“The D.A.R.E. program continues to provide opportunities for dedicated educators, police and community members to collaborate for the benefit of our children.”
MasterPlannedistan Mayor Sukhee Kang.
“It’s happening more and more often: Crime, drugs, and gang violence invade our communities. The sources of this scourge are both home grown and imported from across the border. We must protect our communities…”
Assemblymember Don “Spanky” Wagner (70th AD-MasterPlannedistan)
We’ve seen propaganda like the above statements for the last 40 years ever since Yorba Linda’s favorite son, President Richard M. Nixon, decided to declare a “War on Drugs.” Inane catchphrases and fear based campaigns like “Say Nope to Dope and Ugh to Drugs,” “Just Say No,” and the visually appetizing “This is Your Brain, This is Brain on Drugs” have been ingrained in the American consciousness in order to justify the financing of the longest continuous war in American history. That war is the War on Drugs which is set to turn 40 years old this year. According to politicians of all partisan stripes, it’s all about getting “tough on crime” and “protecting the children.” You know, the children? They are that under 18 demographic that get exploited quite often by liberals and conservatives alike for the purposes of advancing some real crappy public policy or government programs.
Just this week, the Newport Beach police department had announced that they may cut the D.A.R.E. (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) program from the elementary schools.
“The recent economic downturn has resulted in budget reductions for the Newport Beach Police Department,” states (Newport Beach Police Chief Jay R. Johnson) “To address these challenges, there is a possibility that a number of Police Officers in specialty positions (including the D.A.R.E. officer)…will be reassigned…”
While there is some hue and cry from members of both political parties in Newport Beach about the effect that the complete abolition of this “educational” program may have on “the children,” the questions that I pose are three fold.
1) Has the D.A.R.E. program been effective in decreasing drug use and abuse among youth?
2) Is it law enforcement’s responsibility to educate our children about the dangers of drug abuse? An issue that is a health issue?
3) Are there better educational alternatives to the D.A.R.E. program that are based on scientific facts?
Most of you that know me know what my answers to the three questions are. Ever since the beginning of time, we have never had a true “drug free” society. The reason that people have used and experimented with drugs throughout the years, be they in the form of alcohol, cannabis or pharmaceutical medication, is because these drugs have some medicinal and therapeutic benefits. Just because someone decides to use or consume a drug for these reasons does not mean that they necessarily abusing the drug.
The D.A.R.E. program would have you and your kids believe the contrary. With their zero tolerance attitude towards drugs and their use, the message that schoolchildren are getting is that use of any drug equals abuse and that they are to utilize “the 3 R’s” (Recognize, Resist and Report) when the drugs that are spoken about in these classes are in their presence. The D.A.R.E. officers are encouraged to put a D.A.R.E. box in the classrooms to let the kids know if they see drugs in their presence to let law enforcement know so they can go out and investigate their claims. In other words, never mind the rapes and murder. We need to bust Joey’s parents for that bag of weed that they possess.
Upon their graduation, kids going through the program are encouraged to sign a pledge stating that they will not use drugs or join gangs and are taught by a D.A.R.E officer about the dangers of drug use. In this day and age, that is easier than done. In fact, there have been many studies that show that the D.A.R.E. program has little or no effect on kids’ attitudes towards drugs or has prevented them from experimenting with drugs.
One of the studies was done in 1995 by our own state’s Department of Education which was written by Joel Brown, PhD. This study showed that none of the drug education programs, including D.A.R.E., were effective when it came to changing kids’ attitudes towards drugs or gave them greater respect for law enforcement.
From the report: “California’s drug education programs, D.A.R.E. being the largest of them, simply don’t work. More than 40 percent of the students told researchers they were ‘not at all’ influenced by drug educators or programs. Nearly 70 percent reported neutral to negative feelings about those delivering the antidrug (sic) message. While only 10 percent of elementary students responded to drug education negatively or indifferently, this figure grew to 33 percent of middle school students and topped 90 percent at the high school level.”
There was also a similar report done in 2001 by the US Surgeon General, David Sachter M.D. (a Clinton appointee who also served under George W. Bush) where he classified the D.A.R.E. program under the classification of “does not work” when it comes to effectiveness of keeping kids off drugs. (http://www.surgeongeneral.gov/library/youthviolence/chapter5/sec4.html). The US General Accountability Office also did a study in 2003 that showed that drug use increased among kids in some area where the D.A.R.E. program was taught.
So if the only thing our kids learned from the D.A.R.E. is that “Drugs are Bad…MmmKay,” (and in the case of the Irvine PD, Donut Star on Jeffrey and Alton has the best apple fritters) why do our school boards, school administrators and city government officials continue to use and endorse a program that has been proven to be generally ineffective when there are many other science based drug education programs out there? Programs like the Drug Policy Alliance’s “Safety First” program (http://www.safety1st.org) and various educational materials from Mothers Against Misuse and Abuse (MAMA) (http://www.mamas.org/drug_education.htm) are a couple of examples of science based programs that come to mind. Could it be that these programs don’t offer a cool tricked out Hummer (financed with your local tax dollars) and other cool disposable trinkets like the D.A.R.E. program?
We as parents, who obviously want the best for our kids, seem to be content with letting a police officer who most likely has no background in chemistry or pharmacology teach our kids about the potential dangers of drug abuse. Wouldn’t it a more prudent of funds to let a health professional teach our kids about drugs, their benefits and their possible side effects and let the cops pursue real criminals? You wouldn’t want a physicist or chemist to investigate a bank robbery, would you? If your answer is no, then why do we let the cops teach our kids about drugs?
Despite my less than enthusiastic feelings about public education in general, I believe that the most qualified people to teach my child about the dangers of drug abuse and the benefits of certain drugs are a health professional, my wife and I. Not Roscoe P. Coltrane or Ponch and Jon. As much as I want my child to be safe, I also want her to know about the benefits and consequences of drug use. This is why I believe that it is high time (no pun intended) to let the D.A.R.E. program die and replace it with a program like the Drug Policy Alliance’s “Safety First.” D.A.R.E. has not been effective for years and to continue to use this as a drug education program in the schools will eventually create more disrespect for law enforcement and increase the liklihood of drug abuse among youth.
Unfortunately, there are very few people in public office who share that sentiment and are content with wasting billions of dollars on a war that cannot be won. I believe that any effective legalization/tax and regulate cannabis initiative should include a plan to help fund a science based drug education programs in the public schools with the revenues collected. Keeping all kids off drugs is next to impossible. If we can at least give them an honest education about the benefits and consequences of drug use we stand a better chance of possibly reducing the abuse of drugs among young people. Using antiquated programs such as D.A.R.E. will continue to produce the same results and we all know what Einstein’s definition of insanity. It’s shows itself everyday in our drug policy and the continued funding of the D.A.R.E. program.
For more information about you can help change our nation’s drug policy, please visit any of the following web sites:
Mothers Against Misuse and Abuse (MAMA): http://www.mamas.org
Drug Policy Alliance: http://www.drugpolicy.org
Students for a Sensible Drug Policy: http://ssdp.org/
Interfaith Drug Policy Initiative: http://idpi.us/
Law Enforcement Against Prohibition (Judge Jim Gray is a member): http://www.leap.cc
A very good documentary on the War on Drugs
Yes, it is time to end the D.A.R.E. program. Excellent article, thank you.
“why do our school boards, school administrators and city government officials continue to use and endorse a program that has been proven to be generally ineffective when there are many other science based drug education programs out there?”
For the same reason damn near every politico fell into line in the “War on Terror.” They’re gutless SOBS who are afraid of their own shadows.
Tony – they are afraid to go against the advocacy of the law enforcement community which embraces and promotes this program to the hilt. That fear is that they will be labeled as pro-drugs if they don’t go along.
Right. Just the way all the dems and followed Bush into Iraq.
Actually I’ve never understood why the cops love DARE so much. A couple patrolmen get the gig but there’s really not much money attached. I guess it’s just the love of being part of something bigger – the useless, expensive, ineffective War on Drugs.
D.A.R.E. gives out real cool glow sticks. They come in very handy when you are at a rave under the influence of Ecstacy.
I think the one helpful thing that does come out of any of those programs is details on the health impact of any substance whether it is cocaine, caffeine or sugar. There is no reason that this kind of education could’t simply be blended into existing health care classes. I think that the police presence is often most counterproductive with the very folks they are trying to reach. The attraction of the DARE and similar programs is that they sound great during a campaign whether or not they accomplish anything.
My all time favorite “Just Say No” add was when they tried to record one with Jim Morrison of the Doors. Although he did agree to do the spot, he couldn’t quite bring himself to be a hypocrite and there are some funny, though poignant, out takes of him saying “Just Say No to Drugs . . . except the good ones.”
Frank Zappa’s was the most effective: “Hey kids! You wanna turn out just like your parents? Do some speed.”
And Zappa wasn’t being a hypocrite either, he never did drugs. (Didn’t have to.)
The Drug Policy Alliance and Mothers Against Misuse and Abuse (MAMA) have made some inroads in recent years with local school districts in getting their educational materials intergrated with the current health and education classes that are taught in the public schools. Since 1983, public school districts have been content with using the “Just Say No” zero tolerance approach of the D.A.R.E. program as their form of drug/health education at the elementary school level . Drug education can be done a lot cheaper by using teachers who have an educational background in health science and materials that are backed up with scientific data.
I would like to see the Irvine Unified School District do away with the D.A.R.E. program and replace with curriculum that is similar to what the Drug Policy Alliance is offering as a alternative. Although there are many D.A.R.E. supporters among the local politicians and school board. It’s an uphill battle, but it is a dialogue that we need to have as adults.
The soon to be former D.A.R.E. cops should teach about something that they have expertise in. And that subject is public safety. You know, the lectures on wearing a bike helmet while riding a bike and don’t take candy from strangers. Teaching kids about the side effects of drugs is something that they are not qualified to teach.
*The DARE program needs to continue. Why? Because, those that saw the Army Training Films on VD……are still shaking in their baby shoes! DARE may not stop financial despots take advantage of schoolgrounds around the country. What good does do? It stops those that are on in between….the so-called uncommitted teens and grammar school kids that see an authority figure (cop) that tells of the dangers and some of the effects.
For those that get their drugs from their parents at home…..DARE does not work….no question about that. For those that do have a economical choice in their lives…..it probably
reinforces some fairly good concepts.
In general, the “war on drugs” is a covert way of obtaining massive funding for the “good guys”–you know, police and the prison industry. Look at how they whine when legalialization of pot is discussed.
If the cops were diverted to real crime, (such as fraud cases that go pretty much uninvestigated due to lack of personnel) of course they’d complain because they can’t get all sorts of overtime, and dress up as someone’s friend in order to bust them later on.
“(D.A.R.E.) reinforces good concepts” Is learning how to be a snitch for overbearing and harassing cops a good concept to instill?
No wonder we’re “one paranoid nation under surveillance.”
Or the cops would probably complain that they would have to actually buy their weed/drugs legitimately instead of raiding the stash from the evidence room if legalization were to take effect. Because you know damn well they redistribute the seized product to their snitches as an incentive and/or for possible side income. That’s way they can double dip on the OT.
Unless you believe that all cops are as legit as Sheriff Andy Taylor.
It’s more than the prison industry (Wackenhut) and law enforcement unions that whine. Look at the “establishment” in both major political parties (Democratic and Republican) when the “L” word is uttered. Nary a word about legalization in either of their platforms. Of course, the ones that do support legalization don’t have the cajones to take on their own party leadership. Ron Paul, Gary Johnson (both of them Republicans), Tom Ammiano and Jared Polis (Democrats) are a few exceptions to the rule.
Of course, the prohibitionists would rather continue the status quo while drug cartel murders run rampant in our inner cities and southern border. Why is that? As Deep Throat told Woodward “Follow the Money.”
Guy, you are an unfit parent and your kids should be removed from your home.
Nice to know that you are eminently qualified to make that assessment of my parenting skills and think that my child should be taken away from me. You are typical of those people who defend the failed War on Drugs and the prohibitionist status quo but can’t rely on facts to back up your bogus claims to justify the continuation of the financial sinkhole that’s been caused by America’s longerst running war. So, instead, you attack my ability to parent. Wow.
Thanks for the laugh. You just showed me how pathetic and moronic you really are.
*Guess a lot of you guys never saw those Army Training Films on the dangers of Veneral
Disease……..try You Tube….maybe you can find them there.
rw
Thank you for your input, Ron and Anna.
DARE Has reached critical mass and will be around for a long time, in spite of pro-legalizers efforts to end it. In my view, parenting that doesn’t teach responsibility for actions and that there are consequences to every choice – THAT is at the root of most, if not all social problems. If parents aren’t going to do the job, then for better or worse, it gets passed on to the community. That means clergy, teachers, and/or cops. Some teachers would be great at teaching the message. Some wouldn’t. Some cops would be good at it. Some not. But communities have to respond, and they choose what they choose. Lastly, though – if you’re gonna throw stones, you best have another answer, or at least an idea.