http://www.cocomment.com/blog/152890 Copyright 2007 coComment.com 2009-11-26T06:12:04.996+01:00 http://www.cocomment.com/images/logo4rss.gif http://www.cocomment.com/sidebar?context=explore&object=sites&mode=detail&id=152890&conv=1616474&comment_id=135807619 ?????????? ur messed up!!!!ok just shut up and dont even try to say something like that its sssssoo stupid 2009-04-30T23:00:48.321+02:00 2009-04-30T23:00:48.321+02:00 http://www.cocomment.com/sidebar?context=explore&object=sites&mode=detail&id=152890&conv=2524108&comment_id=135521015 Saskboy It’s the first time I’ve heard of “blaze” in reference to smoking pot, so it perhaps depends on the demographic entirely.Blaze, marijuana doesn’t have beneficial effects on healthy people, it takes their normally functioning brain and alters it. Sick people who need medication to help keep their food down, may find benefit from it. Since there are better ways to obtain recreation (which is beneficial to healthy people) than from smoking drugs, I’ll have to simply disagree with you :-) 2009-10-13T04:44:41.557+02:00 2009-10-13T04:44:41.557+02:00 http://www.cocomment.com/sidebar?context=explore&object=sites&mode=detail&id=152890&conv=2524108&comment_id=135521008 Blaze People die from too much alcohol all the time. There’s not ONE recorded case of somebody overdosing on weed, and it actually has beneficial effects. Nothing wrong with smoking weed, I’d be smoking it 24/7 if I had enough money to :) 2009-10-01T00:37:36.603+02:00 2009-10-01T00:37:36.603+02:00 http://www.cocomment.com/sidebar?context=explore&object=sites&mode=detail&id=152890&conv=2524108&comment_id=135521006 becky i agree with your analogy of them, im not trying to say that alcohol isn’t a drug it does have very bad consequenses. and i was just pointing out that blaze is most commonly connected to weed (heard of “Blaze it up”?)and honestly i never even thought of “Blaze a trail”. and i would have honestly stood corrected if thats what he meant, but instead he agreed my comment was true and i just found that quite blunderingly ironic how he’s putting down one drug and standing up for another. 2009-09-18T20:30:31.649+02:00 2009-09-18T20:30:31.649+02:00 http://www.cocomment.com/sidebar?context=explore&object=sites&mode=detail&id=152890&conv=2524108&comment_id=135521003 saskboy You’re both wrong, Becky for picking on Blaze’s screen name (heard of “blaze a trail”?) and Blaze for thinking weeds can’t contain drugs (marijuana contains THC, a drug). Alcohol is another drug that can cause harm because it affects a person’s ability to think clearly, and someone can become addicted to mind altering substances.Alcohol hurts the liver as well as other organs, and smoke hurts the lungs and heart. In moderation you’ll probably survive to an old age, but you can’t say they don’t cause more damage than no smoking, and no drinking alcohol. 2009-09-06T16:23:26.695+02:00 2009-09-06T16:23:26.695+02:00 http://www.cocomment.com/sidebar?context=explore&object=sites&mode=detail&id=152890&conv=2524108&comment_id=135520999 becky wow sorry i just thought it was quite ironic how your so against drinking-something legal and willingly share your ‘like’ for a drug that is illegal and just as fatal. alcohol if used safely is not as harmful in quite the sense you make it out to be. and the same for drugs- i do not do them but know that if used not in a stupid manner is not that harmful. but if you use them stupidly it can also have the same consequnces of alcohol- if not worse. and you are wrong many people feel strongly about this, and do care. i just can’t say if they care about you. good bye now =) 2009-08-25T12:16:21.741+02:00 2009-08-25T12:16:21.741+02:00 http://www.cocomment.com/sidebar?context=explore&object=sites&mode=detail&id=152890&conv=2524108&comment_id=135520995 Blaze Wow, talk about necro. Random topic bumping? And so what if my name is connected to smoking weed? Weed ain’t a drug, it’s a plant. You can smoke all kinds of herbs, does that make them drugs? Nope. Thanks for looking stupid and necro-ing the shit out of an old topic. Nobody cares. Bye now :) 2009-08-13T08:09:16.787+02:00 2009-08-13T08:09:16.787+02:00 http://www.cocomment.com/sidebar?context=explore&object=sites&mode=detail&id=152890&conv=2524108&comment_id=135520990 becky i would just like to say that “Blaze” you are totally against drinking, but i find it quite funny how your screen name stands for a term quite commonly connected to drugs, which many people would agree is worse then alcahol. 2009-08-01T04:02:11.833+02:00 2009-08-01T04:02:11.833+02:00 http://www.cocomment.com/sidebar?context=explore&object=sites&mode=detail&id=152890&conv=2524108&comment_id=135520987 Marla Possberg No they will not have their parents their to drive them home. That is what Taxi and bus services are for. If they have been taught to make the right choice! Many adults make this mistake on a daily basis as well, we have all seen it, you have designated drivers sitting at a function and you see many take off in their vehicles who you know shouldn’t be driving. You provide a service sitting right at the door and they still don’t use it. Why is it so hard to figure out if you drink don’t drive. As long as they keep selling the booze it will never end. 2009-06-30T21:39:49.999+02:00 2009-06-30T21:39:49.999+02:00 http://www.cocomment.com/sidebar?context=explore&object=sites&mode=detail&id=152890&conv=2524108&comment_id=135520981 Steph Its called a Safe GRAD PARTY. I don’t see how putting the word Safe infront of it can make it so terrible. And anyways. I think that I would rather my kid experiment with drinking while they were still under my watchful eye, rather then get to university or college and have their life get overrun with booze, or worse. They will be facing much harder challenges in life than a safe grad party. If a parent believes their kid could be so scarred from one event, don’t allow them to go! Another question. Don’t you remember being a teenager? Being so set on something you would do anything to get it? Did you never break a law? I’m guessing you obviously didn’t drink, maybe still don’t. No one is saying thats a bad thing at all. I’m saying this. I would rather give up one night to help with safe grad, then to hear that one of my kids or their friends didn’t make it home. By the way, I have two older brothers. Every year when one of us graduated, my mom was one of the main planners and organizers. Well, we have turned out fine! Didn’t turn us into raging alcoholics. 2009-06-18T22:32:28.786+02:00 2009-06-18T22:32:28.786+02:00 http://www.cocomment.com/sidebar?context=explore&object=sites&mode=detail&id=152890&conv=2524108&comment_id=135520977 Saskboy Steph, Picture a costume party. The invitations ask people to bring costumes. Some people bring costumes, and a few don’t. Who will feel like the odd ones out at the COSTUME party? A SAFE party is the same thing, but it implies that people will have a “safe ride home after drinking” instead of a “costume”. Do costume parties promote wearing a costume? 2009-06-18T13:51:26.397+02:00 2009-06-18T13:51:26.397+02:00 http://www.cocomment.com/sidebar?context=explore&object=sites&mode=detail&id=152890&conv=2524108&comment_id=135520976 Steph Its’ not like the parents are telling their kids they have to drink. Some don’t allow it, some do. It happens 2009-06-18T11:43:50.302+02:00 2009-06-18T11:43:50.302+02:00 http://www.cocomment.com/sidebar?context=explore&object=sites&mode=detail&id=152890&conv=2524108&comment_id=135520970 Steph It doesn’t promote drinking when the parents have the last say in what they allow the people attending the party to drink, or not drink. I would rather my kid go there and have a safe ride home then have them not come home at all. 2009-06-18T09:36:14.207+02:00 2009-06-18T09:36:14.207+02:00 http://www.cocomment.com/sidebar?context=explore&object=sites&mode=detail&id=152890&conv=2524108&comment_id=135520963 Steph P.S.. Blaze I think ya need to calm down a notch perhaps? 2009-06-17T17:48:47.178+02:00 2009-06-17T17:48:47.178+02:00 http://www.cocomment.com/sidebar?context=explore&object=sites&mode=detail&id=152890&conv=2524108&comment_id=135520958 Steph I think that is horrible. What a complete way to ruin what could have been a wonderful night to celebrate the last 13 years. He should be able to attend whether or not he is drinking. If he does not want to, his rights should be respected. Safe grad is not intended to promote drinking. I wish your safe grad experience would have been better!! 2009-06-17T10:58:51.711+02:00 2009-06-17T10:58:51.711+02:00 http://www.cocomment.com/sidebar?context=explore&object=sites&mode=detail&id=152890&conv=2524108&comment_id=135520957 Jo Ann My comments were not about Lanigan – you need to read #33. They are about the planning of Safe Grad for another high school in the North East. My son was told he was not welcome at the Safe Grad Party (even though the organizational meeting for the party were at school and I had signed the form stating he was allowed to go- the Grad Party is on the 27th) because he stated that he was not drinking and would not be bringing the suggested alcohol because he was choosing not to drink. 2009-06-17T04:08:56.244+02:00 2009-06-17T04:08:56.244+02:00 http://www.cocomment.com/sidebar?context=explore&object=sites&mode=detail&id=152890&conv=2524108&comment_id=135520954 Steph Well maybe people should have got the full story about Lanigan grad party before this whole media thing took off. Lanigan safe grad party was for anyone grade 10 and up. Each grad was able to invite guests. NO ONE was forced to drink. Even if they wanted to, their parents had the last say in the matter. Also, every grad’s parent was to be in attendance for supervision purposes. No one has to drink, and no one is excluded from the gathering. Also, no kids bring the alcohol there, nor are they persuaded to bring or drink large amounts of it. If they don’t want to drink, they are definitely still welcome at the party. This year, the chem free grad was over by 9pm, so those who still wanted to go to safe grad could! Some of them drank, some didn’t. At least they were able to celebrate their graduation with all of their peers. Also, Blaze.. not all of them got shitfaced either! And Saskboy.. If there was a safe grad party planned in Yorkton, maybe it was not planned as it should be. Or maybe there was a safe grad, and they didn’t go, who knows. But what a terrible tragedy to happen to anyone, and my heart goes out to everyone of the family members and parents of those boys. Safe grad is one night of the year where everyone at the party is given a safe ride home, guaranteed. I know if I had a kid graduating I would want them to go to safe grad where everything is organized and safe, rather than a party where there could be drunk drivers. Every other party is not supervised ,and there is the risk of drunk drivers. Why not have one night where everything is safe? No one is forcing anyone to go or to drink. 2009-06-16T21:19:00.777+02:00 2009-06-16T21:19:00.777+02:00 http://www.cocomment.com/sidebar?context=explore&object=sites&mode=detail&id=152890&conv=2524108&comment_id=135520952 Jo Ann My sons are free to go to a party if they wish (whether there is alcohol or not) as well, and they would/do always call me for a ride if and when they or a friend needs a ride at any time- but my older son who is graduating has chosen not to drink. I actually do think, though, that one night can make a big difference for a vulnerable child who could go either way, if that night is planned, promoted, and encouraged as the “thing” to do by a reputable, influential group of adults and “popular” students. The choice they are encouraged to make that night could affect their ability to resist peer pressure in the future. *I hate what alcohol did to those 3 young teens in Yorkton (if indeed the reason was alcohol); I am grateful that no one else was killed (my oldest daughter, Tracy, was killed by a drunk driver when she was 9); and I feel great sympathy for the parents, and friends, and relatives who are left behind to grieve the loss. 2009-06-16T14:29:05.310+02:00 2009-06-16T14:29:05.310+02:00 http://www.cocomment.com/sidebar?context=explore&object=sites&mode=detail&id=152890&conv=2524108&comment_id=135520942 Marla First of all I do not feel the F-bombs from Blaze are really necessary as no one else seems to use that kind of language. I feel bad for your son Joanne that is definately a big mess on the schools part and the parent planning the party. Each kid who goes to these parties has a choice.To drink or not and the parents are the ones who decide what and how many they can drink. As Steph said there were kids at Lanigan Safe Grad party who did not drink. They went because they wanted to be with their friends. What happened in Yorkton is a terrible tradjedy and my heart goes out to every parent of those boys. I feel one organzized safe grad party is not going to make the difference as to whether these kids will end up binge drinkers. There are 364 other days of the year they somehow get there hands on the alcohol. I cannot follow my kids everywhere and know what they are doing every second. They have to learn to make good choices and they learn from their mistakes, many kids make bad choices in their teen years growing up. We has parents try to guide them in the right direction, some of us are lucky the we can have open honest relationships with our kids and others end up with their kids sneaking around and doing things that their parents disapprove of, such is the case of where this whole Lanigan Safe Grad party hit the media. One parent who has a child who wanted to go to a grad party and her parents disapproved. their child ran away. I am happy she returned home and graduated with her fellow students although I would guess things at home are not to happy right now. Drinking under the age of 19 is illegal-and until the laws change they are going to keep doing it. We can argue about this till we are blue in the face but its not going to change each persons opinion on whether it is right or wrong. Bottom line for me is I would much rather see my child come home than not come home at all.If our kids have been at a friends for a party they call and we pick them up. 2009-06-16T07:14:12.208+02:00 2009-06-16T07:14:12.208+02:00 http://www.cocomment.com/sidebar?context=explore&object=sites&mode=detail&id=152890&conv=2524108&comment_id=135520936 Jo Ann Yes, we can see that “Safe” Grad could save lives on Grad night; but it could also lead to, encourage, and/or promote a pattern of drinking on unsupervised occasions in the future that may have very negative consequences; and underage drinking on private property is illegal unless their parent is in attendance – why would we encourage our children to start a pattern of law-breaking. Therefore, I do not believe “Safe” Grad parties with alcohol should be planned at school; and even if they are planned out of school, students should not be expected /told to bring large amounts of alcohol (amounts they might possibly have not even thought of bringing); and those that do not plan to drink should be encouraged to attend and be a positive example, not be told that they are not welcome to attend. 2009-06-16T07:01:43.391+02:00 2009-06-16T07:01:43.391+02:00 http://www.cocomment.com/sidebar?context=explore&object=sites&mode=detail&id=152890&conv=2524108&comment_id=135520932 Blaze No, safe grad is still a horrible idea. What could have REALLY prevented it would be if they hadn’t been fucking stupid and gone out and got shitfaced, and then chose to drive home. The getting drunk in the first place when they were most likely under age was stupid to begin with. Honestly, I feel no remorse for people who crash their cars because they were driving drunk. It’s their own stupidity that caused their downfall. Darwin Awards, anybody? 2009-06-16T06:48:54.574+02:00 2009-06-16T06:48:54.574+02:00 http://www.cocomment.com/sidebar?context=explore&object=sites&mode=detail&id=152890&conv=2524108&comment_id=135520929 Steph Well, Lanigan’s safe grad has come and gone. No one hurt,everyone home safe and sound. Meanwhile in Yorkton three teenagers are out driving 120km/hr down a street on their grad night and hit a tree and all three are deceased..alcohol was a factr… what a terrible tragedy that could have been prevented. maybe safe grad is not such a bad idea????? 2009-06-16T06:48:44.574+02:00 2009-06-16T06:48:44.574+02:00 http://www.cocomment.com/sidebar?context=explore&object=sites&mode=detail&id=152890&conv=2524108&comment_id=135520925 Jo Ann Correction to above: …and the school needs to start following what appears to be Division Policy. 2009-06-16T06:48:34.574+02:00 2009-06-16T06:48:34.574+02:00 http://www.cocomment.com/sidebar?context=explore&object=sites&mode=detail&id=152890&conv=2524108&comment_id=135520922 Jo Ann Yes, I cannot believe that another parent told my child that he was not welcome at a Grad Party (that was advertised at school as being for every student who wanted to attend) because he is choosing not to drink or bring alcohol.I have just sent a lengthy letter to the school division office, which appears to be 100% supportive of my view. I am sure there have been parents/grads in the past who have been treated unfairly/similarly but just did not want to make waves. But…if we want changes someone has to make the wave. I believe that my son deserves an apology from the school, at the very least, and needs to start following what appears to be Division policy. This “Private” “Safe” Grad party is not until the end of June, but it is not likely my son will be re-invited. Even if he is, I am not sure he would feel welcomed by certain organizing adults (as it is a private party). But, on the other hand, I am pretty sure he could ignore a few bad vibes and have a good time if he was re-invited. 2009-06-16T06:48:24.574+02:00 2009-06-16T06:48:24.574+02:00 http://www.cocomment.com/sidebar?context=explore&object=sites&mode=detail&id=152890&conv=2524108&comment_id=135520918 Saskboy Jo Ann, I also think the way the school and that other parent treated you and your son is dreadful. You’re right, the party should not be planned during school, and the parents should CERTAINLY not be applying peer pressure to you or your son to have him drink at the party. And that’s just another reason I’m against these parties, because they are about normalizing a destructive behaviour instead of finding a solution to it. 2009-06-16T06:48:14.574+02:00 2009-06-16T06:48:14.574+02:00 http://www.cocomment.com/sidebar?context=explore&object=sites&mode=detail&id=152890&conv=2524108&comment_id=135520914 Steph I’m sorry to hear that your safe grad experience was a negative one! That whole message sounded awful! I wish you could have had a better experience with the whole thing. Your son should have been able to attend if he was not drinking. No one has the right to tell him he has to drink. Lanigan safe grad is not organized at school. And you don’t have to drink to attend. Also, every grad has to have a parent there to supervise them and their guests. All of the meetings are held in non school hours, and not on school property. Safe grad cannot have anything to do with staff members at all. 2009-06-16T06:48:04.574+02:00 2009-06-16T06:48:04.574+02:00 http://www.cocomment.com/sidebar?context=explore&object=sites&mode=detail&id=152890&conv=2524108&comment_id=135520909 Jo Ann My son attends a fairly large high school. They had organizational meetings in school hours for the “Safe” Grad party. At the first meeting in March, they were given a note for the student and parents to sign stating whether or not the student was attending the party. My son stated that it appeared that most of the grads would be going to this party, and therefore he checked off that he would be attending, and I signed the sheet agreeing that he could attend. The sheet also asked for volunteers. I personally did not want to get involved with organization of the party or working at it; my oldest daughter was killed by a drunk driver when she was 9. I know students will not be allowed to drive, but I also do not support adults condoning/supporting/enabling the beginning or the maintenance of binge drinking or drinking of any kind for under-age kids. I, therefore, added a note to the form stating that I was allowing my son to go but did not agree with serving alcohol to underage kids, and therefore I would not be helping with arrangements, etc. Despite the fact that my son wanted to attend (as he felt that most of the graduates will be there), he also wrote a note on the form stating that he felt it was hypocritical for the parents and school to promote, organize, and allow this illegal activity to take place. The note was to be handed in by the due date, Friday, March 13th. My son states that near the end of April they were told by their teachers to all meet again during reading time. Here student representatives handed out sheets suggesting to students the amounts of liquor they should bring and asking students to check off the liquor they would be bringing. The choices were: 15 beer, 12 cooler, or a mickey of hard liquor. As my son did not wish to drink, he did not fill out and return this form. This paper was to be returned by May 14th. Near the middle of May, in the evening, when I was out, my son received a call from one of the organizing parents. (I do not know her, but I believe she has a son in Grade 12. ) My son states that she informed him that if he did hand in a signed paper saying that he was drinking at the party and bring alcohol or if I did not help supervise or serve, he would not be able to attend. He stated that he was not drinking and therefore would not sign a paper stating that he was and that I would not be helping at the party as I did not agree with serving under-age kids. At that point my son was told that he would not be allowed to come to the Safe Grad – even though he and I had signed the initial sheet given out at school saying that he planned to attend. My son states that this lady had stated that I could call her. I was not very happy about the call my son had received… and did not call her back. I encouraged my son to go to the Chem Free Grad Party meeting one evening near the end of April. He states that there are about 12 people attending that party, but only one girl is a student that he has spent much time talking to, so he has not decided whether he will go to that party or not. Around mid-May the “Safe “ Grad party lady called me reiterate what she had told my son. I repeated that my son did not wish to sign a statement saying he was drinking when he had no plans to; but I told her that I had signed permission for my son to go as my son had stated that it appeared as if most of the grads would be going, and so he would like to go. She stated that he could not go if I did not work at it or if he was not drinking. I stated again that I would not be working at the party as I did not agree with adults serving alcohol to, or purchasing alcohol for, underage kids/students. She repeated that my son would not be allowed to go then. I said, “So you are excluding my son?” And this lady’s reply was, “Well, it’s a private party.” My reply then was, “What! A private party! Then what are you doing organizing it at school? If it is a private party and you are serving alcohol to under-age kids, you should not be in the school organizing it.” She then stated, “Where else could we organize it- we only had the organizational meetings at the school, lots of planning happens outside school too. ” She then stated that my son could possibly go if I came with him to supervise him. I stated that I did not want to serve/watch under-age kids drinking 12 beer and part of a keg, etc. I asked her if all other students had to have their parents there. She said, no – not if they have signed the paper stating that they will be drinking. The organizational meeting for this Safe Grad was held at the school during school hours as if it was for all grads. My son does not wish to drink and does not agree with the large amounts of alcohol being served to minors but was willing to go and have a good time with classmates- but he has been excluded. A party where alcohol is served to minors should not be organized during school time or under the supervision of teachers (even as far as them directing the kids to the meeting during school hours) because it then appears that it is condoned/fully supported/even encouraged by educators. And if everyone is called to go to the meetings, no child should then be excluded or have stiffer rules because they choose not to drink. My son states that a pre-grad stag/stagette party was organized requesting that students who wanted to attend bring $40 towards the purchase of kegs of beer. He states that another meeting was held during school hours at which the staff requested the party be changed to Wednesday from Thursday and then the kinds of keg beer were voted on. My son did not pay the $40, as he planned not to drink. He did go to the party (on June 4), he did not drink, but he had a great time, and was at school the next day (despite very little sleep.) On the day they had the stag/stagette meeting at school, I noticed a note laying on the table at my work place advertising a speaker who would be attending the elementary to speak about drugs and alcohol. Almost the entire graduating class are under-age kids – what are we telling the grads and what are the younger kids hearing. I would say this is a bit of a conflict. Private parties with alcohol should not be organized at all during school hours. Why do we seemingly promote the breaking of the law (Note: on private property those under 19 years of age can only drink if their parents are with them), ignore government initiatives rather than support them, and allow the promotion of an addictive substance through peer pressure (possibly even by student counsel leaders)? I believe private parties with alcohol should be planned completely outside of school hours, not between 8:30AM to 3:30PM. 2009-06-16T06:47:54.574+02:00 2009-06-16T06:47:54.574+02:00 http://www.cocomment.com/sidebar?context=explore&object=sites&mode=detail&id=152890&conv=2524108&comment_id=135520905 Steph Not all people are going to get smashed! Some people don’t drink! And that is fine! Some people just want to celebrate with their friends before everyone goes away to college. And maybe to some people, high school grad is a big deal. Not everyone gets shitfaced and does stupid stuff. There are a lot worse things out there than drinking. 2009-06-16T06:47:44.574+02:00 2009-06-16T06:47:44.574+02:00 http://www.cocomment.com/sidebar?context=explore&object=sites&mode=detail&id=152890&conv=2524108&comment_id=135520902 Blaze for starters, these kids going out and getting drunk after grad is ILLEGAL and shouldn’t be happening anyway. safe grad is simply a way of letting kids go out and get shitfaced with absolutely ZERO consequences for their retarded actions. if u choose to go out and get smashed after highschool grad, which isnt a big deal to begin with, u deserve to suffer the consequences, no matter wut happens. this safe grad bullshit shouldn’t be happening PERIOD. u wanna go out, get smashed, and be a complete fucking idiot? go ahead, dont expect ppl to be there to bail ur ass out with a safe way home for EVERYBODY. if ur too stupid to arrange ur own way home and choose to drive on ur own, u deserve to get in a car accident like the moron u r. 2009-06-16T06:47:34.574+02:00 2009-06-16T06:47:34.574+02:00 http://www.cocomment.com/sidebar?context=explore&object=sites&mode=detail&id=152890&conv=2524108&comment_id=135520897 Saskboy All kinds of things just happen, not all of them good. I don’t know why Lanigan in particular was focused on this time, but you can bet it will be another one next year because you’re right that it has happened a long time and happens all over the province (and country I’m told). I hope it doesn’t stay this way another 100 years, and people will mature a little. 2009-06-16T06:47:24.574+02:00 2009-06-16T06:47:24.574+02:00 http://www.cocomment.com/sidebar?context=explore&object=sites&mode=detail&id=152890&conv=2524108&comment_id=135520893 Steph Well I also didnt mean that alcohol is required. Just saying that it happens, so let it be. I just don’t understand why because of one small towns grad party to keep the kids safe has caused so much commotion. It has been this way for 25 years, and i hope it stays this way for another 100 years! 2009-06-16T06:47:14.574+02:00 2009-06-16T06:47:14.574+02:00 http://www.cocomment.com/sidebar?context=explore&object=sites&mode=detail&id=152890&conv=2524108&comment_id=135520885 Saskboy Marla and Steph, you’re both taking this much too personally. It may seem as if the world is attacking you, but attacking back and getting personal isn’t going to win anyone over to your way of seeing this.“we are our own individuals and make our own choices we all have our own beliefs so I don’t need some kid who has to much time on his hands”First, I’m not some kid. 2nd, I don’t have any more time than you do apparently to comment on my blog. And finally I’m an individual with choices and beliefs and don’t need you to insult me because you felt insulted by my beliefs. I’ll take it though, since the bad comes with the good of blogging.“What do you think they are doing the other 51 weeks of the year?”I don’t think you really want to hear my guess.– “But you are not given the right to call other parents down for letting their kids drink. ”Yes, I do have that right, this is Canada and we have a Charter of Rights and Freedoms that give me that right. The parents have a right to elect representatives that change the law, as do you and I. Majority wins. If you feel the law is illegitimate (as it may well be) then organize and get it changed, don’t complain to me that you think I don’t have a right to say I think the drinking age is fine as it is, and that parents avoiding observing it so their kids can binge under supervision are not being wise.I went home and had a party with my family. Alcohol is not required for a celebration, that’s something you may one day learn. 2009-06-16T06:47:04.574+02:00 2009-06-16T06:47:04.574+02:00 http://www.cocomment.com/sidebar?context=explore&object=sites&mode=detail&id=152890&conv=2524108&comment_id=135520879 Steph Well, Saskboy. You are so off base its not even funny. Kudos to you for not drinking! Thats your choice. But you are not given the right to call other parents down for letting their kids drink. That is their choice, and how dare you figure that their decisions are so wrong. And of course these parents are taking responsibility for their children. They are drinking! It is their grad night. They should be able to enjoy how they want! And why should other people be able to call our town down saying all the parents who let their kids drink are irresponsible and need to grow up. Kids drink no matter what. This is how it always has been, and don’t think that your judging will ever change it. PS. what did you do on your grad night? Go to grad and go home? Why not celebrate with friends before everyone goes away to college and university. STOP calling us down. 2009-06-16T06:46:54.574+02:00 2009-06-16T06:46:54.574+02:00 http://www.cocomment.com/sidebar?context=explore&object=sites&mode=detail&id=152890&conv=2524108&comment_id=135520877 Marla It’s the epitome of parents taking responsibility for their children, instead of setting them free to try their learned values and drinking habits.What do you think they are doing the other 51 weeks of the year? 2009-06-16T06:46:44.574+02:00 2009-06-16T06:46:44.574+02:00 http://www.cocomment.com/sidebar?context=explore&object=sites&mode=detail&id=152890&conv=2524108&comment_id=135520873 Marla Well hats off to you for being the perfect little boy! I am the parent of my children and I will raise them how I see fit, I don’t need a blog columnist or the media or any other parent to tell me what to do with my children. I am very proud of my children. Do you not get it we are our own individuals and make our own choices we all have our own beliefs so I don’t need some kid who has to much time on his hands to sit and answer blogs to tell me what they think is right or wrong. 2009-06-16T06:46:34.574+02:00 2009-06-16T06:46:34.574+02:00 http://www.cocomment.com/sidebar?context=explore&object=sites&mode=detail&id=152890&conv=2524108&comment_id=135520868 Saskboy “If you shelter your kids and do not trust them to take the responsiblitiy to make choices in their life how do they learn.”I’m sorry Marla, but you’re describing the opposite of what you think you are getting. Parents planning a binge drinking party for their 18 year olds is the opposite of setting kids free to learn on their own and take responsibility. And if they’ve already been drinking as you say, “We are not teaching these kids to drink. They have already been doing it.” then the safe parties are years too late, aren’t they? That is, if they are about teaching kids the correct way to drink safely.As Steph says, “Supervision, food, parents watching over, fenced off, SAFE rides home.” It’s the epitome of parents taking responsibility for their children, instead of setting them free to try their learned values and drinking habits. “Many of the students that attend the dry grad parties are the ones who end up going to college and drinking their faces of because mom and dad can’t tell them they can’t do this or they can’t do that anymore. Many of these kids end up being the ones who fail out of college because they are having so much fun not having mom and dad tell them what to do.”Well let’s see, I didn’t go to a safe or dry grad party, although I was at a pre-grad party for about an hour and didn’t drink my face off, and I also didn’t drink to get drunk throughout university. The people I know from my high school area who flunked out of university were the harder drinkers in high school, and were not dumb they just didn’t try as hard as they could have. 2009-06-16T06:46:24.574+02:00 2009-06-16T06:46:24.574+02:00 http://www.cocomment.com/sidebar?context=explore&object=sites&mode=detail&id=152890&conv=2524108&comment_id=135520861 Marla Everyday kids do illegal things driving seems to be a very good example. The way kids drive when they are sober is a concern in itself. Drugs is also another illegal act that happens everyday. Teens and drinking is something that happens everyday. What world are we all living in here??? Alcohol has been around since who knows when, Graduation has been around since who knows when and with Graduation you are always going to have a party, whether it be a dry grad or safe grad is the question. We live in a country with freedom of choice, everyone chooses how to live THEIR life and raise THEIR children. As far as the safe grad party is concerned I am 100% in support, the kids are going to go out and party anyway and as Elan stated as a parent most importantly we want to see our kids come home alive. We do not want them to be drinking and driving and this is why parents choose to support the kids this night of the year.Because everyone advertises it!! If you shelter your kids and do not trust them to take the responsiblitiy to make choices in their life how do they learn. Many of the students that attend the dry grad parties are the ones who end up going to college and drinking their faces of because mom and dad can’t tell them they can’t do this or they can’t do that anymore. Many of these kids end up being the ones who fail out of college because they are having so much fun not having mom and dad tell them what to do. Not all kids are alike or grow up with the same beliefs. I feel it is nobodys business to tell me how to raise my kids I don’t tell them how to raise theirs. By the way I have a son who very rarely wants to go to parties and drink…. that is his choice. He is attending the grad party of 2009 in Lanigan. Not all kids go to the party to drink, they want to celebrate with their friends and have a good time. Their is free pop and water available to these kids at all times as well as burgers and food and music for entertainment. It is not all about the drinking like everyone has it cracked up to be. And it is up to the parent to decide how many drinks they will allow.And at the end of the night the parents drive the kids to their home and wake their parents up to be responsible for them. Lanigan has been hosting Safe Grad parties for at least 20-25 years. I was a graduate of LCHS and also attended the safe grad party. I am not an alcoholic! We are not teaching these kids to drink. They have already been doing it. Most of the parents who are dishing the safe grad have kids that have been seen at parties around town. I don’t believe all the publicity this event is attracting is going to solve anything. Get with the program its been going on for YEARS. 2009-06-16T06:46:14.574+02:00 2009-06-16T06:46:14.574+02:00 http://www.cocomment.com/sidebar?context=explore&object=sites&mode=detail&id=152890&conv=2524108&comment_id=135520858 Steph Well, I am a graduate of Lanigan Central High School. I know first hand what would of happened had there not been a safe gard party. All of the groups that happen in high school would of broken off and had their own parties everywhere! There would have been no safe rides, and no supervision. We all know kids drink! I have only been graduated a couple years, not saying I’m all grown up, but I have a strong opinion on this! These are other people’s children everyone is talking about. Their parents get to make the decision on what they can and can not do. NO one else has that right! Safe grad is about the smartest thing any small town could do. At least there is a limit on the amount of drinks allowed at the party! A few years back, there was no limit!Think about that! It’s a small town. Think about every other small town. Underage drinking happens! We all know that! If we were to force the grads to go to a chem free grad, it wouldn’t fly! No one is forced to go to the safe grad. If you don’t want to, dont! If you don’t want to drink, don’t! Thats fine. No one says they have to drink, and no one says they hvae to limit out on drinks either. I think that people who are against the idea of safe grad need to realize that underge drinking happens no matter where you go. We might as well make the grad party as safe as possible. Supervision, food, parents watching over, fenced off, SAFE rides home. Maybe everyone against this needs to come to a safe grad party and see for themselves that this is the safest way to go about it. 2009-06-16T06:46:04.574+02:00 2009-06-16T06:46:04.574+02:00 http://www.cocomment.com/sidebar?context=explore&object=sites&mode=detail&id=152890&conv=2524108&comment_id=135520855 Saskboy Thank you for your comment Elan.If kids are showing up at a chem free grad totally drunk, then you can’t really blame the organizer of the party, can you? Parents of “Safe grads” are more concerned about being friends with their kids than being role models and parents it seems to me. They set the expectations for their kids way too low, and the kids live down to them.If the parent makes it clear that they don’t want their kid drinking, but also that they will still offer them a ride home if they have, that’s different from signing a paper and sending them off with money or booze in hand and a pat on the back for being at a ironically named “safe” party. 2009-06-16T06:45:54.574+02:00 2009-06-16T06:45:54.574+02:00 http://www.cocomment.com/sidebar?context=explore&object=sites&mode=detail&id=152890&conv=2524108&comment_id=135520852 Elan I would like to thank Tanya for pointing out that this is not exactly a huge issue in the world today. And just to clarify I do live in Lanigan, and I fully support the ongoing organization of these safe grad parties. This is the real world, not a perfect world…and therefore teens are going to drink, whether parents allow them or not. These parties are well supervised by caring parents, who want their children to have a safe time celebrating their grad. Do most of these parents wish their kids wouldn’t drink? Of course! But we are realistic parents, and we know that whether we tell our kids “NO” they can’t drink or not, the majority of these kids are going to go out and do in anyhow. So this way, these children get home the next day ALIVE. And that simply is what is important about this “safe grad” issue. Everyone is hung up on how much they drink, and how irresponsible we as parents are to let our children “binge drink”. The real issue is these kids are brought home safe and sound, by many caring volunteer parents. Not driving home themselves, or should I say trying to drive home themselves…and never making it, well not in one piece anyway. I have seem many of these “Chem Free” or “Dry” grads, and I think they are rather ironic. The majority of the kids arrive at the party totally sloshed…and yes, they drove themselves there…and then proceed to get back in the car a couple of hours later…yes, still sloshed and drive home. Not isn’t that just a “safe” grad! I am not sure how many of you actually have children of your own. Because if you did, you would realize that kids are kids, who will make mistakes and we will still love them at the end of all of it. But only a parent can truly understand how it feels to know your child will be coming home safe and sound, and ALIVE! 2009-06-16T06:45:44.574+02:00 2009-06-16T06:45:44.574+02:00 http://www.cocomment.com/sidebar?context=explore&object=sites&mode=detail&id=152890&conv=2524108&comment_id=135520851 Saskboy True, it’s not the biggest issue, but trying to prevent drinking parties is less meddlesome than the destruction caused by out of control drunk people. Accidental negligence is worse than intentional meddling. And if it’s really so great, why don’t those parents and 18 year olds change the law so that drinking age is anything, and the parties can take place right in town where there will be less driving afterward? 2009-06-16T06:45:34.574+02:00 2009-06-16T06:45:34.574+02:00 http://www.cocomment.com/sidebar?context=explore&object=sites&mode=detail&id=152890&conv=2524108&comment_id=135520847 Tanya You guys are getting all bent out of shape over nothing. Who cares if teenagers want to have a few drinks while their parents supervise? Aren’t there some wars going on in the world that we can all focus on? Much ado about nothing!When I was young there were grad parties that sixteen-year-olds went to. Like Saskboy says, they are ridiculously common in the small communities. I never went as I had no desire to do so but I didn’t try to ruin anybody elses’ fun. 2009-06-16T06:45:24.574+02:00 2009-06-16T06:45:24.574+02:00 http://www.cocomment.com/sidebar?context=explore&object=sites&mode=detail&id=152890&conv=2524108&comment_id=135520840 Saskboy Except that that 10 doesn’t include the drinks at the pre-grad ceremony party. And 10 in basically 10 hours, for most teens is way too much. 2009-06-16T06:45:14.574+02:00 2009-06-16T06:45:14.574+02:00 http://www.cocomment.com/sidebar?context=explore&object=sites&mode=detail&id=152890&conv=2524108&comment_id=135520838 Louise Oh, and 10 drinks over the course of probably 8 or 9 hours is not too terribly over the limit. In fact, it is a good upper limit. 2009-06-16T06:45:04.574+02:00 2009-06-16T06:45:04.574+02:00 http://www.cocomment.com/sidebar?context=explore&object=sites&mode=detail&id=152890&conv=2524108&comment_id=135520832 Louise When my daughter graduated from high school there was a safe grad that went like this:a) parents have to give written permission for students to attend. b) no kid gets in, without the permission of the parent c) parents volunteer to supervise the whole thing from early evening until 4:00 am, I think it was, or maybe it was 6:00 am. In other words, it was an all-nighter, as is the tradition. d) parent volunteers worked one of two shifts. I took the late one, cause I knew most would rather be home in bed. I just wanted to help and keep everyone safe, while they had fun. e) parents who didn’t volunteer had to commit to being home to take the kid when he/she was driven home by a parent volunteer, otherwise kid did not get to come to the party f) once a kid got to the party he was not allowed to leave, unless in the company of one of the parent volunteers, whose job was to drive them home.It worked great. Kids were not allowed to get skunky drunk, but did have a great time at the traditional all-night long grad party, but not a single one was allowed to leave the party and go somewhere else to keep partying. They were either at the party or at home, and there were parents keeping an eye on them the whole time. Nobody got killed, unlike in the old days when nearly every June you’d hear of some teenagers somewhere killing themselves and others after drinking all night at a grad party. I think they are a good idea, if they are done right, cause you’re not gonna stop 17 and 18 year olds from drinking and celebrating on grad night. It’s either safe grad or risky grad. 2009-06-16T06:44:54.574+02:00 2009-06-16T06:44:54.574+02:00 http://www.cocomment.com/sidebar?context=explore&object=sites&mode=detail&id=152890&conv=2524108&comment_id=135520829 GreenAssassinbrigade We had safe parties all through our later years of high school, at a doctors house. While there was always some booze,(usually bottles of swill the doctor had been gifted for a referal but did not like) control of other booze was relatively stiff. If you only have enough juice for each kid to have a drink or two few are going to give up their beverage so that another can binge, it also proves to at least some fo the kids that being blotto was not required to have fun.I think what matters is whether these parents control the flow or just do damage control 2009-06-16T06:44:44.574+02:00 2009-06-16T06:44:44.574+02:00 http://www.cocomment.com/sidebar?context=explore&object=sites&mode=detail&id=152890&conv=2524108&comment_id=135520824 Saskboy So why wasn’t the dry party when the “safe” one was? If people are exhausted, duh it’s not going to be fun. And I remember the stabbing party on the radio, and I don’t really think a parent in the vicinity can/will always stop the party sex or the party stabbings. It certainly doesn’t stop the binge drinking. 2009-06-16T06:44:34.574+02:00 2009-06-16T06:44:34.574+02:00 http://www.cocomment.com/sidebar?context=explore&object=sites&mode=detail&id=152890&conv=2524108&comment_id=135520821 Samantha Oh, I also have to add that we had a dry after-grad party the day of grad and it was the lamest thing ever. Everyone was exhausted from grad and wanted to go home by 1 am but the buses weren’t going to pick us up til 6am. So we slept on chairs and in booths til we could go home. What the heck kind of party is that? A lame one. 2009-06-16T06:44:24.574+02:00 2009-06-16T06:44:24.574+02:00 http://www.cocomment.com/sidebar?context=explore&object=sites&mode=detail&id=152890&conv=2524108&comment_id=135520818 Samantha We had a supervised grad party where we were allowed to bring booze. My whole Gr. 12 class was invited. The only stipulation? You had to get dropped off, you had to go to my high school and you had to be in our grade. Not one person drove home drunk that night and 98% of the class came. I think it makes sense to let them drink in front of their parents. I’d much rather know where they are drinking and what they are drinking then sending them out into a bush party where they’re into other stuff and then someone ends up getting stabbed (and I’m not saying that to be crass, I’m saying that because it’s a real situation). 2009-06-16T06:44:14.574+02:00 2009-06-16T06:44:14.574+02:00 http://www.cocomment.com/sidebar?context=explore&object=sites&mode=detail&id=152890&conv=2524108&comment_id=135520815 Saskboy Too bad Kate’s not commenting here, then she could bring up the Darwin Awards instead of me.Seriously though, “safe grad” doesn’t prevent drunk driving. It discourages it for one night, and does nothing about the alcoholics it helps to train and encourage. A dry party is much better because it gives a positive choice instead of a safe party which is a negative choice with a positive spin. The idea isn’t like a safe injection site to keep kids well until they clean up, it’s just to keep them safe until the next bigger party on their own away from home. 2009-06-16T06:44:04.574+02:00 2009-06-16T06:44:04.574+02:00