Pubdate: Sat, 05 Dec 2009 Source: Daily Courier, The (CN BC) Copyright: 2009 The Okanagan Valley Group of Newspapers Contact: http://www.kelownadailycourier.ca/includes/email_forms/letters_to_editor.php Website: http://www.kelownadailycourier.ca Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/531 Author: Tina Stussi KELOWNA NEEDS TO KEEP DARE Re: Cancellation of DARE program in Kelowna. As a mother of three school-aged kids, 16,12, and 11 years of age, who have all been involved with the DARE program, I would love to see it continue. I am sure there are a lot of other parents who would surely agree. Our 12-year-old son, at Rutland Middle School, wrote an essay on why he wants to see this continue, and then, on the other side, write why he is upset about this program being discontinued. On the front page of the Nov. 25 Daily Courier, it states that kids locally are not being fed. Well, let's see, education, food, health, what next? Oh yeah, the DARE program. To me, it seems, by cancelling the DARE program, the government is encouraging our children to go ahead and use drugs, starve, steal as if it is not already a big issue with kids these days. Would it be hard to have help from parents who can and are willing to take the time to present this program at their children's schools or in the community. To teach this program, perhaps free of charge, with a constable present? I don't think there would be an issue if parents were involved with their children's programs at the schools and were able to educate them on these issues (almost like home schooling). With the provincial government making all these cutbacks, it seems we will one day be teaching our children all these things: education, DARE, sex ed and driver's training, if not more. Parents need to stay at home more to teach our children where the government has failed to do so. Just because the government cannot control its spending and spends our money on its own luxuries, we parents, let alone the children, should not have to suffer because of their errors. The DARE program is a must and should always be taught to our children. Tina Stussi, Kelowna - --- MAP posted-by: Jo-D