Critique my DARE avoidance letter - Page 5

[duckling]

Originally Posted by dharmamama

DARE=Drugs Are Really Excellent.

My friends and I used to smoke pot in our DARE shirts.

I've also seen DARE=Drugs Are Really Expensive.

And trust me, pot smoking in DARE shirts is still alive and well.

To the OP: I really like the letter. I think it's well-written, to the point, and shuts down all the various "but drugs are bad..." mouth noises coming from school administrators. I do think the comments from PPs about the police part are worth considering, though.

[MidgeMommy]

Originally Posted by jennnk

GAH I can't believe they're still doing that damned program. There were studies already published SEVEN YEARS AGO, when I was doing my senior project for high school, that proved the ineffectiveness of dare. One of the major pot dealers at my school would wear his dare shirt on days he had deliveries come in. The administrators never caught on : I think your letter is VERY well-written, if a bit long, and I hope it's not ignored.

:HAHAHAHAHAH!!!!!!:



All of the druggies at my school wore their DARE/red ribbon bracelets YEAR ROUND. They would even pay/trade/collect them, and wear five or six on each arm. They though it fitting that the program should pay for their trademark insignia.

[kmeyrick]

This is a good letter, but i wouldn't make any kind of a dig at police, or anything that can be perceived as a dig. People will shut down to everything else you have to say. Police officers may strive to continue this program because they think it actually works, or is at least better than nothing. I think middle schoolers and high schoolers should be given the stone cold facts about drugs- showing the metamorphosis of a meth addict, horrifying as it is, will be far more effective than "drugs are bad, you'll be cooler if you don't do them!" Younger kids should be left out of it.

[EFmom]

The letter is long gone, but thanks for the comments.

I ended up modifying the statement about the police to say that there is an opportunity cost to the community to have police officers spending time in schools rather than concentrating on law enforcement. This is an important reason why I am opposed to the program, besides it generally being a joke.

The principal is now majorly intimidated by us. We are now campaigning to get the school's homework policy changed. It started by dh calling dd's teacher and asking him why he assigns so much homework. The teacher floundered around and mumbled something about district policy. Dh then asked him why he thinks it does any good, and had he ever seen any research to that effect. The teacher mumbled something about talking to the principal.

The principal called me and it was clear she'd done a quick ERIC search before she called me back. She timidly admitted that there was very little she could find to support homework for elementary students, and maybe we should all meet with the district curriculum people. Poor woman, I apologized for doing my best to be a thorn in her side.

[blessed]

You sound really smart :. They'll be intimidated as hell.

Nice letter .

[kmeyrick]

Originally Posted by EFmom

The letter is long gone, but thanks for the comments.



The principal is now majorly intimidated by us. We are now campaigning to get the school's homework policy changed. It started by dh calling dd's teacher and asking him why he assigns so much homework. The teacher floundered around and mumbled something about district policy. Dh then asked him why he thinks it does any good, and had he ever seen any research to that effect. The teacher mumbled something about talking to the principal.

The principal called me and it was clear she'd done a quick ERIC search before she called me back. She timidly admitted that there was very little she could find to support homework for elementary students, and maybe we should all meet with the district curriculum people. Poor woman, I apologized for doing my best to be a thorn in her side.

I can tell you exactly why that teacher mumbled around. She was biting her tongue because she hates having to correct all that ineffective homework! We teachers find that tedious and painful. But it usually IS district policy. : If parents voice their opinions about too much homework, it certainly helps! Don't go to the principal, you're thinking small potatoes. Think big! Go to the board.

[EFmom]

Originally Posted by kmeyrick

I can tell you exactly why that teacher mumbled around. She was biting her tongue because she hates having to correct all that ineffective homework! We teachers find that tedious and painful. But it usually IS district policy. : If parents voice their opinions about too much homework, it certainly helps! Don't go to the principal, you're thinking small potatoes. Think big! Go to the board.

No, I think this guy buys into the homework, but doesn't know why he does. The official district policy for grades 4-6 is half an hour to an hour a night. This guy gives at least an hour. In addition, the kids are expected to read for 20 minutes, plus practice their instruments for at least 20 minutes. There's no reason why these two activities shouldn't count as homework, in my book.

This guy gives the lamest homework I've seen to date. Dh is also a public school teacher, so we do know the score. Dh told the teacher that his assignments were the lowest level, teaching to the test, time wasting stuff that we'd encountered so far. Mumble, mumble, mumble.

Do you have any ideas for how to make going to the district people or the board more effective?

[EFmom]

Originally Posted by blessed

You sound really smart :. They'll be intimidated as hell.

Nice letter .

Why, thank you.

[kmeyrick]

Originally Posted by EFmom

Do you have any ideas for how to make going to the district people or the board more effective?

It can be tricky. First, bring some studies with you showing the how homework does not really improve grades. Get them from ERIC. Reading 20 minutes a day IS homework in my state, BTW. Point out that in many quality districts count reading as homework. Also, try to get other parents to come with you. Sometimes a maverick parent can make a change singlehandedly, but I would recommend more. Your dh, a school teacher, can help you with all of this. Don't tell any stories of what a burden it is on your son alone; the board may just roll their eyes. But DO tell them how most students are affected- exhaustion, resentment of school, homework wars with parents. Offer some compromises- a reading journal for twenty minutes of reading is much more authentic than the stuff you've been getting. I hope you get this homework policy changed- not just for your kiddo but also for all the students in your area.