Pubdate: Thu, 22 Jul 2004
Source: Flint Journal (MI)
Copyright: 2004 Flint Journal
Contact:  http://www.flintjournal.com
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/836
Note: Prefers to print letters from people in the area of The Flint Journal
Author: Elizabeth Shaw
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/dare.htm (D.A.R.E.)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?225 (Students - United States)

LOYALTY TO DARE PROGRAM TO BE TESTED AT BALLOT BOX

Back in January, parents and students staged a public uproar over the
demise of a popular school police program. But on Aug. 3, will they
step up to the ballot box to pay for it?

That's the question voters will answer as the city seeks 0.5 mills to
continue the school district's Drug Abuse Resistance Education. The
program was phased out this year due to the loss of state DARE funding
and the expiration of the city's federal COPS in Schools grant.

Funding the program would cost the owner of a $100,000 house $25 more
a year.

"It's absolutely worth it," said Diane Rau, whose son Kyle, 8, will
enter third grade this fall at Central Elementary. "He's young yet, so
we're still teaching him all the values in life he'll need. But those
values also have to be projected at the schools."

Loyalty for displaced DARE Officer Eddie Dolgan sparked the initial
public outcry. But a vote for DARE isn't necessarily a vote for
Officer Eddie, said Shirley Gauthier, one of three school crossing
guards who are suing the city because they say they were punished for
publicly complaining about traffic safety issues .

"I feel the DARE program died when Chief (Fay) Peek took Officer
Dolgan off. So as far as I'm concerned, the city doesn't need a
half-mill more to play around with," said Gauthier. "There's no
guarantee he'll be reinstated with DARE. In fact, I can almost
guarantee you he won't be."

Peek could not be reached for comment, but in January the city's
written proposal recommended the levy to "allow Officer Dolgan to
continue his full-time program while recognizing the short and
long-term issues that need to be resolved in order for this to happen."

The DARE millage would be paid only by city residents, not the school
district, because the program is operated through the city police department.

"The school district is shared between the township and city and we've
always had a wonderful cooperative relationship for joint funding,"
said Realtor Mark Calvert of Century 21 Woodland, a district parent
and township resident. "Asking the city residents alone to fund it
could make it a tougher sell. They already have a higher tax rate than
the township."

Despite the public outcry that launched the millage proposal, the
issue appears to have fallen off the city's radar screens.

"Earlier in the year, I heard a lot of moms saying good things about
it. But nobody was really talking about it much by the end of the
school year. There was probably just too much else going on," said
Rau.

A promised anti-millage campaign also appears to have never
developed.

In fact, Calvert said, he's seen nary a sign pro or con anywhere in
the city.

"In my line of work I'm probably more aware of yard signs than most
people," joked Calvert. "I can safely say they're just not out there,
one way or the other."

[sidebar]

QUICK FACTS

On The Ballot

WHAT: A 0.5-mill request to continue the Flushing School District's
Drug Abuse Resistance Education.

WHO WOULD PAY: Flushing city residents.

WHAT IT WOULD PROVIDE: About $100,000 a year to put a DARE officer in
the district's four elementaries. A police liaison officer already is
in place at the junior high. City charter limits the levy to three
years. 
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MAP posted-by: Richard Lake