Commentary; Posted: 5/10/06
Communities need to attack teen drinking
By Don Heinzman
Teenage drinking is a problem plaguing many communities in Minnesota, and it needs to be attacked by the total community working together.
The schools, the city, particularly the police departments, and the parents need to unite to counter the drinking of alcoholic beverages by kids in middle schools and high schools in every community.
The data is alarming with one survey showing 80 percent of students in high schools saying they have drunk alcohol.
Like many communities, the city and school district of Lakeville became alarmed when a popular student died where drinking was involved. At the same time a high percentage of Lakeville students said they were drinking.
While Lakeville probably is no different than most communities who have students who drink alcoholic beverages, it has organized a total approach involving the city council, the school board, the police chief and the parents. What they are attempting to do could be a model for other communities.
The Lakeville City Council, the police chief, school board, high school administrators and some parents are organized to alert parents to the signs of drinking and what parents can do about it.
One raid on a student party that resulted in 24 arrests has opened the eyes of both students and parents.
That night police went to the party and were locked out by drinkers who were told the police could not enter the house. A proactive police chief obtained a search warrant signed in the middle of the night and police entered the house, made the arrests and charged an adult with providing liquor to a minor.
Parents and students were surprised to learn that undercover police officers are posing as clerks in the liquor store to prevent minors from buying liquor.
Police Chief Steve Strachan, who once was a police liaison officer, says parents can have the greatest influence to get their kids not to drink and drive and go to parties where alcohol is served.
Setting limits and consequences and enforcing them is essential in any community effort to limit drinking by minors.
Some parents want to be viewed as cool with their kids, their kidsí friends and their kidsí parents.
Strachan is dismayed to learn that some parents even supply the liquor. Lately teenagers have been raiding small refrigerators in garages where beer is stored. Those who supply liquor to minors in Lakeville will be charged and taken to court.
An advisory board meets regularly to deal with the problem of underage drinking. It includes a member of the city council, a member of the school board, a high school principal, some parents and deans of students.
The objective is to flood the community with the same message for parents to watch for certain signs and to talk to students about the dangers and consequences of drinking.
Some progress in lowering the number of underage drinkers has been achieved in Lakeville, but as in all communities more needs to be done.
School boards and city councils and administrators along with the police chief in all communities need to combine their efforts to prevent underage drinking. It indeed takes a village to raise a child.
Forest Lake Times
P.O. Box 218
880 SW 15 St.
Forest Lake, MN 55025
651-464-4601
Fax 651-464-4605