Consistent parenting cannot be replaced
Much has been said and written in the past few months about the decision by the
USD 408 Board of Education to begin a random testing program at Marion High School and Marion Middle School. Some have been critical of the fact that the program potentially tests only those students who participate in extra-curricular activities such as music, forensics, or sports.
"Why not test all students," is a question heard at nearly every public meeting held on the subject.
Testing all students is quite simply not an option granted by the U.S. Supreme Court. The court ruled in a recent case that the random testing of students in extra-curricular activities was not in violation of a student's right to attend public school, since participation in activities is an individual choice. However, the issue now is not if a random testing program will be implemented, but rather how we will respond to it.
I was encouraged by the response from many of our student athletes when they accepted the reality of the testing program and challenged peers to "
It is my prayer that such is the case. It is my further prayer that the adults in the community, especially parents of youngsters in grades 7-12, will respond as positively. Parents who know where their children are, who they are with, and what they are doing are hands down the best defense against drug and alcohol abuse.
While I was in high school, I could always count on finding my mother at her usual spot at the kitchen table when I came home from a night out. Even during my college days, if I was at home I would find Mom up when I came in. Her purpose was always to have a little conversation with me, which told her amazing things about what I had been up to.
As Cathy and I raised our four children, we followed that same procedure in our home. If one of us was not up to meet the kids when they came home, they were to awaken us. To not do so was to admit that something was afoul and consequences followed. None of the four ever failed to wake us that I can recall. Most of the time one of us (usually Cathy) was up to meet the kids.
The short of all of this is that all of the school drug education programs and all of the random testing programs in the world will not replace the power of consistent parenting.
I knew that if I came home under the influence, my car keys would be in Mom's purse and my high school sports career would be over. Dad would have seen to that.
We sincerely hope that the new program will never result in a positive test. The attitude expressed by most of our young people, coupled with a little consistent parenting, could well result in such a circumstance. When that happens, the board's main reason for the testing program will have been realized.
— Gerry Henderson
