Ignorance, Not Dare, Is The Real Problem

William Coulson, a California psychologist who spoke in Spokane last week, has more apologies to make. He told an audience of 200 he was sorry for his past work encouraging programs like DARE. Instead, he should beg pardon for spreading fear, paranoia and misinformation about the popular Drug Abuse Resistance Education program.

While there’s no proof that DARE definitely decreases the chances its students will use drugs later in life, it certainly isn’t the pestilence Coulson makes it out to be. “It could spell the end of our civilization,” Coulson preached.

Wrong. But Coulson’s brand of intolerance and closed-mindedness just might.

DARE’s aim is to provide impressionable youngsters with the technical and moral groundwork to make an informed decision when they’re faced with the prospect of using drugs. It gives them the tools and confidence to say no.

Unfortunately, in today’s society, kids will be faced with that decision sooner or later. It’s better to instill early on that drugs would be a bad choice.

Coulson’s argument against DARE sounds just like the fear-laced rhetoric of anti-sex-education zealots - in fact he pressed that hot button last week as well. But what these arguments don’t address are the very real social issues plaguing young Americans. Look at the rate of drug use among teenagers. Look at the number of teen pregnancies.

Coulson and his ilk apparently would rather close their eyes to those problems, pretend they don’t exist. And, while he may have some good points to make about the education system, Coulson has clouded them with ideological hate-speak that does nothing but confuse some very important issues.

Education - whether for youngsters or adults - only helps people make better decisions. Ignorance hurts.

, DataTimes The following fields overflowed: CREDIT = Anne Windishar/For the editorial board