From: trohan@eskimo.com (Tom Rohan) Subject: Re: Need Info On "Parents Against D.A.R.E." Date: Mon, 19 Sep 1994 20:24:19 GMT Finally! I got in touch with the couple who started Parents Against D.A.R.E. They are going to send me a packet of information so I will have more specifics soon. I asked if I could post their phone number and address for all interested people to get in touch with them and they said to go ahead so here it is! Parents Against D.A.R.E. 1805 Crestmore Place Fort Collins, CO 80521 Phone - (303) 493-2290 If you can, please send them a $5 donation to help defray the costs if you request a packet of information. I know from my experience in running the Marijuana Information HOTLINE that the costs mount up pretty fast when you are mailing a lot of stuff out and making lots of long distance calls to people requesting information. So give them a hand and send a few bucks with your request. Thanks! The group does not have local chapters. They describe their network as a 'national support group' for people who oppose the tactics and misinformation D.A.R.E. puts out to kids. Their original challenge was based on a law called the "Hatch Act" which requires that schools have parents "Opt In" to ANY psychological programs being presented to students. Since D.A.R.E. even represents their ownselves as a psychological program there is no argument that parents should be ASKED before D.A.R.E. materials can be presented to their kids. This is not an "Opt Out" situation. This is a "Opt IN" situation. The kids should not be exposed to D.A.R.E. unless the parents make an effort to enroll them in it!!! If Parents Against D.A.R.E. is correct about this and your school district did not ask you before forcing your child to endure the D.A.R.E. program then they are in violation of the Hatch Act! So you should be able to get this changed REALLY easily by approaching the school district with this information. I will let you know more when I have had a chance to look into this further. They said there is a particularly insidious video that D.A.R.E. has been showing to kids called "Land of Choices" that a North Carolina member got banned from the schools in their district. This was apparently a major blow to D.A.R.E. since they build their program around the video. Again, I need to double check on all of this, but it sounds VERY interesting. I'll definitely keep you posted!