At my daughter's prom...

[SwedishMeatball]

they are going to be giving every person who walks through the door a breathalyzer. We've had 8 HS'ers die in car accidents in the past 2 years and most involved alcohol, so I guess they see this as part of the solution. My daughter said the kids are split about even on support of this. She said most drinking is done at after parties anyway.

 

[NMAmy]

Hmm...do you know what will they do if it shows they've been drinking?

 

[SwedishMeatball]

Hmm...do you know what will they do if it shows they've been drinking?

Wow, good question. I'm guessing call the parents to come pick them up. Maybe the details will be on the announcements when they call with the weekly recorded message.

 

[NMAmy]

Wow, good question. I'm guessing call the parents to come pick them up. Maybe the details will be on the announcements when they call with the weekly recorded message.

Yeah, I was thinking if they just deny them entrance into the prom that just sends them right back onto the roads.

I'm not against the breathalyzers but I think the important part of it will be how they handle those who have been drinking.

 

[kidzmom3]

they do this at our local high school. If you get caught, they call the police, you are kicked off all athletic and academic teams and you can lose your scholarships. They do not refund you the cost of any of your prom stuff (tickets/clothes etc...)

 

[LBAK]

That's a way of life at our school functions. Parents get a call and the don't walk down the aisle at graduation. All our kids know this ahead of time and it's just the way it is.

 

[korbbec]

It is a total waste of time and resources. They should get the kids coming out of the prom instead. There is not much they can do about the afterparties... but we were all teens once. I remember putting alcohol in hairspray bottles and spray-drinking it. It won't be a big deal to most teens to make it into the prom sober- it is coming out I would worry about. And honestly, I would rather have them enter the prom drunk and get sober throughout the evening than arrive sober and get drunk throughout the evening. Your school should rethink this.

 

[Laz]

We have been doing this in the school I teach at for years. Then the students are not allowed out of the dance. If they leave, they may not return for any reason. A police officer is present, and the students are subject to arrest if the breathalyzer confirms alcohol. It is out of the school's hands if the students drink after they leave the dance.

 

[Sandy V.]

Our school's been doing this for a couple of years now. They denied entrance to an entire limo full of kids last year when they failed the breathalyzer tests. Fine by me; the last thing prom-goers need is to deal with kids under the influence who can (potentially) ruin a great time for many others.

 

[pfishgirl]

DS won't even go to his Jr Prom
He isn't a drinker but he said they are giving you tests when you get there and tests when you leave. There are extra security hired as well as champerons (sp)
So he said he may as well stay home because being watched like on Parol, when he isn't even part of the problem, is Not his idea of fun.

I'm hoping he changes his mind. I'd hate to see him miss out of Prom

 

[autumnbaby9]

It is a total waste of time and resources. They should get the kids coming out of the prom instead. There is not much they can do about the afterparties... but we were all teens once. I remember putting alcohol in hairspray bottles and spray-drinking it. It won't be a big deal to most teens to make it into the prom sober- it is coming out I would worry about. And honestly, I would rather have them enter the prom drunk and get sober throughout the evening than arrive sober and get drunk throughout the evening. Your school should rethink this.

ITA

I have never understood why they do it before the dance and not after. The school can't do anything after the dance but they can make sure no student is leaving (and possibly driving) drunk.

 

[mamacatnv]

While a entry and/or exit test (I think it should be both) is not the absolute solution, we are all hard pressed to figure out what is and IMO any bit of deterent is worth the effort. If just one kid decides to not drink & drive because of the testing and makes it home safely then IMO it was effort worth expending.

We cannot stop their behavior in it's entirety so I think we need to take as many steps as reasonable to help keep them safe.

I'm sure testing would not deter my DS from attending an event. I agree with previous posters that the school needs to make sure they have a plan of action in place for kids who blow positive.

School police attend all functions around here and they don't just let the kids go, they are detained, parents are called, drivers licenses & extra curricular activities are all affected.

 

[debbi801]

they are going to be giving every person who walks through the door a breathalyzer. We've had 8 HS'ers die in car accidents in the past 2 years and most involved alcohol, so I guess they see this as part of the solution. My daughter said the kids are split about even on support of this. She said most drinking is done at after parties anyway.

Wow, that is an interesting concept. I'll be curious to see how it pans out, what they do wiht any kids that fail, etc.

Here too, the most drinking is done post-prom at parties. That is why most of the high schools now have locked-in parties that run from the time prom is over until like 6am the next morning. Once you're there, you cannot leave. The parties are generally at someplace like Dave and Buster's, the fair grounds, or a fire hall and have food, non-alcoholic drinks, music, games, door prizes, raffles, etc. There have been some really nice door prizes and raffles too--laptops, digital cameras, ipods, etc. They seem to really work as far as keeping the kids safe.

 

[autumnbaby9]

Wow, that is an interesting concept. I'll be curious to see how it pans out, what they do wiht any kids that fail, etc.

Here too, the most drinking is done post-prom at parties. That is why most of the high schools now have locked-in parties that run from the time prom is over until like 6am the next morning. Once you're there, you cannot leave. The parties are generally at someplace like Dave and Buster's, the fair grounds, or a fire hall and have food, non-alcoholic drinks, music, games, door prizes, raffles, etc. There have been some really nice door prizes and raffles too--laptops, digital cameras, ipods, etc. They seem to really work as far as keeping the kids safe.

That is what my school did after graduation. Once you came in you were not allowed to leave until 6 am (unless a parent had to pick y ou up for some reason) I came home with 4 or 5 really cool prizes and didn't miss drinking at all. Even the students that normally would go out and get trashed every weekend decided to go to the party.

 

[DisneyMommyMichelle]

I think they should be before and after as well. There were a couple people getting loaded at the prom back in the day when i was in school

 

[Cool-Beans]

At our prom, my friend's date was so drunk he tumbled down a flight of stairs. She was soo mad. And they were videotaping, so she still this gem to this day (they got married). So do I.

I always threaten him with it when he talks about his kids and drinking...If he gives them a hard time, I'll show them the tape. "There's your mom and dad coming in, and there's your drunken father missing the step - and tumbling down the stairs."

 

[speedydisteen]

they are going to be giving every person who walks through the door a breathalyzer. We've had 8 HS'ers die in car accidents in the past 2 years and most involved alcohol, so I guess they see this as part of the solution. My daughter said the kids are split about even on support of this. She said most drinking is done at after parties anyway.

That's right! About the breathalyzers I'm 15 and they do that all the time!

 

[The_Horned_King]

It's a fine idea...excpet that espically if the kids know they WILL wait until the afterparties.

Like your DD said thats where the drinking happens anyway and the school has no control over those.

 

[Pigeon]

I'd be encouraging my kids to skip the prom then.

 

[mamacatnv]

I'd be encouraging my kids to skip the prom then.

Because of the testing or the after prom drinking?