JOHN HEDGES Right Stuff
These folks DARE to make a difference

This is the first in a twopart series on the efficiency of the
Drug Abuse Resistance Education known as DARE. This
week's column highlights the many components of the program.
Next week's column will chronicle where it goes wrong.
Drug Abuse Resistance Education has been under intense
scrutiny lately.
A survey of DARE graduates by the California Department of
Education showed few, if any, longterm benefits from the program.

Likewise, an article in The New Republic last month raised
questions about the effectiveness of DARE and the tactics used by
DARE supporters attempting to mute criticism.
Through all of this, the people in the trenches somehow have to
stay focused on their mission to reduce drug use among children.
Lynne Bloomberg has worked in substance abuse education for
the Newport Mesa Unified School District since 1985. She is an
intense, dedicated, and forthright individual who insists she wants
the best for children and society.
A registered nurse, Bloomberg was wellknown to the district,
active in the PTA and a volunteer with nowdefunct PRIDE, Parent
Resources and Information on Drug Education, when the district
tapped her as its drug prevention specialist.
Bloomberg also runs the police departmentsponsored
Substance Awareness Program, teaching skills to combat "shaky
parenting." It is offered to parents of firsttime alcohol or drug
offenders. Bloomberg received the Award of Merit from the
Newport Beach Police Department for her work.
Bloomberg said her job is the "risky business" of drugs, alcohol,
tobacco, and violence. She describes DARE's purpose as twofold:
provide good information about "risky business," and teach life skills
such as making good decisions and responsible choices, and
handling peer pressure.
About the New Republic report, Bloomberg said, "I was
horrified. What bothers me most is the hierarchy of DARE America
and their apparent lack of conscience. I was shocked at the passion
detailed in the New Republic article. I've never seen anything here
like they reported," referring to people being "Dared" with harassing
telephone calls, vandalism, and threats toward those who question
the program.
Thirtyyearold Tom Monarch has been a Newport Beach cop
for five years. A 1989 college graduate in marketing and son of an
Orange County Superior Court judge, he wanted to be in law
enforcement since he was a boy.
Officer Monarch worked the streets for three years before
accepting the DARE assignment, a fulltime position. A junior
league football coach in his spare time, Monarch volunteered
because he likes working with children and enjoys the interaction
with clubs, groups, and community leaders.
Monarch teaches sixth grade DARE, a 17week course
developed by Los Angeles education officials with input from other
cities, law enforcement officials, and teachers.
"We teach 6th grade because the feeling is that the age just prior
to junior high is where children are exposed to peer pressure from
older kids, the strongest peer pressure of life," he said.
DARE is part of the regular school curriculum. No parental
consent is required or given, but, as Bloomberg explains, "No one
has ever asked for their child to be taken out. If they did, then we
would probably just send the kid to the library to study." The
DARE program also teaches kids about violence, what it is, and
how to avoid it. "Many people don't realize that some of our kids
are violent," Bloomberg said. "If we defined violence as knifing and
gunning, kids wouldn't listen. So we have to expand the definition.
We do have bullying and harassment [in the schools]. The latest
thing is to get beat up because it's your birthday. DARE addresses
these behaviors." Officer Monarch explains violence and drugs go
hand in hand. Estimates are that more than 80% of reported crimes
nationwide are drugrelated.
"I teach that disagreements are a normal part of life," he said.
"And yes, the verbal or nonverbal actions can lead to physical
violence; that's why we include it. We haven't been able to measure
whether our work actually results in improvement in behavior, but
aggressive behavior is unacceptable." Selfesteem also makes up a
block of instruction.
"I don't think selfesteem lessons] go far enough," Bloomberg
said. "If I had it my way, then we would have the best [possible]
ongoing character education in the schools. If someone else were
doing it, then schools wouldn't have to. Schools can take a stab at
it, and all will benefit." Officer Monarch tries to teach reallife
consequences of low selfesteem.
Kids are most vulnerable to crimes, fighting and drug use when
they are "feeling low." Many kids get in to trouble as a devastating
after effect of divorce.
"I tell them, `try not to take it to school. Don't lower your guard
if someone asks you to do something dangerous, like drugs.
Through achievement and doing well, even helping others, you can
feel better about yourself' and increase selfesteem." Students
frequently ask Monarch about parents using alcohol or tobacco.
"Kids ask me, 'Well, is wine bad?' I tell them, 'When we talk
about DARE, we are talking about abuse. So dad has a glass of
wine and then a cigar after dinner; that's not what we are talking
about.' We are talking about the effects it has on young bodies."
Officer Monarch's overarching lesson to his students is one of
personal responsibility. His message: "My focus is not to be your
savior and it's not to get anyone in trouble. I can't make you listen in
class. Is it really the teacher's fault if you don't pay attention? Your
parent's? Your tutor's? No, it's you. You shouldn't have to depend
on DARE." About the effectiveness and appropriateness of DARE,
Bloomberg reminds us, "Some parents don't accept responsibility to
begin with." And Monarch says, "DARE is not a numbers game.
We are successful if we turn around the one kid who may be
teetering.
"How can you put a value on that one kid even if the investment
is substantial? It has a big effect on a few kids. It's just so hard to
measure success because you don't have access to influences from
other sources, like family or the media. DARE is not an inoculation.
It is an element in the larger drug war. It creates a friendship with
the police." Lynne Bloomberg contends that the drug problem runs
much deeper than what DARE can do.
"What we really need is grassroots efforts and building values.
Kids need reinforcement and values instruction. When parent's ask,
I tell them to go to their church or synagogue regularly.
"But I don't say that in the schools. We have to be very careful
about that."
* JOHN HEDGES is a Newport Beach councilman. His column
appears on Saturday.

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