LETTER: Fight against drugs must start in schools

[Chip (OP)]

http://www.sunshinecoastdaily.com.au/news/the-fight-against-drugs-must-start-in-schools/2747791/

LETTER: Fight against drugs must start in schools



GREAT to see some focus on the ice menace by the Prime Minister, with support from Nick Xenophon. However it is a threat that requires an aggressive, concerted attack on all fronts.

Dobbing in dealers would help, if penalties were made realistic, and the concept of mandatory rehab has some merit, but unless we educate our children at the earliest opportunity of the risks to their future, and indeed to that of society as we know it that this evil drug poses, then millions of tax dollars will be wasted.

A formalised, structured and mandatory drug education program needs to be built into every school curriculum to ensure that our children never form part of the base of any drug distribution pyramid, so that they are armed with the knowledge and supported at every level to resist the pressure which results in addiction.

Without a market, dealers go out of business, it ain't rocket science.

State and federal governments should be proposing decisive action plans comprising compulsory early drug education and active enforcement of stiff penalties.

IAN SALLIE

Little Mountain

[Z]

Because dare and the drug war are working so well so far.

Like most things we canadians get crappy versions of us stuff.  My dare was called vip.  Values, influences and peers.  No thank you.  I do not want any of your heroin.

What does dobbing mean?  It sounds kinky.

[Chip (OP)]

dobbing is turning someone in. nothing kinky about it. It's usually considered to be un-Australian to dob someone in.

[Sand and Water]

Because dare and the drug war are working so well so far.

Like most things we canadians get crappy versions of us stuff.  My dare was called vip.  Values, influences and peers.  No thank you.  I do not want any of your heroin.

What does dobbing mean?  It sounds kinky.

^^ what Z said. In the U.S., our D.AR.E. programs were a great *idea*, but between unfunded mandates, & it being primarily implemented by police in full uniform w/guns, it's not exactly a "it's ok kids, you can talk freely here" kind of vibe. I don't want to see any more M.A.D.D. or equivalent curriculum either.

Wouldn't it be great if like Chippers article (about the Dr & the user teaming up to distribute needles), we had some sort of Big Brother/Sister program for jr & high school kids?  No judgey crap... just folks who knew what they're talking about & equally important, the kids could feel like they could actually listen AND be heard??  As a mom, I would've been all over that!

[candy]

Here where I live in So Cal we have a High School, or really a continuation school for students who are not doing well in the traditional high school setting, have drug problems, or just are not able to keep up in school.
My oldest son went there because he was being bullied in high school and not able to function on his work and wow did he thrive.

My point is that this school has regular NA/AA meetings on campus ran by the students and they have a very high rate of students doing much better knowing there is support right there when they need it.

They also have a few groups that are not related to the AA model for students who prefer a different setting. They have a counselors who come in each day and the kids can leave class to talk with her any time they need to. No questions asked.

I was invited to a presentation that the school had when my son went there and each student was given an award for a variety of different achievements. If a student had 60 days clean, they were given an award and a special chip from the principal. If a student had been at school for the whole month and had not missed a day, they were given an award. Not one kid was left out. Maybe it was for a great art project or a good job with grades, but these teacher's cared.

There policy on drugs and addiction was so unique and so awesome. They allowed open discussions and what was said in class was kept in the class, unless the student was a danger to himself or others, or abuse was discussed. They didn't have cops come to the school or school officials in suits, they had ex-addicts come and talk to the students about their own personal experiences.   The kids that entered that school that were in deep trouble, graduated doing so much better than they did when they first became students at this high school.

Teen moms were able to bring their children to the school's day care and the students took turns running the day care with the help of a social worker. They could earn their high school diplomas and know that their babies were only a few rooms away and being taken care of.

I am really thinking of taking my youngest out of homeschooling and enrolling him in this great school.

The fact that they treat these young teens as human beings and address their needs is something so awesome. I realize it is a much smaller scale than a normal high school, but if the high schools in my area would take a lesson from this little continuation school, students would do so much better and feel they could trust the teacher's and administrators.

The DARE program and Red Ribbon Week are OK, but someone needs to really evaluate the true effectiveness of these programs and a lot of changes need to be made.

My youngest came home from school in the first or second grade and told me I was a drug addict. Of course I was completely floored by what he said to me, but once I talked with him, I realized it was because the school had deemed those who smoked cigarettes as addicts, and addicts were bad people.
I went to the school to talk with them and they completely side-stepped the issue.
I was so angry that I chose to leave before I caused a complete scene.

Our children need a whole different approach to drugs and addiction. Teaching 6 and 7 year old children the crap that they teach is just outrageous. I agree that children are never too old or young to learn, but it is how the information is presented that makes all the difference.

Sorry for the long post. I know less is more and people skip them over, but I had a lot to say.
Be patient with me!

[Sand and Water]

Candy--  I so wish we had something like here. Im glad your son was able to escape the bullying & focus on having a pisitive school experience.  I completely agree w/you re: evaluating these programs & revamping them.  Your experience sounds ideal; caring teachers, minimal yet real support staff, and real people just honestly sharing & listening to the kids.  So simple.

You're also right about kids never being too young to learn etc, but I find it astonishing & frankly, self-serving that 'educators' deliberately ignore children's growth & development stages in order to push their own agendas.   

Exploiting kids' inability to understand ANY of the nuances of issues of tobacco or social drinking, (or drugs) is just plain wrong. Geesh, you showed more restraint than I could've!

[Z]

I had my own version of that.  My 10 year old came home crying and very very upset.  He kept saying,"I dont want you and mommy to die.  I dont want to be alone."  Turns out that an over zealous just quit smoking teacher decided to tell the students that all smokers were killing themselves and about to die.  Of course, the kids took it as an immediate thing and were panicked.

My kid wasn't the only one either.  We called the direction and they promised to deal with it the next day.  Told us we were not the only parents to call furious.

The teacher did make it right after, but it was unbelievable that she said that to the kids in the finest place.  Kids just don't understand things the same rational eay that (most) adults do.

[Riddick">Riddick]

To me its not the programs as much as it is the people that teach it. Its like having celibate people trying to teach sex education sometimes. If you told me the ex hooker was coming in instead of the 3rd grade teacher today, id be a lot more open to talking about the embarrassing boner I had the other night.