Parents - Grow Up!

I live in Winston-Salem, NC. Recently, an undercover operation in nearby Alamance County lead to the arrest of 49 high school students on multiple drug charges. The arrests were made after a systemwide undercover drug investigation by the Alamance County Sheriff's Office and the Alamance-Burlington schools. The investigation targeted dealers and distributors and was conducted over a five month period.

Being a father of six children, all of whom have either reached teenage years or moved past them I am no stranger to drugs or the ease with which they can be obtained. One of my kids, who went to what I thought was a great high school, once told me I couldn't name a drug she couldn't have in her hands within a half hour.

As a father who fought the local drug influence tooth and nail with some of my kids, losing more than I won, I applaud the Alamance County Sheriff's Office and the Alamance-Burlington schools for taking an interest in getting drugs out of their schools. Thank God somebody is fighting back.

Which leads me to the parents of these alleged drug offenders.

On Monday, February 23rd, a group of parents assembled to protest the charges and penalties levied on their children. Many of the parents said the undercover officers coerced the students into the illegal activities. One speaker suggested that the felony charges be reduced to misdemeanors. They demanded accountability of the officers and school system.

Accountability of everyone except maybe their kids?

I see this so often now it just makes me sick. Kids act without regard to consequences because they know Mommy & Daddy will buy any line of BS they feed them and will pay whatever it takes to keep them and the family name clean.

Parents... Grow Up.

Kids today will never become responsible adults if we don't hold them responsible for their actions. Let the legal system scare the hell out of them. If you are right and this was a fluke, your kids will learn from this mistake and never repeat it. The courts will recognize if the kids are first-time offenders and will tailor the punishment accordingly.

Standing in front of a forum of people and declaring how your child has been wronged is doing nothing but empowering your child to continue doing wrong.