City has surprise reversal on DARE
By Meg Boberg Special to the Acorn

After listening to the pleas of Moorpark residents at Wednesday's City Council meeting, council members voted to drop a plan to eliminate its Drug Abuse Resistance Education program.

"In talking to people within the community, the response was overwhelming that people wanted DARE to continue," said Councilmember Keith Millhouse.

Though the ultimate effectiveness of DARE has been questioned, supporters cited benefits ranging from the program's bringing to youngsters awareness of the dangers of drugs to the positive relationships it fostered between police officers and schoolchildren. Since 1989, Moorpark police officers have visited fifth- and sixthgraders in the schools and discussed drug education and techniques to avoid peer pressure and maintain a healthy lifestyle.

Millhouse said he appreciates the community's collective support for DARE, but he also suggested parents offer ideas for changes that might help solve problems with the longterm success of the program.

Proposed alternatives to DARE had included putting resource officers at Moorpark High School or launching Project Alert, a drugawareness program that would be more cost-effective than DARE.

At the meeting, 12 Moorpark residents, including several recent DARE graduates, said they hoped the program would continue,

"(Fifth grade) is the perfect time for children to absorb information, make choices and create a dialogue with their peers and their teachers," said parent Terry Hilliard. "I hope you dare to put our children as a priority."

But while proactive education and child welfare concern everyone, Councilmember Roseann Mikos said, no valid research supports the continuation of DARE.

"I appreciate you all getting passionate about this because that's what I like people to do about issues," Mikos said. "Whether we agree or disagree in the end, we all care about our children just as much."

Although Councilmember Janice Parvin voted to continue funding the program, she lamented the lack of evidence that DARE prevents young people from using drugs and alcohol. "I do my homework, I am not shortsighted . . . I have never received any information to this moment that confirms its effectiveness," Parvin said. "When making a budget-related decision, it's really important to make decisions not only with your heart, but with your head."

Parvin encouraged community members who want the program to continue to find provable data so DARE can be funded past this upcoming fiscal year. "Feelings do play a major role in the decision-making process, but I'd just like to see some facts." Parvin said.

Additional arguments in favor of alternatives to DARE were presented by Councilmember Mark Van Dam.

"If you think DARE in fifth grade is what changes those kids, it's not," Van Dam said. "It's parenting in first and second grade. I believe in it, but DARE is not the save-all, end-all. It starts before then. We need to make it work. We need to find solutions and viable options this year."

While neighboring cities canceled DARE earlier this month and such plans were factored into Moorpark's decisionmaking process, Mayor Patrick Hunter said he won't take his lead from other cities.

"As long as I'm the mayor, we will be leaders, we will not followers," Hunter said. "If for some reason we find it appropriate to fund something or pay for an initiative or lead in some area, then I will advocate that we do so."

When the unanimous vote to include DARE in the 2007-08 budget was announced, parents and children exchanged smiles and applauded heartily. One of those applauding was recent DARE graduate Emma Koraya, who had earlier stood behind the podium and read a poem she wrote in praise of the program.

"Dare to be different, dare to be strong. Just say 'no' and you'll never be wrong."