Dare Program

In Chile, 40 percent of the children have tried the base paste of the coca leaves used in the production of cocaine. On the streets of Lagos, Nigeria, children as young as 5 can buy a marijuana cigarette. And in Estonia, the two major groups of drug users are criminals and youths.Faced with these realities, 26 journalists from 24 countries went to Ridgely Middle School in Lutherville yesterday to learn more about the Baltimore County Police Department's Drug Abuse Resistance Education program in schools.

Thanking citizens for backing teachers I want to thank the citizens of Anne Arundel County for supporting your teachers. This past year has been a very difficult one, made even more so by budget cuts that led to the departure of many valuable educators. However, we are grateful for the flood of encouraging phone calls and letters from parents, students and members of the community. Providing the best public education for our children remains our greatest priority and we need your continued support to ensure that next year will be productive and successful.

"WE KNOW what works,'' President Clinton said last week in announcing his new $16 billion drug-fighting package. But part of the plan is expanding the DARE drug-awareness program for school children. And according to Mr. Cinton's Department of Education, DARE doesn't work.DARE (drug-abuse resistance education) has been described as the world's biggest pet rock. It's money spent on nothing, but it makes us feel better. Study after study has concluded that the program, in which uniformed police officers visit classrooms of fifth- or sixth-graders for a 17-hour curriculum of drug education, is ineffective.

With a simple question, a police officer transformed a group of squirming 10- and 11-year- olds sitting through their fifth-grade promotion ceremony in Odenton into miniature military recruits. "What time is it?" Officer Dianne Venit shouted to the pupils. As disbelieving parents watched the DARE segment of the Waugh Chapel Elementary School graduation, their children chanted in unison: "DARE time." Clap, clap. "Drug free." Clap, clap. So ended Anne Arundel County's DARE anti-drug program, the largest in the state, which is being eliminated as of tomorrow.

Ten-year-old Jennifer Brown knows a lot about drugs and the reasons to avoid them.That knowledge and her winning anti-drug essay recently placed her in the company of politicians and celebrities campaigning for drug-free youth.Jennifer was the only county student selected by the Drug Abuse Resistance Education program to share the spotlight with Gov. William Donald Schaefer, "Hunt for Red October" author Tom Clancy and baseball Hall of Famer Jim Palmer. Her essay was selected from among 400 entries statewide.

DARE instructor leaving to manage W.Va. resortThe popular instructor of the Crofton schools' DARE program is leaving the town's police force next week to become the manager of a resort in West Virginia.Joel Gordon, 33, a member of the Crofton police force since January 1988, has taught the Drug Abuse Resistance Education program at Crofton and Crofton Woods elementary schools since the fall of 1990. He is leaving to run the Alpine Lake Resort and Conference Center in Terra Alta, W.Va."We're sad and glad at the same time," said Crofton Police Chief Deborah Bogush.

Thanking citizens for backing teachers I want to thank the citizens of Anne Arundel County for supporting your teachers. This past year has been a very difficult one, made even more so by budget cuts that led to the departure of many valuable educators. However, we are grateful for the flood of encouraging phone calls and letters from parents, students and members of the community. Providing the best public education for our children remains our greatest priority and we need your continued support to ensure that next year will be productive and successful.

They came from the Eastern Shore, Washington, Fort Ritchie in Pennsylvania and most of the counties in Maryland.They represented sheriff's departments, U.S. Capitol Police, the Drug Enforcement Agency, the FBI, Maryland state troopers and toll facilities police."

I RECENTLY saw my 10-year-old stepson Vince "graduate" from the Drug Abuse Resistance Education program - DARE for short. He sang "1-2-3 F-R-E-E" and "Talk It Out" and took a "solemn vow" to "say no to alcohol, tobacco and illegal drugs, and yes to my own self-worth." But I don't think he is, in the end, any less likely to use drugs than when he began. What he's learned, if anything, is that the adults involved, well-intentioned though they are, don't understand drugs or children. Taught by police officers in 75 percent of the nation's school districts, including Baltimore, DARE is the dominant program for anti-drug education in this country.

Six-year-old Rachel Shannon knows all about crack cocaine and marijuana -- the first-grader is learning about them in school.In an authoritative voice, Rachel, a student at Belle Grove Elementary Schoolin Brooklyn Park, tells what she would do if a dealer tries to peddle his wares."

I RECENTLY saw my 10-year-old stepson Vince "graduate" from the Drug Abuse Resistance Education program - DARE for short. He sang "1-2-3 F-R-E-E" and "Talk It Out" and took a "solemn vow" to "say no to alcohol, tobacco and illegal drugs, and yes to my own self-worth." But I don't think he is, in the end, any less likely to use drugs than when he began. What he's learned, if anything, is that the adults involved, well-intentioned though they are, don't understand drugs or children. Taught by police officers in 75 percent of the nation's school districts, including Baltimore, DARE is the dominant program for anti-drug education in this country.

DARE is reaching kids on drug useAs a Baltimore County police officer who teaches the Drug Abuse Resistance Education (DARE) program to sixth-grade students, I would like to respond to the letter from Robin A. Tomechko of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Maryland ("Drug education, taught by a friend," Sept. 4).Ms. Tomechko states that "parents and teachers have recently been chagrined to learn that the [DARE] program doesn't seem to be working."She refers to a study conducted at the University of Kentucky and recently written up in a journal of the American Psychiatric Association, which found that "the DARE program has no long-term effect on substance abuse."

ST. PHILIP NERI School recently conducted its first graduation for the Drug Abuse Resistance Education (DARE) program for fifth-grade pupils who completed a two-month course conducted by Cpl. Robert K. Moore Jr. of the Anne Arundel County Police Department.School principal Teresa L. Baker, Monsignor Francis X. Zorbach, pastor, and parents and teachers attended the program. Pupils read essays, performed skits, recited ways to say no to drugs and received certificates for the course.The pupils summarized their DARE experiences in an essay and made a commitment to stay drug-free and violence-free.

County Executive John G. Gary has announced a $1.3 million proposal to step up drug prevention and treatment as a way to combat substance abuse problems that lead to crime.He announced yesterday a three-prong approach of increased prevention, better treatment and tougher law enforcement that will involve more than a dozen government agencies in the county and Annapolis as well as private businesses. He wants to make 22 new hires in seven county offices as part of the effort.Most of the $1.3 million proposed for the first year -- and the $2.5 million he has proposed be spent annually thereafter -- would pay for treating drug or alcohol addicts at hospitals and private rehabilitation facilities.

"WE KNOW what works,'' President Clinton said last week in announcing his new $16 billion drug-fighting package. But part of the plan is expanding the DARE drug-awareness program for school children. And according to Mr. Cinton's Department of Education, DARE doesn't work.DARE (drug-abuse resistance education) has been described as the world's biggest pet rock. It's money spent on nothing, but it makes us feel better. Study after study has concluded that the program, in which uniformed police officers visit classrooms of fifth- or sixth-graders for a 17-hour curriculum of drug education, is ineffective.

Westminster City Police Department has graduated about 160 East Middle School sixth-graders from its Project DARE program.DARE -- or drug abuse resistance education -- is given to middle school students to try to keep them from trying drugs, alcohol and tobacco.The DARE graduating students were:Heather Adkins, Tessea Antonis-Parr, Stephanie Briscoe, Jennifer Digangi, Melissa Dodge, Jacqueline Dustin, Laura Gibson, Britni Isaac, Kimberly Kraft, Rebekah Krolus, Lauren Papi, Amanda Pollard, Tabitha Peed, Jennifer Sipes, Crystal Slater, Reba Jade Smith, Julianne Wagner, Alycia Woodring.

Westminster City Police Department has graduated about 160 East Middle School sixth-graders from its Project DARE program.DARE -- or drug abuse resistance education -- is given to middle school students to try to keep them from trying drugs, alcohol and tobacco.The DARE graduating students were:Heather Adkins, Tessea Antonis-Parr, Stephanie Briscoe, Jennifer Digangi, Melissa Dodge, Jacqueline Dustin, Laura Gibson, Britni Isaac, Kimberly Kraft, Rebekah Krolus, Lauren Papi, Amanda Pollard, Tabitha Peed, Jennifer Sipes, Crystal Slater, Reba Jade Smith, Julianne Wagner, Alycia Woodring.

DARE is reaching kids on drug useAs a Baltimore County police officer who teaches the Drug Abuse Resistance Education (DARE) program to sixth-grade students, I would like to respond to the letter from Robin A. Tomechko of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Maryland ("Drug education, taught by a friend," Sept. 4).Ms. Tomechko states that "parents and teachers have recently been chagrined to learn that the [DARE] program doesn't seem to be working."She refers to a study conducted at the University of Kentucky and recently written up in a journal of the American Psychiatric Association, which found that "the DARE program has no long-term effect on substance abuse."

In Chile, 40 percent of the children have tried the base paste of the coca leaves used in the production of cocaine. On the streets of Lagos, Nigeria, children as young as 5 can buy a marijuana cigarette. And in Estonia, the two major groups of drug users are criminals and youths.Faced with these realities, 26 journalists from 24 countries went to Ridgely Middle School in Lutherville yesterday to learn more about the Baltimore County Police Department's Drug Abuse Resistance Education program in schools.

DARE instructor leaving to manage W.Va. resortThe popular instructor of the Crofton schools' DARE program is leaving the town's police force next week to become the manager of a resort in West Virginia.Joel Gordon, 33, a member of the Crofton police force since January 1988, has taught the Drug Abuse Resistance Education program at Crofton and Crofton Woods elementary schools since the fall of 1990. He is leaving to run the Alpine Lake Resort and Conference Center in Terra Alta, W.Va."We're sad and glad at the same time," said Crofton Police Chief Deborah Bogush.