Don't be a party to underage drinking
BY SUZANNE LOUDAMY Staff writer

Prom night is an event most high schoolers look forward to for years. Plans for dinner, just the perfect dress and tux and of course that special date. Many will also plan for how to get their hands on alcohol and too many of them will have the help of an adult.

Troup students will be celebrating "A Night Under the Stars" at Villa di Felicita. Will it truly be a night to remember or will they barely remember the night?

As Whitehouse plans for "Dreams Come True" will someone's dreams be crushed by bad choices?

The schools do what they can to help influence students in good decision making, but what comes from the parents has to back that up.

"While I appreciate the dilemma parents face in dealing with underage drinking (They're going to do it anyway!), the practice of providing alcohol for these minors violates the law and can result in serious consequences for the adults involved," Whitehouse High School Principal Tony Black said. "More importantly I feel providing alcohol to minor students sends a mixed message of 'It's okay to drink when you're underage, as long as an adult supervises it.' This may, in fact, lead to more abuse rather than the reduction that's intended because the parent is not taking the appropriate stance that underage drinking is dangerous and against the law."

These are the facts from the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission concerning adults providing alcohol to minors:

Maybe you didn't know:

· It is illegal to make alcohol available to children other than your own

· It is illegal to host or allow teen drinking parties in your home (or on your property)

· It is illegal, unhealthy and unacceptable for anyone under age 21 to drink

· Parents can be prosecuted under the law

· Teens who furnish alcohol to other teens can be charged with a Class A Misdemeanor punishable with a fine up to $4000 and one year in jail

What parents should know:

· As a parent, you cannot give alcohol to your teen's friends under the age of 21 under any circumstance, even in your own residence, even with their parent's permission unless they are visibly present.

· You cannot knowingly allow a person under 21, other than your own child, to remain in your home or on your property while consuming or possessing alcohol.

· Your residence…your responsibility!

If you break the law:

· You can face a maximum sentence of one year in jail and/or a $4000 fine.

· You can be sued if you give alcohol to anyone under 21 and they, in turn, hurt someone, hurt themselves, or damage property.

MADD presented programs last week to the juniors and seniors at Troup High School. School Resource Officer Lanny Becker said that along with the MADD program, he has put posters up in the halls of the school reminding the students that prom night is something to remember, not something to miss by passing out.

Whitehouse High School will take part in the Shattered Dreams program, just prior to their prom. Shattered Dreams involves the dramatization of an alcohol-related crash, complete with police and EMS response, emergency room treatment, family notifications, and the arrest and booking of the drunk driver.

Throughout the day, students are removed from class by the Grim Reaper to symbolize the death of someone every 15 minutes at the hands of a driver under the influence. The event concludes with an assembly the next day.

The impact is meant to reach far beyond the students. It is designed to reach into their homes and their community.

"If these well meaning parents could be present at a fatality wreck scene and view the horror of often unrecognizable children who will not go home that night or ever again for that matter, they would not even think of allowing, or providing for these alcohol involved celebrations," Whitehouse Police Chief Rick Waller said. "Keep them truly safe folks. Let's try and keep them away from alcohol and drugs at least until they have a chance to mature and realize the real danger associated with these social actions."