Pubdate: Sat, 17 Feb 2007
Source: Janesville Gazette (WI)
Copyright: 2007 Bliss Communications, Inc
Contact: http://www.gazetteextra.com/contactus/lettertoeditor.asp
Website: http://www.gazetteextra.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1356
Author: Mike Heine, Gazette Staff
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/dare.htm (D.A.R.E.)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/youth.htm (Youth)

DRUG EDUCATION PROGRAM CUT FROM COUNTY BUDGET

The handwriting is a little sketchy, but the message  from elementary 
students is clear-bring back the DARE  program.

Facing budget pressure from Walworth County supervisors  and a need 
to put more deputies on the road, the  Walworth County Sheriff's 
Department eliminated the  Drug Abuse Resistance Education program 
from its 2007  budget, Sheriff David Graves said.

"It's not a decision I wanted to make, but one I feel I  had to," he said.

An external study of the sheriff's department  recommends at least 
nine more patrol deputies.

The last round of graduates earned their DARE diplomas  in December.

But more students want that opportunity, and parents,  teachers and 
students are clamoring for it.

Pell Lake's Star Center Elementary School fifth-grade  teacher Thomas 
Jooss had DARE graduates write county  board supervisors expressing 
their feelings about the  elimination of the drug, alcohol, gang and 
violence  education program.

"I think you should keep DARE going so our younger  grades should get 
educated with this great knowledge,"  wrote Gabriel Katzenberg. "I 
have learned so much, like  there are over 200 known poisons in 
cigarette smoke.

When I heard you were canceling DARE, I was amazed you  were going to 
cancel a program that kept kids away from  drugs."

Brittany Campbell wrote: "I think the DARE program is  an important 
program. There has been less drunk driver  ever since the DARE 
program started. If it stops,  younger kids will not learn all the facts."

Deputy Don Crowley taught DARE in about 17 county  schools for the 
last 15 years. More than 15,000 kids  have gone through DARE

It was his full-time job to teach elementary students  about the 
dangers of drugs, alcohol, tobacco and gangs  and be a reassuring 
face children could trust.

He saw it as a proactive rather than a reactive  program, such as 
jail, rehabilitation or counseling.

The program does more than the standard drug, alcohol  and gang 
resistance training, he says.

Crowley cited one example of three students  confidentially telling 
him they were sexually  assaulted, which led to an arrest. Another 
student told  Crowley he was contemplating suicide and got help 
before it was too late, Crowley said.

Without DARE, Crowley said, "It's the kids that lose out."

Although the nationwide DARE program has its share of  doubters, 
Sheriff Graves agrees with parents and  students that it was 
worthwhile. He just doesn't have  the money or manpower to offer it anymore.

"That was probably the last nonmandatory program that  the sheriff's 
department did (in earnest), so we had to  cut it," Graves said. 
"It's a priority to get  (deputies) to calls and to handle the calls 
that are  out there. That's the mandatory duty of the sheriff."

Some schools are searching for alternatives to replace  DARE, and 
others have their local police departments  conducting DARE, Grave said.

But finding money for county-run DARE when still more  deputies are 
needed will be difficult.

Supervisor Bob Arnold asked the county board to  consider using money 
from the undesignated fund balance  to pay for a DARE officer to head 
back into the  schools. The finance committee will review the request.

The county board cut the DARE program during its budget  adoption in 
the fall. It allowed the sheriff's  department to save money by not 
having to hire another  patrol deputy, Graves said. It did not reduce 
the  county tax levy.
- ---
MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman