Reply #91: The basic idea that many if not all of the courses teach a 'just say no'

[jp11]

approach with an added emphasis on reporting classmates, teachers, parents, etc 'for their own good'. Depending on how strict the 'crimes' are this can be anything as dangerous as Jimmy calling the cops on Mommy for smoking a cigarette, antibiotics, drinking wine, etc. Basically it can create a situation where kids are 'narcing' on people without understanding exactly what/why they are doing it because 'a cop told them to'.

Then factor in that many, if not all kids, when taught these things young might agree or take the message to heart BUT once they get older and learn more and the 'truth' if likely lied to or kept from the truth then are much more likely to experiment etc. Look at it like teaching young kids about love and sex a good portion of them will think it is 'icky' or simply not have any interest in it, then wait several years and guess what many more if not all of them are suddenly interested. They aren't a perfect comparison but the idea is the same, what seems 'wrong' at one time in your very young life can seem less 'wrong' as you get older and supposedly wiser.

I'd add I can't recall if I actually had a DARE course or just a visit from DARE officer(S). But if I did it left very little of an impression on me other than 'drugs are bad' and the idea of 'reporting' people for misuses. The one thing I got out of the 'push' was to try and get my Dad to stop smoking cigarettes, help him not tear him down for it, BUT when I got to high school and really learned about drugs I was perfectly fine with trying some marijuana and perhaps some others. By the time I got to HS DARE meant nothing to me, the 'DARE to be different/just say no' message was a command with little reasoning behind it.


If DARE programs had more of what I learned in my HS health class, facts not commands/fear tactics, *I* think it would resonate more and have a better outcome or at least not end up being another 'lie' told to kids they discover in due time.