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° hc~://wwm.dmn<[o~ll~UZEifnq.hunl DARE students used mor. narijuana.. "DARE'S effects were lu~uted to essentially non-existent." - RTI researcher Dr. Susan Ennett. "An important implica tion is that DARE could be taking the place of other, more beneficial drug use curricula that adolescents could be receiving." Are police o~cers suited to lead a program of behavioral psychology to adolescents? Should all students receive DARE d How does the image of the o~cer fare if the central message of DARE is rrjected? The following excerpts are from "Truth and DARE: Tracking Drug Education to Graduation and as Symbolic Politics" E. Wysong and R. Aniskiewicz [Indiana University], D. Wright [Wichita State University] Social Problems, Vo1.41 No. 3, August, 1994. Pp 448-472. (with extensive references): "As a result of attempting to prevent all drug experimentation and/or use, Dare's objectives are not only unrealistic but also possibly counter-productive because they are obviously unattainable The finding of significantly higher hallucinogen us a among the DARE group raises the possibility that drug education programs may increase student curiosity about drugs and lead to earlier and greater drug experimentation [On comparison of DARE vs. Non-DARE students]: there was a sharp declin a in positive attitudes toward police, and a growing unwillingness to condemn peer's consumption of alcohol Imposing DARE upon divided studies confirm this prospect and demonstrate that when `socially-deviant youths are required to participate in the school setting in peer-led denunciation of activities they value, they are more likely to become alienated than converted"' Is DARE harmful to children? Are indications of trouble that a parent should be laoksng out for? The slightly revised 1994 DARE curriculum has been implemented as an untested experimental program, lead by police officers who have insufficient qualifications to teach behavioral psychology. The core of the DARE curriculum are "refusal skills" or eight ways to "Say No." These include techniques such as "Repeated refusal, walking away, or giving the 'cold shoulder'." Role playing with the ultimate authority figure [a police officer in uniform] instills these responses which will be used against other legitimate authority figures. DARE'S instructions to "Just ignore the person." May inadvertently be re-directed toward parents and teachers. Worse, empowering children to decide for themselves on whether or not to use drugs can boomerang" A DARE studen t may "Just say OK" when they themselves decide it is time to experiment with drugs. Parents should a aware of these trends among fight through eight-graders. Please copy and share this sheet with parents, teachers, the media, school, government and pol ice officials. Written by Steve Wallace