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Yahoo!It was a beautiful day for Goleta’s Brandon school’s fifth and sixth graders as they celebrated the first South County DARE graduation in five years.
Anybody who went to public elementary school after the program’s launch in 1983 would remember DARE (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) — the officer who came in once a week, the coloring books, the black and red T-shirts, and, of course, the graduation ceremony. However, this hadn’t happened in Santa Barbara for some time until Thursday’s event at Brandon School. According to Chief Deputy Geoffrey P. Banks, “[DARE] was stopped due to budget cuts in 2004 … There was concern about outcome-based issues, but Sheriff Brown decided to bring the DARE program back as we’re coming out of a low staffing period,” he said. “There has been criticism.”
One such critic is Santa Barbara County’s previous sheriff, Jim Anderson, who held the position at the time the DARE program was cut. “DARE was not a scientifically based program. It was created by cops,” Anderson said. “Budget cuts had taken place, and, in the interim, we studied other programs proven to be more effective.” He is not alone in his skepticism of the program. In August 1999, the American Psychological Association published an article in the Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology that detailed a study in which researchers followed up with DARE participants 10 years after they completed the program. The researches found that “there were no effects in actual drug use initially or during the follow-up period.”
In spite of criticism, Banks said that the DARE program's influence extends beyond the limitations alleged in the study and mere education about the dangers of narcotics. “It allows deputies and school staff to work together on all sorts of issues — self esteem and gang prevention,” he said, “and it allows deputies and students to talk together in a positive way.”
Brown reiterated this point at the graduation ceremony, after posing for photos with many of the young graduates. “I really believe in the DARE program,” he said. “It develops a relationship that is mutually positive for young people and the deputies, who often work with people in negative environments … I’m very pleased to see it back in South County.”
Jenny Pedersen is an Independent intern.
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I'm so happy to hear that DARE is back in the schools! My son participated in DARE when he was young and he was so proud of his shirt, wore it all the time. It made me sad to hear that it wasn't going on anymore, especially with two young kids in elementary school right now. The program really does help kids to see that police officers are good guys and not to be feared. Also it brings up the topic of drugs and teaches them to say no, prior to getting to Junior High school where they start to see more drug influences and are more likely to be offered drugs. The early education gives them the knowledge to "just say no" with confidence. Bravo!! :)
santabarbarasand (anonymous profile)
October 11, 2008 at 8:52 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Just a few years ago the leader of a local NORML chapter told the story of how she was given the "DARE" award at her elementary school that she had attended as a child.
The lies perpetuated by DARE to keep kids off drugs are daunting. So daunting, in fact, that it literally distorts the perception kids have of drugs to the point where it has been proven that they end up making worse decisions later on in life.
The girl who became the leader of the NORML chapter was lucky. After she realized that she was lied to by DARE about substances like cannabis and hallucinogens, she also came to the conclusion that they were telling the truth about drugs like meth, cocaine and heroin. Not all kids are so lucky as her, as many decide that their DARE officer was lying about everything and all drugs must be alright.
Education is good, but lying is not. The ends don't justify the means.
On top of that, my generation was the DARE generation and I don't have any peers who respect cops. The DARE program completely undermines it's own goals.
loonpt (anonymous profile)
October 13, 2008 at 11:59 a.m. (Suggest removal)
loonpt what are you on???
I went through the DARE program eons ago and I LOVED it, you're right I may not have learned EVERYTHING about ALL drugs but what I did learn in DARE along with my parents' guidance was enough to teach me not to experiment with drugs. But the most important lesson that I learned through DARE was that cops are people just like the rest of us and that they really do care about us and what happens to us. The thing that stuck most with me in nearly 15 years that it has been since my graduation is that my DARE officer took the time to get to know each and every one of his kids (that's what he called us "my kids") and that was the most important aspect of the whole program.
This year I watched by baby sister go through the DARE program and she loved it as much as I did when I was a kid, I enjoyed hearing her talk on how nice Deputy Powers is and how he takes the time to show the kids that he cares about them. I believe that this is what DARE is really all about, letting kids know that cops care, that they are not unfeeling monsters as some adults would have the children in their lives believe and that they are there for the kids when they need them.
Good job Sheriff Brown for bringing this vital program back to our kids!
MedicJ (anonymous profile)
October 13, 2008 at 4:12 p.m. (Suggest removal)
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