The National Methamphetamine
Drug Conference
Education: School and Community Partnerships
Chair: Kenneth Bird, Ph.D., Superintendent,
Westside Schools
Recommendations:
- Make partnerships based on local needs-based assessment.
- Develop wellness-oriented programs that are outcome-based and cost- effective.
- Make a clearly articulated curriculum with appropriately trained personnel.
Our goal was to explore the need for school-based education initiatives. We are clear that we are not dealing with an exact science in education. One input does not result in a specific output. Our group recognized that drug education is not an event but a journey. It requires systematic, ongoing, research-based programming that starts early and includes all levels of education. It must have a consistency of message and respond to the unique educational and emotional needs of our young people.
Drug education is vitally important, and schools have unique opportunities to start early with this program. Schools provide consistent education and support for young people; they are an excellent location to teach appropriate socialization skills and can play a critical role in helping students combat negative peer pressure. Schools have a responsibility to develop the student fully and can provide family support to those who need it. It is important to remember that some families cannot fulfill their drug-education responsibility alone; they need help from the school and community.
Although schools play a vital role in the education process, it is not an exclusive role, and partnerships are needed. Partnerships—a melding of school, business, church and community—must be tailored to specific school and community needs. We must not forget to include students in the partnership. Any program must be wellness-oriented, holistic in approach, cost-effective, research-based, and reasonable with respect to expectations. We lack research in the drug education arena. We need hard data, and we must develop and articulate an effective curriculum. The program should be sustained with adequate funding and trained staff.
