Red ribbon week and an interesting turn of events

Hey all you fine people, here's something I just found out:

Last week was red ribbon week here, my step daughter is in the middle school and apparently the local narcotics team came in to give a demonstration about drug use. Run of the mill stuff I suppose. I'm all for teaching youth about the perils of drug abuse and addiction, however, I find this tidbit concerning.

The officers showed pictures of various drug paraphernalia and drugs. Students were then allegedly told how to use these items. And they also showed several ways that drugs can be hidden.

After the demonstration, the teacher, (I'm sure at the recommendation of the pd) handed out slips of paper and asked students to write down whether or not they knew someone who drank too much or used drugs.

This whole situation made my step daughter uncomfortable and I'm just wondering if anyone here has a similar experience and if I'm in the wrong for being pissed off about the whole situation.

Shouldn't the police do a little leg work instead of asking children to be narcs? I know I'll hear "if you're not doing anything wrong . . ." rhetoric, but the situation seems a bit over the top.

Thoughts?



Eta, we did not to get a permission slip for this demonstration.

Sorry, I am going to disagree with you on this one. There are children in dangerous situations at home and afraid to speak up. I would have LOVED this opportunity. I had to come home from school and thoroughly inspect my bed from spoons and needles from my moms friends to ensure I didn't get poked. I would get stuck in middle of the night being smoked out of my house because the smoke and smell of the drugs was so bad it made me sick.

Maybe if I had this opportunity I could have got help instead of running away from home at 16 because the streets were safer than my own home.

reply to post by denybedoomed


I'll say this. If I hear of this being done at my Son's school? I'll have a very very meaningful dialogue with the Office staff ...so I can say I touched that base, before I demand a meeting with people in the district over the issue ...or, as I have come to say, dedicate my waking hours to making them famous beyond their wildest dreams.

It's amazing..just absolutely amazing..what the internet can allow a person to do these days. For instance, a school administrator now known by name in his OWN town...can become known by first name across a nation and world, in a matter of hours or days. Fame...isn't that what people want deep down? Well, I'll happily assist them in exploring that side of their character, for a very curious public ...if they insist on using children as their snitch's to build cases on their own performance sheets.

I have NO problem with the DARE and similar programs, I want to add. Whatever debate exists on some subjects for adults, there IS no debate for it on developing young children.

I have EVERY problem with putting my son's LIFE in danger by making him the snitch they may or may not even try and protect later, if what he gave them DID become a case.

We had Drug Education classes in thr 70's

It made us curious.

We wondered what's the big deal all about.

It gave us way too much information.

Just a dumb idea...

Why wouldn't I be surprised one bit to find out that the entire event was being financially backed by Coors, or Miller Brewing Company, or some other "not a drug" drug company.

You know, marijuana, BAD. Alcohol, GOOD.

Makes me wonder if they asked anyone to rat out their parents for drinking too much, too !

reply to post by calstorm


I can appreciate your point of view, thanks for sharing.

"If you see something, say something!"

I think Hitler said something similar. But it was in German.

Turn your parents in for the good of the State!

reply to post by Wrabbit2000


Thanks, wrabbit, for your insightful post.

I'm currently writing up a lengthy post about an experience with corruption in the local school district here. It's difficult for me to write because it's so damn infuriating. Hopefully I can finish it today. I think it will equally enrage members here.

Here is the other post about corruption in the local school district.Corrupt

reply to post by denybedoomed



The oligarchy are masters at incrementalism . . . They start small, innocuously . . . and build as rapidly as they can get away with, to utter tyranny.

I don't like this exercise . . . it sets a bad precedent, imho.

I might have felt slightly better if they'd advised students to talk to the school counselor if they knew of someone who was in trouble or if they were in trouble themselves.

Better yet, choose exemplary more mature students who were trustworthy and quietly let it be known that they would quietly seek help for students in trouble who came to them.

But also clue students in that some situations would result in upsetting things before things got better. There are no easy or comfortable fixes for many horrible situations.

My fiancé posted something about this on her site and got this reply which I think is spot on.

Why are some you throwing out other scenarios (bullying, sexual abuse) to make this one legitimate? That's not what this is about, and what the PD and/or teacher is asking these students is to do is not okay -- at best,really misguided; at worst, absolutely shady.

Last time I checked, "drug abuse" in and of itself was not a crime. Drug possession, being under the influence, etc., yeah. What business is it of PD to know who may or may not be struggling with addiction? Do you honestly think that information, coming from such reliable sources as school children, is going to be used to put drug dealers behind bars. That's not what this is about at all. And narcing someout off to the cops isn't going to save their life. Referring them to counseling or a 12-step program might.

And to S' point, children shouldn't be put in the position to be trying to reach "black and white" conclusions in gray circumstances. They see mom have one too many glasses of wine at dinner and now wonder if they have to write her name down on a piece of paper and pass it to teacher, or maybe have a relative addicted to meth or something. What this is about is giving the PD easy arrests. The cops now know if they stop and search that kid's meth-addicted relative, there's a good chance they can get a possession arrest.

Update.

The school then posted the pieces of paper on a hallway wall.

I will be in that office first freaking thing tomorrow. I cannot even tell you how pissed I am at this whole situation.