Pubdate: Sat, 02 Aug 2003 Source: Peoria Journal Star (IL) Copyright: 2003sPeoria Journal Star Contact: http://pjstar.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/338 Author: Judith Koren-Shanahan Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/youth.htm (Youth) CLEAN-CUT KIDS DON'T DRINK, DO DRUGS, DRIVE I object to the reporter's adjective describing them as "clean-cut kids." What does that comment have to do with the facts of the incident? They foolishly drank, did drugs, and drank some more, and now one of them is dead. (Which, for you other clean-cut kids reading this, means gone forever.) In spite of more education in the schools, in spite of the hundreds of newspaper and TV items every year that detail the results of drugs, booze, auto, equals disaster, most teens seem to feel they are immortal. It's not as if this was a deep secret. Teens behaving badly result in fatal accidents, pregnancies, higher insurance rates, and parents who mourn and whose lives will never be the same after these incidents. I wonder if the adjective translates into platitudes like, "they come from a good home," or "they've never done this before." Parents may think those things of their teens but haven't got a clue as to their kids' secret lives. Not all teens are acting out in the way described, but too many are, and the difference between them is just not getting caught yet. As the mother of a 15-year-old who, as a result of taking a ride with an inebriated driver and kids she did not know well, lost her life, I know the pain these parents must be going through. I request that in the future when incidents such as this tragedy are reported, you present the facts, not a judgment as to who is or isn't clean-cut. Drinking, drugs and driving do not equate to clean-cut in my book. Judith Koren-Shanahan Peoria - --- MAP posted-by: Larry Seguin