Be there, or be square

Parents and students to learn the law on drinking
By Rich Harbert
GateHouse News Service
Posted Dec 09, 2009 @ 08:00 AM
PLYMOUTH

The first two times school officials hosted a pre-prom seminar on the dangers of letting students imbibe at after parties, the response was less than overwhelming. At one forum, schools officials and guest speakers nearly outnumbered the concerned parents.

School officials tried giving away a pair of prom tickets and a tuxedo rental at a second meeting, but met with similarly disappointing attendance.

Next year will be different.

Any local student planning to attend the junior prom next spring will have to attend a seminar in March with a parent or guardian. That’s the school department’s response to lax attendance and the results of a student survey suggesting most of the older students think parents don’t care if they drink or smoke.

The anonymous and confidential survey of middle and high school students, conducted every spring since 2006, flouts the efforts of school and law enforcement officials trying to curb risky behavior.

As in years past, the most recent survey listed parental attitudes about alcohol and drugs as the main risk factor facing students. According to Robert Sherman, director of student support services for Plymouth schools, many parents still don’t understand that students cannot be allowed to imbibe, even in a controlled environment. Some still host overnight after-prom parties where kids are allowed to drink once they surrender their car keys.

The state’s social host liability law prohibits that and provides civil and criminal penalties for hosts who provide alcohol to guests under 21.

Patricia Connors, principal at Plymouth South High School, said school officials believe most parents understand the dangers involved and know what can happen if they allow minors to drink at their homes. But some need a refresher course.

“The goal is just exposure, to remind parents of all the safety concerns, especially around that time of year,” Connors said. “I think parents understand, but we want to make a real point of it.”

The School Department plans to hold the meeting in early March at Memorial Hall. As at earlier forums, representatives from the Plymouth County District Attorney’s office will attend and discuss the civil and criminal liabilities faced by hosts who let kids drink.

This year’s forum will also include a more emotional presentation by Kathi Meyer, a Plainville woman whose daughter drowned in a swamp after getting drunk with friends. Taylor Meyer was only 17 when she died in 2008.

The meeting will last approximately one hour and will be mandatory for local students attending either of the local high school junior proms. Parents who are unable to attend can make arrangement to see a recording of the meeting, but must watch it at one of the high schools.

The School Department will once again dangle an incentive. A pair of tickets to each prom will be given away as a door prize.

“We know the parents are with us,” Connors said. “We’re on the same page. But more parents need to see this.”