Local students participate in anti-drug program "I promise to never use drugs," was the pledge each fifth grader at Benton Middle School made as each of them read aloud what the D.A.R.E. program means to them. More than 20,000 Bossier Parish fifth grade students have been through the program since it began in the school system, and DARE instructor Judy Pate says she takes her job as their instructor very seriously. "This program has been very successful in teaching these students to choose their friends wisely and avoid peer pressure," Pate said. "It is my job to make sure these students know the seriousness and consequences of using drugs and alcohol. When I hear one of the students read about how much they appreciate Miss Pate, that means a lot. But it also means a lot to hear some past students when they come up to me and say that they were in a situation where there were drugs and or alcohol and they remembered what they learned in DARE." [continues 323 words]
There is an old saying that goes "it takes a village to raise a child." If that is true, and I personally believe it is, then the state of Louisiana is about to drop the ball - big time. Last year the state budgeted $3.9 million for the DARE program to be used from August 31 through May 1. As of this May the funding had been cut back to zero. What could be more important than our children? Apparently Governor Mike Foster does not believe them to be a top priority. [continues 507 words]
