to Pesticides in Groundwater. What’s in the crib? Parent Information Guide.

So, it’s no wonder that the lawyer felt compelled to ask. I wondered about PIG the first time I heard the word at a town board or school board meeting. Of course, you all know, PIG stands for Participation in Government.

There was a good chance when you were a senior in high school, you were a pig. The program became mandatory perhaps 25 years ago in public schools. And, that’s a good idea.

It might have been called civics and it’s almost as important as mandating a driver’s education course. A young man or young woman is 99 percent more likely to be driving a car before he or she goes to a town board meeting.

Although I majored in political science, I never went to the town board or school board before I got this job. I remember the first meeting like it was four-and-a-half years ago. Not at all.

What I do remember, however, is having a lot of questions. But, as a reporter I waited until after the meeting. Talk about acronyms, politicians and educators have their own language.

I wish PIGS would talk at the meetings. Students can ask questions and a grownup might be too timid to ask. Just raise your hand and say, “Can I ask a stupid question?” and the supervisor or superintendent will respond, “There are no stupid questions.”

Of course there are, but I have to ask them when the usual suspects are piling out of the office to watch the late-late World Series game.

Don’t be shy. You’re a senior in high school ready to go into the world. Raise your hand and ask away. Your teacher will love your report and we’ll all be educated.

Contact reporter Bill Wolcott

at 439-9222, ext. 6246.