LEE COUNTY SCHOOLS REJECT DARE IN FAVOR OF DANGER

JONESVILLE - After hearing a pitch from Sheriff Gary Parsons Monday, the Lee
County School Board voted to do away with the Drug Abuse Resistance
Education (DARE) program and replace it with a new program dubbed DANGER, or
Drug and Anger Resistance.

Parsons and DARE Officer Lt. James Hartsock told the board they believe the
county has outgrown the DARE program, which Hartsock has taught in county
schools since 1987. Parsons said Hartsock has spoken with a number of
teachers and developed a program he believes will be more effective and
appropriate for Lee County students.

Hartsock said DARE has grown to be a national program and was recently made
into a corporation that restricts what is taught.

"I'm not saying the program is not any good. It just doesn't meet our
needs," Hartsock said.

He told the board the new program he has designed would offer an educational
classroom program to aid in the prevention or reduction of drug abuse and
violence among youth in Lee County. The emphasis would be to do away with
the myths of drug abuse by offering factual information concerning the
dangers and problems that occur among drug users.

"Besides information about drugs, the program will offer lessons to students
on controlling anger and better understanding one's feelings.
Decision-making skills are learned when considering risk-taking situations,
and students will be made aware of the consequences of making poor decisions
including that of using drugs. They will learn there are many alternatives
that have better results. The program will also show students the importance
of becoming reliable, productive citizens within the community by teaching
the benefits of being honest and trustworthy," said Hartsock.

He added that the program will target the problems of Lee County communities
and will offer the ability to adjust the lessons as time and changes take
place.

After discussing whether the program should continue to be taught at the
fifth-grade level, and deciding it should, the board voted unanimously to
end its participation in DARE and begin the DANGER program.

(snip)