Pubdate: Wed, 04 Feb 2004
Source: News-Journal (Mansfield, OH)
Copyright: 2004 News-Journal.
Contact: http://www.mansfieldnewsjournal.com/customerservice/contactus.html
Website: http://www.mansfieldnewsjournal.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2413
Author: Lou Whitmire
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/youth.htm (Youth)

MONEY, OPPORTUNITY MATTER MOST

Study Saying Problems Same In Suburban, Urban Public Schools Not A
Surprise Here

MANSFIELD -- Doug Carr believes substance abuse stretches across
socio-economic lines. A study released last week supports his theory.

A study by the Manhat-tan Institute shows public high school students
in suburbia are just as likely as students in urban schools to engage
in sex, get pregnant, have an abortion, drink, use illegal drugs,
steal and fight.

Carr, director of the Ontario Substance Abuse Program, said when
you're dealing with suburbs, kids may have more money and could be
more likely to engage in bad things.

"Where there's opportunities, kids usually take it, if they have the
access to it," he said.

Javar Parker, a 17-year-old sen-ior at Mansfield Senior High School,
agreed. "Kids are kids wherever you go," he said.

Parker, a member of the Informed Teens group in Richland County,
agrees with Carr and others that some suburban kids can afford drugs
and alcohol. He said teens like to take risks.

"And why? There's no point to it. When you're drunk you're not in
control of yourself. I like to have control of myself at all times,"
he said.

Karen Moody-Bierly, executive director of Community Action for Capable
Youth, said the study is true.

"There's no question it's true. It doesn't make any difference where
you live, how much money you have. It happens everywhere," she said.

Karen Miller, Informed Teens coordinator at CACY, said the report is
pretty much on the mark. Miller said kids who live in rural areas
often get bored.

"They have an opportunity to experiment just as much as students in
the inner city," she said.

Miller said a lot of kids feel they have to be entertained in today's
society.

"They're wanting to be entertained. Nothing is sacred anymore," she
said.

"There's so much kids are aware of. They are willing to take the
risks. They get bored."

Lexington High School Senior Brittany Bassett, 17, also a member of
Informed Teens, said she believes drug and alcohol abuse among teens
has in part something to do with how much money they have.

"That's just my opinion; but in bigger cities there is more pressure,
especially in cities where the kids have more money and get money from
their parents," she said. Lexington police Lt. Jeff Hoffer, the Drug
Abuse Resistance Education officer in Lexington schools, said he
believes all school systems share the problems.

"The suburban schools don't have the volume or seriousness as other
schools, but the problems are still there. Each school system is
unique in what is a problem.

The quality of life and parent involvement/upbringing plays a large
role in the attitudes and behavior of the children," Hoffer said.
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