THIS TEACHER KNOWS HOW WELL DARE WORKS

DARE was more than a drug program for children. One question needs to be
asked. Had City Councilmen Tarbell or DeWine ever sat in on a DARE
classroom lesson? I have, many times. I am a classroom teacher for
Cincinnati Public Schools. I teach the children from the Winton Terrace
community. Sitting back observing the conversations between my students and
the DARE officers gives me valuable insight into the lives of these
precious children as they discuss the drug culture in their homes and
community. The conversations get personal at times as children open up and
share the experiences of drug use that exists around them. I have even
known of students who have turned in the names of drug dealers or just
sought help for their drug-addicted parents.

DARE also gives these children an education into the world of drug use so
they can better understand why their parents are addicted. DARE opens the
door for me so that I can know whether a student has support for their
educational program at school, why they might not be able to get support
for their homework. in short, it lets me know if I am educating this child
alone or with parental help. DARE cannot stop drug usage entirely -- only
society can do that with its war on drugs. However, DARE can create
dialogue so a child doesn't stop respecting their family members because
they use drugs. It educates them to the fact that this is an illness that
can be treated. It helps keep respect for the parent who is a user. Without
this respect you have a child that is hard to educate because they have
a"give up, don't care attitude."

By the way, I was one of the first teachers to graduate from the Student
Police Academy. Building the relationship between students and police is a
valuable asset, one that cannot be measured in a study of the DARE program.
Let's try to remember that in Cincinnati Public Schools we put "children
first."

Mr. Tarbell, did you consult with any children about the effectiveness of
the program? Did you consult with any teachers about its effectiveness? I
think not.

Rodney Hughes; Winton Place Academy