Pubdate: Wed, 11 Apr 2001
Source: St. Paul Pioneer Press (MN)
Copyright: 2001 St. Paul Pioneer Press
Contact:  http://www.pioneerplanet.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/379

D.A.R.E. Losing Favor

Drug Programs Should Reach High Schoolers

In 1983, the police department and school district in Los Angeles created 
the country's first D.A.R.E. program that sent police officers into the 
elementary school classrooms to teach an anti-drug message. With time, the 
17-week program -- with its graduation ceremony that rewarded children with 
the distinctive D.A.R.E. T-shirt -- became wildly popular. Children 
developed healthy acquaintances with a police officer while learning to 
resist peer pressure. The Drug Abuse Resistance Education program met with 
little criticism and its curricula spread worldwide.

In the past five years, numerous studies have shown that the effects of the 
D.A.R.E. program wear off by high school. In recent months, the U.S. 
surgeon general and National Academy of Sciences issued reports claiming 
the D.A.R.E. approach was ineffective. A 10-year University of Kentucky 
study showed that D.A.R.E. had no influence on students by the time they 
were 20 years old.

D.A.R.E advocates -- and there are many -- will point to a few studies that 
prove the program's effectiveness. But even these supporters must recognize 
that the program's one-size-fits-all approach better fit U.S. classrooms 20 
years ago. Merely because a program is popular does not mean it is the best 
program for a community. Consequently, school districts -- including 
Minneapolis -- have revisited their drug awareness programs and made changes.

Few suggest that children need not learn about the harmful effects of 
illegal drug use in school. A comprehensive program that engages both 
younger and older students sends a message about saying no to drugs at the 
same time it teaches critical thinking skills, decision making and -- for 
the younger children -- social skills, reading and writing.

Oakdale school and police officials have reviewed the D.A.R.E. program and 
may opt for a D.A.R.E replacement that requires fewer police contact hours 
and more interaction from students. The proposal might -- and should -- 
reach high school students.

Just saying no to growing data that points to D.A.R.E.'s ineffectiveness 
does no favors for kids. Parents who are delighted that a police officer 
has befriended their child need to look past that immediate gratification. 
They must visualize their son or daughter at the age of 20, far removed 
from a police officer but within easy distance of cocaine or heroin.
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MAP posted-by: Jo-D