Skip to content

OUR VIEW: Share the wealth with drug education in SD51

“Young minds are impressionable” is a phrase used often and it is true.

“Young minds are impressionable” is a phrase used often and it is true.

There are numerous examples of younger siblings being influenced by older siblings, and likewise, there are numerous examples of the older siblings being influenced by TV and pop culture.

That is why it is important that the RCMP and School District 51 are teaming together to work with young students to educate them on social issues related to drugs and alcohol with Drug Abuse Resistance Education otherwise known as DARE.

According to the RCMP, the premise is helping kids make healthy, informed decisions when it comes to drugs and alcohol and the DARE program, which is set to take place sometime in the new year, will see Grade 5 students taking part over the span of 10 weeks.

Educating any young students on the dangers of substance abuse is good but offering it to a number of grades would be even better.

The logic between offering DARE to Grade 5 classrooms is that students in that grade begin to think critically about their choices but offering it to younger grades would be beneficial as well.

While Kindergarten and Grades 1 and 2 might be a little too early to preach of the dangers of drugs and alcohol education, discussing the topic with a Grade 3 class would help establish a good foundation, in much the same manner as learning to read earlier.

Continue the education at Grade 5 by all means, but offering the program to Grades 3 and 4 will help drive home the anti-drug message as well, a steady progression of education as it were.

Vary the education as well so that you aren’t repeating the same topics over and over again, as that may lead to some students tuning out.

Students in preschool and elementary school begin with learning the alphabet, progress to learning words and from there, reading and the same principles should apply.

Educating youth on the dangers of substance abuse is a good thing but it is better to spread it out over a number of grades as opposed to limiting it to one grade.

– Grand Forks Gazette