Teachers Defend Tactics In Hoax DUI Stunt

OCEANSIDE, Calif. — On a Monday morning last month, highway patrol officers visited 20 classrooms at El Camino High School to announce some horrible news: Several students had been killed in car wrecks over the weekend.
Classmates wept. Some became hysterical.
A few hours and many tears later, though, the pain turned to fury when the teenagers learned that it was all a hoax — a scared-straight exercise designed by school officials to dramatize the consequences of drinking and driving.
As seniors prepare for graduation parties Friday, school officials in the largely prosperous San Diego suburb are defending themselves against allegations they went too far.
At school assemblies, some students held up posters that read: "Death is real. Don't play with our emotions."
more: http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,366104,00.html

White Rain said:

OCEANSIDE, Calif. — On a Monday morning last month, highway patrol officers visited 20 classrooms at El Camino High School to announce some horrible news: Several students had been killed in car wrecks over the weekend.
Classmates wept. Some became hysterical.
A few hours and many tears later, though, the pain turned to fury when the teenagers learned that it was all a hoax — a scared-straight exercise designed by school officials to dramatize the consequences of drinking and driving.
As seniors prepare for graduation parties Friday, school officials in the largely prosperous San Diego suburb are defending themselves against allegations they went too far.
At school assemblies, some students held up posters that read: "Death is real. Don't play with our emotions."
more: http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,366104,00.html

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While I get the point, I wouldn't do this or sign off on doing it. It's cruel.

If a student did this, they'd be arrested and denied walking with the class at graduation. This was a cruel hoax and very unprofessional of the people who did it. Something like that happening would make me want to go get drunk instead of not drinking.

I understand that the school was concerned about drunk driving and thought that they might scare a lot of these youngsters away from driving under the influence but because it was so extreme I think a lot of those kids will go in the opposite direction and not believe what those in authority tell them about DUI any more.

OMG! That is one of the most cruel things I have ever heard of Professionals doing!! They would not have only gotten a call from me...my attorney would have been calling them, too. How DARE they subject those kids to such a horrific prank for whatever reason they felt they needed to!!! What if one of those kids had become so distraught they went into a restroom and slit their wrists?! Overdosed on pills?! Hung themselves in the locker room?! What in the HELL were those people thinking?! This just reaffirms for me that MADD (who I bet is really behind this horror) has gone too far.

Our High Schools have gotten grants from the CHP to do "Every 15 Minutes" which is a program about drinking and driving. Every 15 minutes someone is killed by a drunk driver. Students involved must turn in an essay, be selected, have parent approval, and attend counseling.

The students are in class and the grim reaper comes and removes a student (selected by their essay) every15 minutes, grim reaper bells ring throughout the school all day. Students know it is not real, BUT they move the students, usually between 24-30 of them to a hotel with their families. Cell phones are removed and students can't contact any friends. The get a sense of reality in that aspect. They get to miss 2 days of school.

During the few days this goes on, students erect memorials and leave notes at fake tombstones that are placed in the quad or lunch area for students to see. There is a re-enactment of an accident that takes place on the football field. Real cars that have been in accidents, students acting injured/dead, CHP, local police and fire, hospital, morgue, you name it. A "drunk student" is usually arrested and booked. (This is all filmed) Injured taken away by ambulance to hospital (we had a medi-vac helicoptor) Parents of students involved have to ID their child (great actors by the way) Driver goes to court, yes, our real courtroom.

Anyway, they show the film the next day (edited by our wonderful video dept) at an assembly. The students who are "dead" read speeches to their parents, which is basically like giving their own eulogy. Then the parents speak. It is truly heartbreaking and most of the students end up leaving the assembly in tears.

BUT - the one done 2 years ago at the school I worked at it was the star football player who acted as "drunk driver" actually showed up to his prom drunk! So much for setting an example huh?

I bought the dvd that year and a few months ago showed it to the TA's in my office. My son is ASB Pres. for this next year and will most likely be involved in the program. I don't want him to play the drunk driver and don't know if I could handle him being a student that's killed. All around heartbreaking.....

It's a great educational program but this schol just went about it all wrong!

That is just horrifying. What a cruel thing to do to these kids. It's sending them the wrong message. Plus how could the students trust the authority figures after this? When I was in school, we had the accident cars at school. Also, we had students dress up like they were dead and wear a sign around their neck with the name of a famous person killed by a drunk driver. It was an eye opener but not traumatizing.

If this just saved "one" life of one child, then it is worth it in my opinion.

Teens sometimes need the "shock" factor to get through to them.

Thank goodness the school did not have to inform the students that their friends and classmates would never ever come back to school because they were killed by a drunk driver. In reality. Good thing that students would not have to attend funerals for real. Because now they know, that this "was real" for a time and experienced what it is like not to "feel immortal".

Teens by nature take risks and by nature do not appreciate the consequences of those risks. Now they know what "one of those choices" mean and how it feels when risks are taken and the resulting "emotional" consequences.

I agree with CyberLaw. There are kids who think that this could never happen to them. What a wake up call this was. Thankfully it wasn't true but just to have that feeling for a moment, hopefully will stick with them. Maybe it will be something they will remember when they decide to drink. Finally a community is taking responsibility and givng a reality check to students before they go do something stupid. We had the every 15 minutes program at my school. They brought in the wrecked cars and the speakers. Unfortunately, you could see that kids were not taking it seriously and the consequences of drinking and driving never sunk in for some. A lot of kids saw that every 15 minute program as a free day at school or from school for those that were "taken". There were even parents who kept the kids home since they didn't want them to participate. My schoold recently had our 10 year reunion. Out of a class of 500+ students, at least 5 people from my class were killed in alcohol related accidents and at least 2 are in jail for alcohol related traffic deaths. If an approach like this would have helped at least one of those...... We can always say "what if".... It would be interesting to see the stats on this class several years from now.

5 years ago, my sister's best friend was killed by a drunk driver. She was stupid enough to get in a car with a guy who had been drinking. They all were 19 and at a party. The guy was going 100+ mph down a road. The road curved and he was going too fast around the curve. The car skidded and slammed head on into one of those huge concrete poles that hold up the freeway overpasses. Somehow, the driver survived. My sister's friend died on impact. The driver got 60 days in jail and served only 20. The private school that my sister's friend and the driver went to didn't believe in exposing the kids to the consequences of drinking and driving. There was no "every 15 minute" program, no videos, no speakers, etc. I don't know if that would have helped them but I can say that my sister was at that party and thankfully made the right decision and did not get in that car.

amazing that these people shape the minds of soon to be adults. we rage at how teens today do not show compassion. these teachers twisted the compassion these children felt for a lesson.

if i see a neighbors child playing in the front yard without a adult and decide it is risky behavior because children are abducted from their front yards all the time would i be supported for doing something similar. i ask the child to hide behind a bush and tell the mom her child was just kidnapped... then say surprise i was just kidding but look at the danger you put your child in.. would anyone say it was worth it or would they say i should be locked up?

CyberLaw said:

If this just saved "one" life of one child, then it is worth it in my opinion.

Teens sometimes need the "shock" factor to get through to them.

Thank goodness the school did not have to inform the students that their friends and classmates would never ever come back to school because they were killed by a drunk driver. In reality. Good thing that students would not have to attend funerals for real. Because now they know, that this "was real" for a time and experienced what it is like not to "feel immortal".

Teens by nature take risks and by nature do not appreciate the consequences of those risks. Now they know what "one of those choices" mean and how it feels when risks are taken and the resulting "emotional" consequences.

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I agree.

"Don't play with our emotions."..gimme a break

What is worse having a child abducted "for real" and teenagers dying for real then "a shock" lesson learned on how to prevent abduction and kids actually dying.

I would say: This was done in anticipation of Prom night. Who wants to read the headline the next day that 6 teens died on Prom night due to drinking and driving. Those kids will never come back to breathe on this planet, their lives were just starting, their future taken away.

Then "the paper prints a retraction" saying that it made a mistake that those kids are alive and well and looking forward to their future. Might make people think. In Canada the drinking and driving laws are "tough" and the deaths from drunk drivers is down. But I can't help but think of the students who left a party at the end of school and five kids died.

Again, a "problem" ignored is a crisis invited. Thank goodness the problem is not ignored.

rosario_c said:

Our High Schools have gotten grants from the CHP to do "Every 15 Minutes" which is a program about drinking and driving. Every 15 minutes someone is killed by a drunk driver. Students involved must turn in an essay, be selected, have parent approval, and attend counseling.

The students are in class and the grim reaper comes and removes a student (selected by their essay) every15 minutes, grim reaper bells ring throughout the school all day. Students know it is not real, BUT they move the students, usually between 24-30 of them to a hotel with their families. Cell phones are removed and students can't contact any friends. The get a sense of reality in that aspect. They get to miss 2 days of school.

During the few days this goes on, students erect memorials and leave notes at fake tombstones that are placed in the quad or lunch area for students to see. There is a re-enactment of an accident that takes place on the football field. Real cars that have been in accidents, students acting injured/dead, CHP, local police and fire, hospital, morgue, you name it. A "drunk student" is usually arrested and booked. (This is all filmed) Injured taken away by ambulance to hospital (we had a medi-vac helicoptor) Parents of students involved have to ID their child (great actors by the way) Driver goes to court, yes, our real courtroom.

Anyway, they show the film the next day (edited by our wonderful video dept) at an assembly. The students who are "dead" read speeches to their parents, which is basically like giving their own eulogy. Then the parents speak. It is truly heartbreaking and most of the students end up leaving the assembly in tears.

BUT - the one done 2 years ago at the school I worked at it was the star football player who acted as "drunk driver" actually showed up to his prom drunk! So much for setting an example huh?

I bought the dvd that year and a few months ago showed it to the TA's in my office. My son is ASB Pres. for this next year and will most likely be involved in the program. I don't want him to play the drunk driver and don't know if I could handle him being a student that's killed. All around heartbreaking.....

It's a great educational program but this schol just went about it all wrong!

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When I was teaching I actively fought against this program being used -- and I would have been just as ademantly against this as well. This is a complete waste of class time and an interuption to the things kids are SUPPOSED to be doing at school -- LEARNING ACADEMICS. Not only do you have a bunch of kids missing their work (don't care if it's supposed to be made up or be done while out -- I flunked two for a grading period over it) -- but you have the other kids acting up when their friends aren't there and most assume that while this is going on it's "free day" for them as well.

When you go and tell that a huge number of kids have died -- it sends the school almost into a shut-down mode. Look folks -- I DID lose close to 25 people in my own class, and there were MANY tears through out my middle and high school years. Three or four of the kids died in Drunk driving -- and two committed suicide after using different drugs. It took about a week each time for things to move back to a "normal" schedule and even then there were issues for some. I lost BOTH of my best friends in High school within a MONTH -- and I can tell you for sure that this was absolutely the cruelist thing they could do to these kids. I would probably have dropped out of school completely if this type of junk had happened to me -- I would not be able to handle that.

Sorry for the book, but losing people like that hits VERY close to home for me and I couldn't imagine how any idiot in a school system would think this is a good idea. I'm also sick and tired of people expecting the school to teach their kids life lessons like this -- that is the PARENT'S job.

kygal said:

When I was teaching I actively fought against this program being used -- and I would have been just as ademantly against this as well. This is a complete waste of class time and an interuption to the things kids are SUPPOSED to be doing at school -- LEARNING ACADEMICS. Not only do you have a bunch of kids missing their work (don't care if it's supposed to be made up or be done while out -- I flunked two for a grading period over it) -- but you have the other kids acting up when their friends aren't there and most assume that while this is going on it's "free day" for them as well.

When you go and tell that a huge number of kids have died -- it sends the school almost into a shut-down mode. Look folks -- I DID lose close to 25 people in my own class, and there were MANY tears through out my middle and high school years. Three or four of the kids died in Drunk driving -- and two committed suicide after using different drugs. It took about a week each time for things to move back to a "normal" schedule and even then there were issues for some. I lost BOTH of my best friends in High school within a MONTH -- and I can tell you for sure that this was absolutely the cruelist thing they could do to these kids. I would probably have dropped out of school completely if this type of junk had happened to me -- I would not be able to handle that.

Sorry for the book, but losing people like that hits VERY close to home for me and I couldn't imagine how any idiot in a school system would think this is a good idea. I'm also sick and tired of people expecting the school to teach their kids life lessons like this -- that is the PARENT'S job.

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I agree with you, too. I am officially on the fence I guess.

Add me to the officially on the fence group. I agree and disagree with this. We will know of the fury that comes out of this, but we will never know how many lives this may save. If it saves one life...

I find myself agreeing and disagreeing with both sides of the story.:waitasec::waitasec:

OK--- it was known to the kids in school in advance where I'm talking about. It wasn't sprung upon them cruelly. That i feel was wrong. Most of the kids I talked to thought it was an awesome program. During the program when they were re-enacting crash scenes and during the assembly the kids were paying attention and acting respectfully. If they had actedup, they would have been told to leave.

They only do it for the Jr and Sr's. Every other year so you either see it as a Junior or as a Senior. It doesn't interrupt the whole school. It was done to promote the dangers of drinking and driving and done around Prom and Graduation time.

I know that i am new to these forums. But i would like to let yall in on a clue. Have you ever heard of a dose of reality? Has anyone here ever had a friend or a loved one killed in a drunk driving accident? I am sure some of you have. When i was 17 my best friend was killed in a drinking and driving accident. And well i found out through my parents while i was at work. To be honest i only wish that they would have had somthing like this when i was a kid. Maybe wake some of these kids up, make them feel what every parnet that has a child that is driving age is scared to think of everytime they hear "MOM IM GOING OUT" ok no not my child thats alot of the response i have heard parents say. Ok well my parents were the "OH NOT MY CHILD" needless to say every weekend i was "spending the night" at my buddies house i was drinking. you know the same buddy that i was "spending the night" at is the one that is now dead. The only reason i was not with him the night he was killed is because i was playing in a football game! Aside from that i would have been with him! ok i had a dose of reality and well i stoped the drinking thing. now at 37 i dont "drink" now i do occasionally have a beer but not often. The area that i live in (south east texas) had somthing of a simular nature. several of the senior students were involved in it and no one knew. it is on youtube. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pwI3cWEtdTY i ask that you watch it. ok a little shock some tears a little freakin out. But if you could make a child and yes kids in high school are still children think about, maybe see, and or feel what you as a parent may ever have to go through wouldnt you do it? i for one would encourage this. If you could save one life maybe your own childs life would you? Or are you one of those parents that say "NOT MY CHILD" please understand i am not trying to make anyone mad on here and my heart goes out to any of you that has lost a child or a loved one in anyway shape or form. I just feel you can talk to someone till you are blue in the face with nothing sinking in, or maybe put them in a situation where the are faced with somthing so tramatic that it gets their attention. maybe they will think before they drink that beer or light up that joint. think about it

txsvicki said:

If a student did this, they'd be arrested and denied walking with the class at graduation. This was a cruel hoax and very unprofessional of the people who did it. Something like that happening would make me want to go get drunk instead of not drinking.

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Tell it like it is txsvicki.:clap:
I am appalled that the adults did that.
Imo, it is abusive and ill intentioned.

rosario_c said:

OK--- it was known to the kids in school in advance where I'm talking about. It wasn't sprung upon them cruelly. That i feel was wrong. Most of the kids I talked to thought it was an awesome program. During the program when they were re-enacting crash scenes and during the assembly the kids were paying attention and acting respectfully. If they had actedup, they would have been told to leave.
*SNIPPED

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It was also made known at the school I was at. But it still created complete havoc becuase of all the interuption to class and stuff. I believe here they have stopped doing it becuase of the amount of class time that was lost. I'm all for a program that gets the point across, but I also don't see the reasoning for making this take so much time out of class.

BLAINE said:

I know that i am new to these forums. But i would like to let yall in on a clue. Have you ever heard of a dose of reality? Has anyone here ever had a friend or a loved one killed in a drunk driving accident? I am sure some of you have. When i was 17 my best friend was killed in a drinking and driving accident. And well i found out through my parents while i was at work. To be honest i only wish that they would have had somthing like this when i was a kid. Maybe wake some of these kids up, make them feel what every parnet that has a child that is driving age is scared to think of everytime they hear "MOM IM GOING OUT" ok no not my child thats alot of the response i have heard parents say. Ok well my parents were the "OH NOT MY CHILD" needless to say every weekend i was "spending the night" at my buddies house i was drinking. you know the same buddy that i was "spending the night" at is the one that is now dead. The only reason i was not with him the night he was killed is because i was playing in a football game! Aside from that i would have been with him! ok i had a dose of reality and well i stoped the drinking thing. now at 37 i dont "drink" now i do occasionally have a beer but not often. The area that i live in (south east texas) had somthing of a simular nature. several of the senior students were involved in it and no one knew. it is on youtube. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pwI3cWEtdTY i ask that you watch it. ok a little shock some tears a little freakin out. But if you could make a child and yes kids in high school are still children think about, maybe see, and or feel what you as a parent may ever have to go through wouldnt you do it? i for one would encourage this. If you could save one life maybe your own childs life would you? Or are you one of those parents that say "NOT MY CHILD" please understand i am not trying to make anyone mad on here and my heart goes out to any of you that has lost a child or a loved one in anyway shape or form. I just feel you can talk to someone till you are blue in the face with nothing sinking in, or maybe put them in a situation where the are faced with somthing so tramatic that it gets their attention. maybe they will think before they drink that beer or light up that joint. think about it

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Blaine, I'm sorry about your friend. I lost both of my best friends in accidents less than three weeks apart -- one was hit IN HER OWN YARD by a drunk driver while riding a four-wheeler alongside the road in the grass. Another friend I've known since I was five "walked" into a train after drinking and smoking pot -- one of 25 kids we lost from grade 8 to Senior year! We didn't NEED this program to get the point across. But they did have it there -- and we thought it was a joke and excuse to get out of class. We didn't lose anyone on our prom night or graduation night either -- by then we had learned to be MUCH more careful with our lives and were quite aware that we are only here for a very short time.

ETA: Giraldo is talking about this RIGHT NOW on FNC...

kygal said:

It was also made known at the school I was at. But it still created complete havoc becuase of all the interuption to class and stuff. I believe here they have stopped doing it becuase of the amount of class time that was lost. I'm all for a program that gets the point across, but I also don't see the reasoning for making this take so much time out of class.



Blaine, I'm sorry about your friend. I lost both of my best friends in accidents less than three weeks apart -- one was hit IN HER OWN YARD by a drunk driver while riding a four-wheeler alongside the road in the grass. Another friend I've known since I was five "walked" into a train after drinking and smoking pot -- one of 25 kids we lost from grade 8 to Senior year! We didn't NEED this program to get the point across. But they did have it there -- and we thought it was a joke and excuse to get out of class. We didn't lose anyone on our prom night or graduation night either -- by then we had learned to be MUCH more careful with our lives and were quite aware that we are only here for a very short time.

ETA: Giraldo is talking about this RIGHT NOW on FNC...

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I to am sorry for the losses of your friends. Ok yall did not need the program but the reason i see is why need the program if case in point you and your classmates lived the real thing. I agree kids will be kids but from what i have heard it made a impression on the kids at this school. The area i live in just north of willis texas is a town called new waverly. I would be willing to bet that most of you in BIG towns has as many kids in your elementry as we have in both of these small towns whole school distrirct. You made quote sayin "we thought it was a joke and excuse to get out of class." ok but if you did not know about it would you make a joke out of it? if was just spring on you? not all the kids new what was going on. as for takin time out of the day well towards the end of the year what really goes on? not too much. take time out of the day. remember pep rallies? ok those took time out of the day. I am not tryin to sway anyone to think this is right. I beleave that is was somthing that may have helped some kids to make a better choice. TO be honest i would have much rather been told my best friend was killed in a accident. yes i would have been put into the state of shock i would have cried all the things that someone goes through in loosing someone they care deeply about. Then to find out he was infact alive and that is was somthing to get the point across. PISSED? oh yes very much so but i think i would have learned a lesson. Seems to me that no one has cared to mention that there were counselers and other ppl for the kids to talk to afterwards. If someone is to report on a topic make sure you get all the facts in every detail. All i know is if when my 11 yr old son gets to the age of driving i hope that he does not have to go through what you and i have with loosing friends. Also if i had just one shred of hope that showin him somthing like this would stop him from drinking and driven i would do it in a heart beat.

ok i will get off my soap box. i just guess its where your from is how you feel