News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
The alcohol-related death of a 30-year-old Sisters woman at a party reportedly attended by many Sisters teens has raised concerns about under-age drinking in Sisters.
"We have to be proactive before we have another major tragedy," Dempsey said.
"It is just a matter of time before this happens to a 14-or-15 or 16-year old."
According to Dempsey, school counselors have talked to the police department.
"We may have a meeting with the parents of the kids involved and the police, because the story the parents are getting from their kids may not be true," Dempsey said. "Apparently a number of kids have told their parents that they were acting as the designated driver for the others."
Dempsey believes that more community education is needed, in addition to the schools' health curriculum, the DARE drug-and-alcohol education program and counseling.
And, he said, parents have to be more aware of what their children are doing.
"Parents need to know what their kids are doing and where they are at," Dempsey said. "If we don't get more parents aware, we will have another tragedy."
Debbie Newport, a counselor at the high school believes that the community has a stake in coming to grips with under-age drinking. As a parent and as somebody who is out driving, she said, "I have a cause to be concerned.
"At the very minimum, confrontation needs to take place," Newport said. "We know they don't always have designated drivers. We know they're driving on the streets.
"This is not just the kids' private issue; it's not just a school issue," she said. "Because I live in this community, I have a stake in this, too."
But increased community awareness -- and even tragedy -- does not seem to deter teens from drinking.
Dick Darst, principal of Crook County High School has had firsthand experience with students dying in alcohol-related accidents.
"I would say yes, the deaths have had an impact, but it has not made as much of a difference as we would have hoped," Darst told The Nugget.
"One boy was killed in a traffic accident in front of Redmond High," Darst said "He was well-liked, and there was much wailing about his death. There was a kegger a week after the funeral, attended by some of those wailing the loudest."
Darst does see some signs of progress.
"It is my sense that kids are more cognizant and parents are less likely to take us to task for getting on the kids about drinking," he said. "We had some kids we turned over to the police for coming to a school function after they had been drinking," he said. "The parents thought we overreacted, but when we asked if they would rather look the other way, they said `no, no.'"
Law enforcement is taking an increasingly tough stance on under-age drinking.
An under-21 driver can have his license revoked by the Department of Motor Vehicles if he or she shows any measurable blood-alcohol content when stopped by police.
And, according to the Deschutes County Sheriff's Department, a minor (under 18) could have his driving privileges suspended for one year for a minor-in-possession violation, although authorities report that provision is not often enforced.
The Sisters Police Department gives no breaks to minors in possession of alcohol.
"There is zero tolerance," Sisters Police Chief Dave Haynes said. "We don't give breaks to drunk drivers, we don't give breaks to MIPs, we don't give breaks to anybody in possession of... drugs.
"We don't have a policy of notifying mom and dad the first time. We're going to notify mom and dad, but we're going to notify them that their child's been cited."
But law enforcement and school officials alike acknowledge zero tolerance policies and increased awareness cannot change behavior overnight.
"We are making some headway," Principal Darst said, "and there is a focused effort to increase awareness, but we have not made a significant dent in behavior.
"It has taken a century for us to get here. It will take some time for us to get back, if we ever do."
Jim Cornelius is editor in chief of The Nugget and author of “Warriors of the Wildlands: True Tales of the Frontier Partisans.” A history buff, he explores frontier history across three centuries and several continents on his podcast, The Frontier Partisans. For more information visit www.frontierpartisans.com.
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