Pubdate: Fri, 16 Nov 2007 Source: Newsday (NY) Copyright: 2007 Newsday Inc. Contact: http://www.newsday.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/308 Author: Chau Lam Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?225 (Students - United States) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?135 (Drug Education) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/dare.htm (D.A.R.E.) CHANGES COMING FOR SUFFOLK SCHOOL DRUG PREVENTION In a move that will change the way drug education is taught in Suffolk County schools, the police commissioner said yesterday that he is reassigning more than half of the officers in the Drug Abuse Resistance Education program, or DARE, as part of an amended drug prevention program. The program will drop from 26 uniformed officers to 10. Police Commissioner Richard Dormer said 16 officers will be reassigned to patrol duty as of January. The 10 remaining officers dedicated full-time to DARE - which places officers in fifth-, sixth- and seventh-grade classrooms for a 10-week curriculum - would be available to help teachers, he added. It could not be immediately determined yesterday how much it costs the department to participate in DARE, but Dormer said the move to revamp the program was not a cost-saving measure. "I ask everybody out there to give this a chance," he said. "I think it's the right thing to do and the right way to go." Project DARE, begun in 1983 in Los Angeles, is the most widely used school-based U.S. drug prevention program. It has been taught in Suffolk since 1988. The controversial but popular program has drawn criticism over the years for its lack of impact. In a 2002 study, the federal government's General Accounting Office found no "significant differences" in illicit drug use between students who took DARE courses and those who didn't. Dormer said his department is teaming up with the county's health department and Eastern-Suffolk BOCES to offer the Enhanced HEALTHSmart Curriculum. Under the plan, BOCES will train teachers who will instruct students on topics ranging from alcohol and drugs to sexually transmitted diseases and Internet safety. DARE officers will offer supplemental instructions. "If the commissioners in our health and police departments, as well as BOCES, believe this approach can increase the number of students and the amount of grades reached by this program, it is worth consideration," Suffolk County Executive Steve Levy said yesterday through a spokesman. A move in 2001 by then-Commissioner John Gallagher to replace DARE sparked a storm of controversy, including a public hearing and a letter-writing campaign. Gallagher eventually backed off the plan. Many lawmakers contacted over the past two days said they have not heard of changes to DARE, but several, including Legis. Cameron Alden (R-Islip) and Lynne Nowick (R-St. James), oppose the move. Alden plans to introduce a measure to bar changes to DARE without the legislature's approval. "There was never a case presented to us to do away with DARE," Alden said. "And I have not seen one shred of evidence that his [Dormer's] new program is effective." Helping kids say 'no' Comparing Suffolk police's current anti-drug curriculum with the new one beginning next year. NUMBER OF SESSIONS Current anti-drug curriculum DARE Program: Ten sessions taught in 5th or 6th grade; seven in 7th grade Program starting January 2008 Enhanced HEALTHSmart curriculum: 240 sessions taught in K06; 75 sessions taught in 7th or 8th grade; 75 sessions taught in 9th or 10th grade WHO TEACHES Current anti-drug curriculum DARE Program: 26 police officers Program starting January 2008 Enhanced HEALTHSmart curriculum: State-certified educators, 10 officers LESSON TOPICS Current anti-drug curriculum DARE Program: Tobacco, alcohol, drugs, safety, peer pressure Program starting January 2008 Enhanced HEALTHSmart curriculum: Tobacco, alcohol, drugs, nutrition, exercise, bullying, unintended pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases, Internet safety STUDENTS REACHED Current anti-drug curriculum DARE Program: 19,000 5th -graders, 12,000 7th- graders in 202 schools in five western towns Program starting January 2008 Enhanced HEALTHSmart curriculum: 42,000 K-12 students in 148 schools countywide - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom