Parents: Is Your House the Party House?

According to the most recent California Healthy Kids Survey, there is a significant amount of underage drinking and illegal drug use among students. As a school, we offer a rich curriculum that promotes responsibility for and awareness of adolescent social behavior both in and out of school, and we immediately address any incidents involving drugs or alcohol use on campus; but we hear that there is excess partying among our students, especially on the weekends. 

We take very seriously any rumors that might have serious consequences for the students involved. For example, there is much talk about student partying in private homes. Informally, we hear of excessive drinking, smoking marijuana, sexual activity, and recreational drug use in private homes both on weekends and even at lunchtime during the school day (or entire school days where students cut classes together. 

While reports of off-campus weekend activities are anecdotal and outside the realm of school authority, the effects of drug and alcohol abuse are proven to affect student learning. Unless these incidents happen at school, we are limited in our ability to take action and provide consequences for this kind of behavior. We must work together as a community. 

Read the rest of this story here.

This item, by Susan Charlip, appeared in early October on Albany High School's website. It has been reprinted here with permission. Read the rest of the post and find a range of resources to address teen drinking, at http://bit.ly/q6p3uE.