Bay Schools superintendent urges parents to take pledge

Dear Bay Village Parents/Guardians,
 
I urge all Bay Village parents to participate in a very important initiative of our Bay Village PTAs – the Bay Village Parent Pledge.

Whether you have children enrolled in the Bay Village City Schools, other schools, or even if you think your children are too young to be involved in drug and alcohol abuse, this is an important step we can take together to fight substance abuse by children within our community.

Our PTA members were motivated to action by a visit from retired DEA agent Bob Stutman this past fall. He related his experience in the fight against illegal drug use. His message is one of urgency – drug overdoses have eclipsed car accidents as the leading cause of accidental death in our country.

Children are engaging in early predictors of long-term drug and alcohol abuse (huffing, drinking alcohol, smoking tobacco and marijuana) at younger ages than ever before (11-12 years old). And most children begin down the drug addiction path not by buying pills from a drug dealer, but by raiding the medicine chests of their parents and grandparents.

Mr. Stutman's message was frightening, but also hopeful. There ARE things parents can do to keep their children from abusing drugs and alcohol.

The Bay Village Parent/Guardian PTA Pledge emphasizes the importance of parental awareness about the use of alcohol and drugs among our children. It encourages behaviors that we know make a positive difference for families, like open communication and regular family meals. The Pledge also spotlights the critical need for all of us as adults to send a clear message to our youngsters about the dangers involved in their experimentation with drugs and alcohol.

Hundreds of your fellow parents and guardians have already made the public commitment to take action against this serious threat to our children and our community. I urge you to log onto The Bay Village Parent Pledge at www.bayvillageschools.com/BayVillageParentPledge and join your fellow Bay Village parents in taking a strong stand against drug and alcohol abuse by our children.

Sincerely,

Clint Keener, Superintendent

Bay Village City School District

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Volume 6, Issue 2, Posted 10:16 AM, 01.21.2014