Pubdate: Sat, 01 Mar 2003
Source: The Southeast Missourian (MO)
Copyright: 2003, Southeast Missourian
Contact: http://www.semissourian.com/opinion/speakout/submit/
Website: http://www.semissourian.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1322
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/dare.htm (DARE)

SCOTT COUNTY NO LONGER OFFERS DARE PROGRAM BENTON,

Mo. -- Area schools will no longer be provided with the Drug Abuse 
Resistance Education Program from the Scott County Sheriff's Department.

According to Sheriff Bill Ferrell, the change is the result of personnel 
shortage.

"As we get ready to move into the new jail, our request for what we thought 
to be the minimum staffing has been cut," Ferrell said.

"As a result, we will fall eight people short of what we feel we need to 
operate the new jail."

Ferrell said the present staff will have to dedicate their time to getting 
the new jail up and running. "Without the additional personnel, there won't 
be enough time for the two D.A.R.E. officers to bring the program to area 
schools."

The sheriff's department started the D.A.R.E. program in Scott County 
schools in 1990 with the late Deputy Robert Knight as the first deputy 
assigned to the program.

His office brought the program to all public and private schools in Scott 
County, with the exception of Sikeston. "The D.A.R.E. program has always 
been a high priority or us, but with budget requests cut and shortage of 
staff, we don't have a choice," he said. "We have had budget cuts before in 
our DARE program but were able to continue because of private donations to 
keep it going."

Capt. Brenda Schiwitz, who is one of the two D.A.R.E. teachers and 
supervisor of the D.A.R.E. program for the past several years, estimates 
that thousands of students in Scott County Central, Oran Elementary, 
Guardian Angel Parochial, Kelly Middle, Scott City Middle, St. Denis 
Parochial, St. Joseph Parochial, Chaffee Elementary, St. Ambrose Parochial 
and Kelso C-7 have participated in D.A.R.E.

"The success of the D.A.R.E. program can't be measured because we never 
hear about them," Ferrell added. "The publicity D.A.R.E. receives is 
usually from those who voice negative comments who don't think it works. 
"D.A.R.E. is not just about drugs," he continued. "D.A.R.E. kids learn to 
make good choices and how to improve their self-esteem. We see first hand 
what happens to young people who don't know how to make good choices in 
life and who end up in the courts and in jail."
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