I Don’t Want to Attend a Private High
School
DR. WALLACE: I graduated from junior high school. In the
fall, I should be a freshman at a public high school, but
instead, my parents are forcing me to go to a private
parochial high school because they think the public high
school will be full of drugs and gangs. I admit some of the
kids at the public school do drink and use drugs, but I'm
sure all the kids at the private school are not drug-,
alcohol- and gang-free.
I really don't want to go to the parochial school. I've
been told that the nuns are mean and the cafeteria food is
yucky! My parents think that private schools are superior to
public schools, but I don't believe it. Since you were a
public school administrator, I'm sure you will agree with
me. Do you? — Julie, Sacramento, Calif.
JULIE: I believe you can get a good education at both
public and private high schools. Any school is only as good
as the administrators, teachers, students and parents want
it to be. Indeed, parent interest and involvement is crucial
to the success of any school.
No matter what kind of school they attend, students who
have loving, involved and watchful parents are unlikely to
go morally astray because of negative influences at school.
And students who don't have caring parents could find ways
to get into trouble no matter how safe and exclusive their
school is.
THE PAIN OF DRIVING DRUNK
DR. WALLACE: Several months ago, you responded to Fred in
Ohio who favored a lower drinking age. You told him that you
favored raising the drinking age to 24, not lowering it to
18. Good for you!
Perhaps, Fred should spend a week in jail with my
19-year-old son who had the same attitude. Our lives and the
lives of another family were shattered last December when
Jason decided to have a couple of drinks, and then got
behind the wheel of his car. Although teens always seem to
think they are in full control of their reflexes and
decision-making ability after a few beers, the statistics we
read in the newspaper tell us otherwise.
Jason was talking and laughing with his friend when he
suddenly realized he didn't have time to stop at the stop
sign. He ran it and hit the car of a 16-year-old friend from
his high school. She was in a coma for nearly eight weeks,
and we didn't know if she would live or die. Jason was also
seriously injured.
Fortunately, God spared both of their lives, but the
repercussions from this moment in time will be with us
forever. Jason is spending a year in jail on vehicular
assault charges. And if you were to ask him if those drinks
were worth it, he would tell you that he would give anything
to be able to turn time back and make different decisions.
His life will forever be changed. For the next several
years, there will be required classes (at a cost of $1,600)
as well as restitution, court costs and attorneys' fees to
pay. There will also be probation officers to meet with, and
there will be no driving until 2012 — if he can afford the
car insurance.
So, Dr. Wallace, PLEASE, PLEASE continue to take your
straight-laced stance on encouraging kids (and adults) not
to drink! One drink usually leads to another. The pain these
drinks can cause is 100 percent avoidable. — Kelly,
Portland, Ore.
KELLY: It may have been painful to write this letter, but
it will cause some young people to think twice about
drinking and driving. My best wishes to you, your son and
the young lady he injured.
Dr. Robert Wallace welcomes questions from readers.
Although he is unable to reply to all of them individually,
he will answer as many as possible in this column. E-mail
him at rwallace@galesburg.net. To find out more about Dr.
Robert Wallace and read features by other Creators Syndicate
writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate
website at www.creators.com.
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