Pubdate: Wed, 17 May 2006 Source: Weymouth News (MA) Copyright: 2006 Weymouth News Contact: http://www2.townonline.com/weymouth/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3594 Author: Ed Baker Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/dare.htm (D.A.R.E.) COACHES GO TO BAT FOR REINSTATEMENT OF THE DARE PROGRAM A team effort to restore DARE Officer James Bowen to educating primary school students about the dangers of drugs and alcohol abuse is swinging into action by youth sports officials. Proponents are seeking sponsors to support restoring DARE with placard displays at recreation fields throughout Weymouth. A petition drive is also underway by DARE supporters to Town Council to restore the program. Bob's Collision is displaying a placard to support DARE at Fulton School Field. "I think it's a great program for kids," Daryl Cugini, an employee with Bob's Collision Center, said as he looked at a placard Bob's is displaying at Fulton School's ball field. "The DARE officer is somebody the kids can talk to." DARE, or Drug Abuse Resistance Education, has been absent from Weymouth primary schools since 2003. State budget cutbacks by lawmakers dried up funding for DARE when a yearly $13,000 grant and a $2,000 bonus for the program was eliminated. Approximately 6,000 students graduated from DARE over a nine-year period until it ended three years ago. South Weymouth Youth Baseball League coach Doug Folson said DARE is needed in Weymouth because Bowen can communicate the dangers of substance abuse to children. "Officer Bowen would walk into a class and proclaim, 'what's the word,' and the kids would say, 'respect,'" Folson said. "He'd then say remember the word and the kids would say, respect. When he had to leave the room, he asked the kids again, 'what's the word,' and they'd say 'respect.'" He also said Bowen would reinforce his anti-drug message by appearing at youth events. "Jim often organized things for the kids on his own time," Folson said. "He organized a cruise to George's Island every summer. He also organized other outings for kids on his own time." Support for Bowen is boldly stated on a placard at a Fulton concession stand. The sign proclaims; "DARE, Remember The Word. Respect. Bring Back the DARE Program, Thanks Officer James Bowen." Folson said support for restoring DARE is growing throughout Weymouth. "I've asked Jack Serafini, president of the Weymouth Youth Football and Cheerleaders league, to support DARE and he said yes," Folson said. "We're hoping other sports teams in other leagues will do the same and encourage others to sponsor signs at the fields." He said proponents for DARE hope to encourage Town Council to restore funding to it. District 3 Councilor Kenneth DiFazio said if there is strong support for having DARE restored, it should be considered by the council. "The school department and police have indicated it's not an efficient program," he said on Friday. "We need to find out why it isn't. We also need to investigate why people want DARE and why the police don't think it's important." Police Chief James Thomas said he would be glad to restore DARE if funding is available, but said the program's message appears to lack a continuing influence with children as they grow older. "The bottom line is financing," he said on Monday. "I just lost funding for two vacant police positions for the upcoming fiscal year. I need more patrol officers out on the street. DARE officer Jim Bowen did a great job with the program, but I can't afford to fund it. It's an unfortunate set of financial circumstances we are in. We are not the only town to lose DARE. Some affluent communities no longer have the program." He said DARE reaches pre-teens with its message to stay away from drugs and alcohol, but its effectiveness seems to wane as children become teens. "There certainly is an immediate impact by DARE on the younger age group," Thomas said. "But the staying power of DARE seems to get lost down the road with the kids. Education is a reinforcing process. DARE's message is a great message to get out there, but to keep the message out there, you have to spend more money and that means hiring more officers. I maintain the best teachers of preventing drug and alcohol abuse are teachers and parents." Thomas's view is also shared by Mayor David M. Madden, a school committee member. "When we decided not pick up the funding for the DARE program, we made the decision based on the belief that much of the DARE material was being covered in the health care courses at the schools," Madden said on Monday. "That was a major consideration when DARE was dropped." He also said the town's $121.1 million proposed budget does not have room for restoring programs because finances are tight. School Committee Chairman Sean L. Guifoyle said the school department's proposed $54.3 million budget does not have funds for adding additional programs. "Officer Bowen did a wonderful job, but I don't believe funding can be found just by looking at r this year's budget," he said. "Private funding might be used to support it. It was a fantastic program." - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom