By Dena Gorkin for Operation Survival’s Prevention101 series
There has always been a debate about whether we should expose children who are clueless about drugs and substance abuse to information about these sensitive topics. There are powerful arguments for both sides of this issue but in a school setting, where children are not segregated according to their levels of innocence, it may be necessary to expose the more innocent students to this information in order to inform and protect those who are engaging in risky behaviors. Dena Gorkin, CPP, believes it is better to inform innocent children than to leave the exposed kids unprotected.
In schools, there generally are kids who know about drugs and kids who do not. But these children learn together, play together and share information, and an unexposed child who has never heard of any drugs and is completely uninvolved, need only walk home from school one day with another child who is more informed. During the conversation on that walk home, the unexposed child is given information, but he or she is not armed with protective knowledge to combat it. He or she may have just heard about how much fun it is to smoke or drink, but this child does not know of the possible consequences of doing so.
It is always safer to err on the side of caution and give the information to all children. While schools can certainly target groups of kids who are known to be involved in risky behaviors with more specific information, general education about being safe and being aware should go to everyone. Prevention is always better. The old adage, “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” has merit.
This can include measures taken by schools to prevent substances from being brought into school or on trips. Before a school trip, school personnel might talk to students who are known to be substances abusers and say, “No substances are allowed on school trips. We realize this may be a challenge for some students. If this applies to you, then you need to be honest with yourself. If you can’t control yourself from bringing this substance, then we ask you to please refrain from joining the trip.”
If adults have an honest relationship with students, most of them will be able to have a frank conversation about this. Some schools have students sign a piece of paper that says the student agreed there will not be any substances on the trip, and if there are, the student will be sent home in the middle of the trip.
There is not a single perfect solution to this issue. Each school and each parent must determine how conversations and other situations related to drugs and other substances are handled. When making these decisions, it is important to remember that children will inevitably be exposed to harmful substances. The more knowledge and information they have, the more likely they are to make healthy, wise decisions.
Article is based on an interview with Dena Gorkin for Operation Survival’s Prevention101 series. Dena Gorkin is the Director of Community Education for NCFJE’s Operation Survival, and founder and principal of Bnos Chomesh Academy
what a sad world we live in today
She’ll be aware of the dangers and be able to make smart informed decisions and not cave in to peer pressure. Better your “innocent daughter” find out from an educator than her friends.
Yes they should. Because your daughter may be innocent, but is still going to be exposed. She can either find out about drugs from wrong people or from the right people. You are better off to have your child find out about the dangers of drugs from parents and teachers than Chas veshalom the opposite. Let’s not be naive. The dangers are real. The dangers are in your neighborhood. The best defense is offense. Educate your children about the dangers of Alcohol, Cigarettes and Drugs.
Excellent. Everyone will eventually be exposed to drugs. Give them the tools.
When you know the side effects you will not want to use it. Life is beautiful and it’s a big waste to waste it for drugs
Hi,
How can I reach out to Mrs. Dena Gorkin?
You can email us Info@operationsurival.org and we will forward your email to her.
Typo. Sorry. info@operationsurvival.org
Educate your children about drugs and abuse and how and where to get help. Knowledge is a power. Pls, don’ T live in Lala land, we are in very crime area and crime of drugs and abuse comes from immediate family and friends circle ….
maybe educate yourself first ….
We, unfortunately, live in an Age of such Shtus & Shmutz all around us.
The time is totally prevalent to accepting that raising one’s children in an “isolated bubble” does more harm to those Heilike Neshamas than giving them basic good education on what’s right & wrong on the outside of one’s home/school/community.
The so-called “pure” children need not hear any negativity from their school friends. They cannot walk home/be driven anywhere without seeing some of the world’s garbage pass by.
A well-informed Preventative Education Module certainly, in my humble opinion, seems to be the best route to take.
is amazing; our community is so lucky to have her!
It is a good thing that she is hearing about drugs from the teachers, there are some young frum kids that died from experimenting with drugs in crown heights