Pubdate: Mon, 07 May 2001
Source: Amarillo Globe-News (TX)
Copyright: 2001 Amarillo Globe-News
Contact:  http://amarillonet.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/13
Author: Bob Ramsey
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/dare.htm (DARE)

DARE DOESN'T WORK; WE SHOULD STOP FUNDING IT

The Canyon Independent School District seems to be having a tough 
time raising money to continue its Drug Abuse Resistance Education 
program.

Before the parents who bankroll Canyon's Education Foundation throw 
good money after bad, they might try to look at the DARE curriculum 
and its final exam.

Ask DARE officials to put a set of their course materials on file at 
your local public library for parents to inspect and see what 
happens. They have never wanted parents to examine the materials they 
present to our children.

They claim this is because the stuff is "copyrighted," as if the 
textbooks children bring home aren't.

And the reason you can't see the final exam is because there isn't 
one. The program consists of little more than feel-good propaganda 
that any 10-year-old can see through, which most 10-year-olds 
apparently do.

Research into DARE's effectiveness shows negligible effect, except 
for a statistically insignificant increase in future drug use among 
suburban kids.

It shouldn't be hard to determine why DARE doesn't work. It is 
conducted by people with training in one area (law enforcement), who 
replace people who are required to have four years' training in a 
different area (teaching), who then lecture on a topic that normally 
requires eight years' training (medicine).

And we're paying more for this service than for a certified teacher.

Would you want a police officer thumbing through a manual to repair your car?

If not, why do you think less of your children than your car?

Bob Ramsey

Irving
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MAP posted-by: Josh Sutcliffe