Help, ?signing anti-drug pledge in grade school

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inthelamb

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My children (ages 8 and 10) attend a Catholic school where this week is “Drug Education” week. I have mixed feeling about that. The main problem is that the children will be asked to sign a pledge (1st through 8th grade) promising they won’t use drugs (I have never heard of a drug problem at this school.)

I have told the principle and teachers that I do not want my children coerced into signing such a document. They are too young to consent to this- not even able to understand what it means. My ten year old does not want to sign it, while affirming he of course, will not use drugs. As it turns out, they will not have to sign, of course, they might be the only ones, and thus feel awkward.

My problem is, though I feel that this is a meaningless gesture for these young children, I am having trouble articulating WHY in an intelligent manner. Everyone just says, “What can it hurt?”

Does anyone have any ideas on WHY that I can give as an explanation? I just feel that it’s wrong but can’t seem to come up with good arguments.

Thanks.
 
Hi,

I have an 8 year old and 13 year old and I think it is a good thing because it is teaching them what not to do and that it is not acceptable by humans or God. I guess this is National drug awareness week as we in NJ are also having same program. In my school district they start in kindergarten teaching them about how and why drugs are bad.

Would you like to try out your argument on me.😃 I use to teach the 8th grade. So I have seen and heard alot which makes me see this as a good thing. What are your reasons for it not being a good thing?Maybe I can help you articulate.😃
 
During October 23-31 it is Red Ribbon Week, honoring Enrique Camarena, a U.S. Drug Enforcement agent who was kidnapped and killed in the line of duty.

That is why schools are having all these drug awareness things.
 
These kinds of programs are the kind that have your sweet 2nd grader telling people that mommy uses drugs (she had a glass of wine last night, and wine is a drug). Or that Uncle Joe uses drugs (Uncle Joe was smoking a cigar, tobacco is a drug). OR the child will have a meltdown fit when you try to give them medication for a real illness (NO - mommy I cannot take drugs).

I’ve a dear extended family member, she is in her 60’s. When she was a kid, they signed a pledge never to drink alcohol. Well intentioned program, I am sure… to this day, she says she intellectually knows that it is not morally wrong to have a drink, but, she cannot bring herself to break that vow.

I’ll teach my kids right and wrong about drugs thank you very much. I do not need big brother doing that for me!
 
Our Catholic school is also having Red Ribbon Week. However, nobody is signing pledges not to use any drugs. We wear our red ribbons, the classes discuss inappropriate versus appropriate drug use (medicinal purposes, an occasional glass of wine, etc.). Nobody turns in anybody, and if they did, the principal would first call the parents and investigate the situation, which might very well indeed be a misguided kid.

Would you like to move to our parish? We’d be happy to have you.
 
inthelamb said:
My children (ages 8 and 10) attend a Catholic school where this week is “Drug Education” week. I have mixed feeling about that. The main problem is that the children will be asked to sign a pledge (1st through 8th grade) promising they won’t use drugs (I have never heard of a drug problem at this school.)

I have told the principle and teachers that I do not want my children coerced into signing such a document. They are too young to consent to this- not even able to understand what it means. My ten year old does not want to sign it, while affirming he of course, will not use drugs. As it turns out, they will not have to sign, of course, they might be the only ones, and thus feel awkward.

My problem is, though I feel that this is a meaningless gesture for these young children, I am having trouble articulating WHY in an intelligent manner. Everyone just says, “What can it hurt?”

Does anyone have any ideas on WHY that I can give as an explanation? I just feel that it’s wrong but can’t seem to come up with good arguments.

Thanks.
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you are aware that there are actually 8 & 10 year olds in the world that DO DRUGS:eek:
 
We used to do that in elementary school and the way we did it, you signed it by yourself, not in front of a big group of people, so it really wasn’t a big deal. I think these programs are a waste though anyways, and do nothing for any of the kids at all. This is why I have a hard time taking them seriously. It is the parents who make a difference, not one week a year of teaching about the evils of drug addiction.

That being said, I wouldn’t be overly concerned about this. Isn’t 8-10 the age kids begin to receive First Communion? If they are capable of doing that, I feel they can understand signing an agreement not to do drugs (of course, you know your kids and I don’t, so I may be way off). Talk to your children about drugs, and about what is going on this week. I don’t know why your ten year old doesn’t want to sign it, but I honestly can’t see how it would hurt, or what the problem with it is. Of course, I am not a parent yet, so maybe I just don’t have the ability to understand the issue at hand from that point of view.

That being said, may God’s Blessing and Peace be with you always!
 
Yes, I am very aware that some 8 and 10 year olds do drugs! I am not against drug education but against the pressure to sign a pledge. Why don’t they sign pledges that they wont lie or steal or have sex or copy from someones’ paper?

I get the feeling this is all very faddish.

I have seen no evidence that it is effective.

We should have good reasons to DO things, not do everything we can just because there is no reason NOT to.

Also, I think letting young kids sign such a kind of contract is possibly confusing about other vows we take as adults:Matrimony, Holy Orders. We teach that we must be capable of consent and that includes being an ADULT.

Yes they do receive Holy Communion younger than this. But they are not signing a document “I promise to never receive in the state of mortal sin.” They are educated and do the best they can.
Just like us.

Adults are sometimes drug tested at work - which causes concern for some.

But how many of us would appreciate being asked to sign a “pledge” that you will not abuse drugs when you apply for a job.? I guess I would not appreciate it even though I don’t use drugs.
I think my kid feels the same. He didn’t appreciate this either.

I think it is coercive to line the kids up and have them all sign. It is therefore meaningless and a waste of time.

Well I guess I came up with a few arguments myself. Anyone convinced?

I really thought more people would feel similarly. I feel the same about this as I do about “sex ed” in my Catholic school. Parents (at least me) are not doing our job if we are not the primary educators of our children. Yes I do know some parents don’t do it and can’t do it but I can. My kids and I have detailed discussions of this stuff anyway.

No thanks, don’t need to switch parishes.
 
I think that’s a valid point, and it’s good that the school seems to be respecting your opinion.

As for sex-ed, I am 18 and I still haven’t had any talk with my parents. I have pretty much self-educated, which looking back I think was a horrible mistake, and I think may have led to other issues. So parents out there, please educate your kids on sex and don’t let them be educated by their friends, or themselves! (That was the real point of this post 😛 )
 
We had to sign that thing in gradeschool too…

I was a pot-head from the age of 18 to 21. :rolleyes:
 
My nephew once came home w/ with a poster he made in school during Drug Awareness Week. It was a can of beer with the red circle around it and a red line through it.

My brother laughed his head off because he and our other 3 brothers drink beer. —KCT
 
kage_ar said:
These kinds of programs are the kind that have your sweet 2nd grader telling people that mommy uses drugs (she had a glass of wine last night, and wine is a drug). Or that Uncle Joe uses drugs (Uncle Joe was smoking a cigar, tobacco is a drug). OR the child will have a meltdown fit when you try to give them medication for a real illness (NO - mommy I cannot take drugs).
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My sister did this! They told her that cigarettes and coffee were drugs (neglecting to mention that caffine is in chocolate and soda as well). She got upset and said “My mommy does drugs.” My mom was visited by CPS the next day. :rolleyes:
 
Lady_Cygnus said:
My sister did this! They told her that cigarettes and coffee were drugs (neglecting to mention that caffine is in chocolate and soda as well). She got upset and said “My mommy does drugs.” My mom was visited by CPS the next day. :rolleyes:
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LOL!!!
My son did this too except the cop was standing next to us as I was buying a pack of smokes…the cop did ask what kind of drugs his mom took and my ds said with a straight face…“CIGARETTES…and those are drugs”…the cop laughed and moved on;)
 
inthelamb said:
As it turns out, they will not have to sign, of course, they might be the only ones, and thus feel awkward.
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So? They’re going to be teenagers…

Plus, in secular culture, they’re going to awkward. Best to start 'em young, haha.
 
In a public elementary school we had the D.A.R.E. program. Which was a drug awareness program taught in the schools by a police officer. I think it was a good program whether or not it actually deterred children from taking drugs. Children should be taught that smoking is not a healthy thing to do, and that it is illegal for them to drink and smoke under a certain age. In DARE we were given satistics and evidence of what drugs do to you which helped me intellectually reject “drugs” and gives kids something to say against peer pressure. When parents teach children about drugs what can they say? They are bad for you, or it is not what we want you to do. For me, the program was good as it stigmatized illegal drug use, however, I also had a strong parenting, so I can’t say DARE made me not do drugs.

Pax
 
I guess I’m a druggie then. I love my coffee in the morning:) And an occasional glass of wine with my family:D And chocolate:) And I’ve smoked shisha (perfectly legal, in a café) once and I do enjoy it, but I do it very rarely, due to health and finances.

So I shouldn’t be surprised if I’m reported to CPS, should I have kids? 😛
 
kage_ar said:
I’ve a dear extended family member, she is in her 60’s. When she was a kid, they signed a pledge never to drink alcohol. Well intentioned program, I am sure… to this day, she says she intellectually knows that it is not morally wrong to have a drink, but, she cannot bring herself to break that vow.
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Whaaa?:eek:

I can’t imagine a school condemning someone for having a toast at their wedding.
 
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