DEDICATED TO DARE

To the Editor;

This is in response to Jim White's scathing letter concerning the DARE
program.

One might wonder where Mr. White gets his "scientific" and "empirical"
evidence, because it certainly isn't consistent with what I've
observed first-hand as a parent of two DARE grads.

Has Mr. White ever attended a DARE class or a graduation ceremony?Has
he ever talked with even one kid who has graduated from the DARE program?

I don't know about other school district but here in Oregon our DARE
officer is loved by all the fifth grade students. He is dedicated to
the kids in all four elementary schools, and makes learning to say
"No!" to drug and violence a fun yet practical experience.

Obviously he is one man and cannot possibly be there throughout every
kids life to see to it that they continue to heed the good teaching he
has provided them through the DARE program. That would be the work of
their parents, and if Mr. White took a closer look at statistics he
might find that it is, in fact, this element in a kids life, and not a
program, however well ordered, that is the deciding factor as to
whether a kid will choose to resist drugs or not.

L. Richey

Oregon