This year, I am a co-head for Saferides, a program that provides a ride home for any sophomore, junior, or senior at New Trier on most Friday and Saturday nights throughout the school year. It's completely confidential, meaning that students who have been drinking cannot get in trouble with the police or New Trier.
When the program was started in 1994, the New Trier's Parent Alliance for Drug and Alcohol Awareness was completely opposed to it. Over its 18 years of existence, the program has received praise from local police and fire departments. On the other hand, people in the community have said that it condones teen-drinking. A 2009 Chicago Tribune article wrote, "Some contend it undercuts the fact that underage drinking is a crime."
In a New York Times article, the then-leader of Saferides, Jeffrey Brooks, said, "Kids make mistakes. They need someone to get them home safely. You don’t realize how trapped these kids are.”The fact is, some teenagers are going to drink. Criticizing a program, or even terminating a program, for providing safe rides home for these teens doesn't stop the drinking. It puts these kids in a worse position and a potentially life-threatening situation.
I completely agree. Safety should always be the primary priority in any dangerous situation. I was talking about something similar to this yesterday with a student at the University of Notre Dame. He was saying how it is sad how at some colleges, there is the situation that if a person is with underage drinkers and one of them is sick and in need of medical attention, the other people will hesitate to get it for them (if they do anything at all) because they are so scared of getting in trouble themselves. I am not saying that there shouldn't be punishments for breaking laws, but it is unfortunate that some places give off impressions that lead students to believe that their interests come before the safety of other students. I think that your organization is a great idea, and those who wish to terminate its existence should think about what that would mean to the students who would suffer from accidents that would occur while the driver is under the influence because they simply have no other option.
ReplyDeleteMultiple of my friends are joining safe rides (I would love to as well but I don't want to be up that late) but the cause is what's most important. It's really giving teenagers an option they can't refuse: staying safe with no questions asked. When kids put their lives and other on the line, that's where you need to put a foot down. Good for you
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