Drinking, dirty dancing end Severna Park dance

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SPHS - 2008-01-23 14:32:50

I graduated from SPHS in the early 90's and can attest to most of the negative comments made here. SPHS was and always will be a "party school" where children of the upper-middle class can lie, cheat, drink, and do drugs until their little hearts content without fear of major consequences. The primary reason why this is allowed to happen is THE PARENTS. Either the parents are out of touch with reality or they actually facilitate the illegal behavior for their kids. Thankfully, most of the teenagers I knew back when I was at SPHS eventually figured out how to say no or learned moderation with drinking and are successful adults today. Drinking in the U.S. is a rite of passage and I am certain this problem exists in a vast majority of high schools throughout the country.

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John F. - Severna Park, MD - Karma: Neutral

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Let em Dance - 2008-01-23 12:45:53

Underage drinking and drugs is and has been a huge problem with teens. It is also one that parents need to address and take responsibility for at home. It is also a very big part of high school and what makes graduation the right of passage that it is. I started SP in 1984 the year they change the drinking and when seniors could still purchase alcohol. If your son or daughter is in high school they are drinking and experimenting, if they are over 18 and can serve our country they should be allowed to drink legally! Many of us who are posting here have lived through the debauchery and booze of SP and several other boarding schools and have become the successful people that we are today by learning when to say when in High School. Parents today are clueless and need to wake to up! Your kids are and will drink, do drugs, and have sex all by the time they get out of high school it?s a fact. Parents trusting the faculty and teachers at a school to teach their kids responsibility and commonsense need to pull their heads out of their ass and discipline their kids. They should not rely on the closet hippies and alcoholics who teach them. This article references six kids that appeared drunk and other ?bad behavior?
In my years at SP I can count more than six teachers who were arrested and or fired from SP for drugs and alcohol. Where was the article and the pissed off parents then?

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curtis cook - san jose, CA - Karma: Neutral

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Remember being a teen? - 2008-01-22 12:45:05

I didn't realize that since I had left SP it had been taken over by Reverend Shaw Moore from Footlose.

I just don't understand why kids can't learn to make decisions on their own. Fact: Most teens drink and experiment with drugs. SPHS is NOTHING like any boarding school, St. Mary's or even Severn.

Here are some other facts for you... I was SGA President of SPHS. I was so wasted at homecoming my senior year that I puked all over the place and fell off the stage while crowning the queen. Has it effected me later in life? I'd have to say no. I make a good living in entertainment marketing, I graduated from college, I'm a published author and I've lived in Los Angeles for 14 years.

As far as the dancing goes... give me a break.

At the end of the day, let kids be kids. To mature, they need to figure out things by themselves. I completely agree with George on "if you're old enough to go to war, you're old enough to drink."

This isn't a new thing and it's NOT going to go away. Just because your kid is experiementing with liquor and dancing around like a jackass doesn't mean he's going to end up a waste.

Now everybody CUT LOOSE, FOOTLOOSE!

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Drew Stepek - los angeles, CA - Karma: Neutral

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Last Post - 2008-01-18 13:56:02

As a teenager, it's great to hear that parents are supporting something I believe in. Everyone needs to stand together against drinking! It can start with a few parents, that leads to more, and more, and more. Who knows what can happen? :)

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Z. Griffin - Arnold, MD - Karma: Neutral

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Not MA - 2008-01-18 11:27:44

Again, folks must be getting very consumed because I was misquoted again ! K Overman, Carrie G was who made the points that were trying to clarify, not me. :)

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M A - Severna Park, MD - Karma: Neutral

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Dear Students and Parents - 2008-01-18 08:21:59

Severna Park High School Students?..Grow-Up (R-E-S-P-E-C-T)
Severna Park High School Parents???Wake Up (Before it?s too Late)

It?s a shame that a few students at Severna Park High School are ruining it for
the rest of the students at the school. What I?m hearing and reading (Evening Capital)
about the activities surrounding the student body of Severna Park High School is disturbing me. There are mentions that the girls are dancing inappropriate at school sponsor dances, students are coming to the school sponsor dances drunk and students are
disrespecting the school faculty with foul language. What happen to the day when the students had the respect of their educators and all adults? I guess the Severna Park students feel that good ole Mommy and Daddy will stick up for them and get them out of trouble.
Now, for the parents of students at Severna Park High School and other schools. You need to be more in tune of your child and wake up before it?s too late. Most parents
are more concerned about being their child friend rather than their parent. PARENTS, it?s not ok for your child to drink when they are 16/17 years old. In case you didn?t know they changed the drinking age to 21 back in 1984. PARENTS, if you are willing, knowing and supplying alcohol to your children and their friends I hope you have a good lawyer. In closing, I asking all students at Severna Park High School to enjoy their years at the school, always have fun and get involved with school activities. This time of your life is precious and you don?t want to do anything that would harm you or someone else the rest of your or their life.

Concern Parent

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J. George - Severna Park, MD - Karma: Neutral

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SPHS - 2008-01-17 16:50:48

M A - Severna Park, MD

First of all the article is about SPHS specifically. Second no one is saying the problem is isolated to SPHS. What some of us were trying to point out is just how bad the issue is at SPHS and why it's as bad as it is and has been so for 22+ years if not longer. Allot of parents are fooling themselves thinking there kids are free of the problem or that the problem is no different or less then at other schools. The simple truth is SPHS has a long history of heavy drinking and drug use, mostly funded with money there parents gave them and except for incidents like this the parents are blind to it. Part of the problem is no one expects a school in an upper class area to have a huge drug problem. When you think of drugs in schools you immediately think, bad neighborhoods, inner city...yatta yatta yatta.. Yeah those places have bad problems but even those schools cant hold a candle to the sheer percentage of students using drugs in places like SPHS. The reason is that one group of kids have no money to buy them and the other group does. I have been in both types of schools and in my experience SPHS had the most drugs bar none. Less dealers but definitely more drugs and those who did the drugs doing them more often.

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K. Overman - arnold, DC - Karma: Neutral

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Missing the Mark - 2008-01-17 14:44:24

It seems some of these comments are missing the mark as where to lay blame. SPHS is not the only school who has teenagers who drink, do drugs or behave inappropriately. All schools deal with this behavior, as evident by teen drunk driving accidents and deaths. This isn't about Severna Park, money or this school. It's about the amount of responsibility kids are taught, or not taught, when it comes to making decisions and doing the right thing. I graduated from SPHS and operate with personal integrity and I teach my children, both in SP schools, that what trouble they get into is THEIR doing. They have to make the right choices that will keep them healthy and safe. Too many parents seem to think that they are the victim of their environment, allowing their children to grow up thinking it's never their fault. In reality, what happens to them is entirely their doing. Choosing to hang with the wrong crowd, choosing to drink that beer, choosing to get behind the wheel, choosing to do drugs... its all a choice. Teenagers in general, in SP, in Annapolis, DC or wherever, have to learn THEY are responsibile for themselves and making better choices is imperative for them to succeed. To continue posting comments about Severna Park as if this is isolated to SPHS is naive and ridiculous.

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Carrie G. - Millersville, MD - Karma: Neutral

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Final Thoughts - 2008-01-17 13:51:07

As a parent, the thing I have struggled with the most is other parents. A few of my kids friends have parents who have vehemently denied my desire to work together to stop the drinking. I have informed parents of their kids fake ID's, driving while intoxicated and in the end, I lost "friends" rather than gain concerned fellow parents. I have known of our kids to drink with their coaches present. I am grateful to not have any more kids coming through this school after my last one graduates. The school did the right thing. I do wonder why kids who were under the influence got in. Seems like a good time to pull them aside and call their folks. But overall, the school did the absolute right thing and shame on the teens who know better than to be disrespectful to people trying to keep them safe. As for people who say remember our youth - being disrespectful in school was absolutely NOT tolerated. I am not saying there was no drinking but I never remember ambulances or people showing their body parts off during the school dance.

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M A - Severna Park, MD - Karma: Neutral

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Thank-You - 2008-01-17 13:46:57

Thank-you very much for informing me that parents don't let their children drink. I'm very curious to wonder whether or not parents actually notice if their kids are drunk? Or what do they do? I am just wondering because I would think that it would be a give-away if your kid came home drunk.

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Z. Griffin - Arnold, MD - Karma: Neutral

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PARENTS WAKE UP - 2008-01-17 10:39:56

Parents need to wake up see what their kids are doing, whom they are hanging with ect.. DO YOU KNOW where your kids are & who they are hanging with? Severna Park & other schools (esp.RICH St.Mary's in annap.) have ALWAYS been know as a party school and drug haven!! Kids w/lots of money can afford to do it all!! A teen needs to have a good support system & good friends.
I stayed on my kids back during HS. I caught them in lies ect..They weren't perfect but they knew I was no one to mess with. I know of kids in the 80's who SOLD drugs & are well off because of it- they got a great start in life, & kids who dated their BHS teachers, kids did drugs IN CLASS in jr high,& had sex in the school. We had teachers whom drank in class- like we couldn't smell it. We also had a playboy bunny as a teacher. SOME screening process for teachers. And if kids have a will they will find a WAY! All of these issues w/ teachers and students is NOT NEW! Let's quit raising taxes & spend more on the school systems! OR QUALITY time with OUR kids!!

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L. Jonas - arnold, MD - Karma: Neutral

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k. overman- I agree - 2008-01-17 10:16:45

I agree 100% with you. I too grew up with more than my fair share of very WELL OFF families in Arnold. Rich kids whom had a fat allowance & everything handed to them! I CHOSE NOT to go with the in crowds & peer pressure. TO Z Griffin, Parents do not LET their kids drink. If they choose to drink & drug w/peers they will! I thank god for my strict parents & that I am still here unlike some of my friends! I thank god I taught my kids well & they listened!

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L. Jonas - arnold, MD - Karma: Neutral

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SPHS has never changed - 2008-01-17 08:47:04

I wrote a huge comment yesterday but it seems to have been nixed. Perhaps I revealed a little too much of SPHS sordid past. I attended SPHS from 86 to 90 and apparently nothing has changed. During that time SPHS made national news for its drug problem. My dad nearly pulled me out when he heard something on TV about it. The drug/alcohol problem was at epidemic proportions then and the reason was simple, kids with to much money. SPHS was full of kids from above average income families who had allowances that rivaled that of some part time jobs. It's really simple. If a teen has the means, there going to do it. You can talk to them all you want, or use scare tactics, or even threaten huge punishments. None of that matters, if they can, they will, and that?s just the way it is. Take away there money and you will remove allot of the problem. Not all but in SPHS case a good portion of it. When I attended the problem was not limited to the student?s either. Some of the staff had problems too. We kids had an unofficial cool and un-cool list of the staff. The excess money also had other ill effects beyond drugs and Alcohol but perhaps that?s another story. I think the parents should review there kids monetary situation and find out just how there using there money. When I was there all the partying was financed directly from fat allowances. I wouldn?t be surprised if that was still the case.

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K. Overman - arnold, DC - Karma: Neutral

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And the Dancing . . . . - 2008-01-17 07:29:12

I understand that each generation has their own style of dancing. Who wants to dance like their parents did? But as I sat in the car waiting for kids to come out, I watched students in the senior parking lot dancing outside their cars. Young women with their dresses hiked up around their waist, thongs exposed, grinding their rear ends into some young man's crotch. If this is what was going on under the lights in the senior parking lot, I shudder to think what occurred on the dance floor in the dark. Is this really dancing or foreplay? Again, good move to stop the dance and send 'em home. Ladies (and I use that term loosely) how will men ever respect you if you don't respect yourselves?

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K S F. - SP, MD - Karma: Neutral

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Just Curious - 2008-01-16 19:05:38

I would like to hear the side of parents who LET their children drink. Honestly, I am VERY glad that my parents disapprove of such behavior, and that they have taught me to keep friends sober. I think that this may have been able to have been taught due to the fact that I cannot ever recall them being drunk or drinking and driving. But I'm always curious why a parent would let their child drink. And i would recomend that if any parent does look at their child's facebook, that they check a tab called photos of you.

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Z. Griffin - Arnold, MD - Karma: Neutral

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SP Dance - 2008-01-16 11:14:06

As a parent of a freshman at SPHS, my fourth child to attend there, I can confirm the good, the bad and the ugly of drugs and drinking among our teens. First, while many teens drink, many do not. Good job to the students who attended the dance sober. You made a wise choice. I would also like to applaud the principal, Mr. Dykstra, for closing the dance down and sending kids home. Thank you. This sent a clear message to every teen there that if you or your friends drink, everyone pays the price. My husband and I had teens (mixed grades and ages) at our home both before and after the dance. Another couple helped us chaperone. This means nobody brings anything in, no bottles of water, no red cups which are easy to "mix" in alcohol, and you don't leave and come back. It means being present among the teens, talking with them and getting to know them. Chaperoning does not mean closing the basement door and hanging out upstairs. Yes, some of the teens who attended drink at other people's homes, but NOT at our home. We spell the rules out clearly. They played video games, danced, sang, took goofy pictures that I'm sure by now are posted all over facebook and myspace - they had a blast - without alcohol. I think sometimes they are surprised that so much fun can be had without drinking. Sure beats the heck out of puking in a trash can or in the bushes - how much fun is that?

If you want to know if your teen is drinking - the answer is as close as their facebook or myspace page. Take a look at it and look at a few of their friends pages - it's amazing what photos kids put on the internet. How do you get access to their page you may ask???? The next time your kid is on the internet tell them to go to their facebook or myspace and show you their pictures. You notice I said "tell" not "ask." This is a word parents need to employ more often.

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K S F. - SP, MD - Karma: Neutral

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SP Dance - 2008-01-16 10:01:35

Teens are in a period of discovery, who they are and what they'll be. Why would we simplify that experience to drunkenness, at any age? When else in your lives did you have the chance and time to explore so many options. It would be great if we used our experiences and talents to find other ways for our kids to have fun. What a kid learns to do now with his free time is what he'll take with him to college and beyond- let's keep them healthy and happy w/o booze.
Talk to them about what they need to know, hopefully no one gave their kid drugs to teach them they are illegal and unhealthy. They have the rest of their lives to drink, let's do something else now-

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Chris k. - arnold, MD - Karma: Neutral

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SP Dance - 2008-01-16 08:24:52

If people want to comment on my post, then please read what it says and don't comment on things it does not say. I said at least 15 years because that's all the time I have been here. I also said schools should receive respect. Doesn't anyone teach their kids respect. I don't expect the school to teach my kids those values. I say if we taught them, should we not expect them to apply them to officials of any sort. The school does not get that. Further more, if you think its okay to just nod at out of control drinking or you do NOT think that the drinking is out of control, you are sorely mistaken. Depression, drunk driving, unexplained accidents, DUI's that lead to suicide, please.... convince yourself because your posts will not convince me. It demonstrates further what I already believe. We have troubles. And folks like you are what scares me the most.

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M A - Severna Park, MD - Karma: Neutral

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M M in sp - 2008-01-15 21:26:02

I am not saying that these kids don't drink too much from time to time. I am not saying that drinking and driving is a terrible thing. I, myself, lost a cousin to a drunk driver. I think we have all been a victim of this horrible crime in some way. That is not what I am saying. I agree with the fact that many have turned their heads to the problem. I guess my comments were to the people that want to say that the school system is responsible for teaching these children respect. Like I said, it is something that needs to be taught in the home. Teachers are not paid enough to be parents to the ones they gave birth to let alone those that they face each morning at work. And you are correct in reminding me of the fact that the legal drinking age in this country is 21. PERIOD. I simple stated a fact that if the government will take an 18 yr old into the armed forces and allow them to carry a gun and kill if necessary, they should be allowed to have a drink. Due to the fact that this country has made such an issue of drinking, it is a problem. I was simple stating my opinion on the matter. I firmly believe that PARENTS are responsible for their children's actions. I firmly believe that children should listen to their love their parents. I firmly believe that children should fear their parents. The mixture of both will keep those children safe. If a child has been drilled about what is expected from them (and not from a parent that acts as though they have never been in the same situation)they WILL do the right thing.

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G. DUNCAN - SEVERNA PARK, MD - Karma: Neutral

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G. DUNCAN- - 2008-01-15 21:07:33

Maybe drinking and drugs have been ?a part of SPHS from the start?, but who says anyone should turn their backs on it because that's how it has always been?

The problem?I guess you haven?t noticed?is getting way out of control. Sure, high schoolers have always found ways to drink, but it is obscene how drunk these kids will get. They get extremely sloppy and it is just unhealthy. Many students were so drunk they couldn?t walk, they were passing out, and a couple needed ambulances called for them. Guess what most students did when the dance was ended early? They went to some houses in SP to go drink some more.

Besides being extremely drunk at the dance, many also drive while under the influence. Many take the ignorant route and tell themselves that the kids do not drive drunk. Well, they do. Don?t we stress all the time how terrible drunk driving is? We?ve had friends and family killed by drunk drivers, and we?re supposed to take this situation lightly? The fact is that after drinking, a lot of teenagers overestimate and think they?re perfectly fine to drive. When, in fact, they are not. But, that is another whole side issue to this one.

You give all these reasons that 18 year olds should be able to drink. First, many of these students aren?t even 18. Besides that, you say, ?Tell me you don't think that these individuals should be able to have a drink.? Well, first, these kids don?t really know how to just have ?one drink?, but that does not really matter one bit, because every person can have their own opinion, but guess what, IT IS ILLEGAL FOR ANYONE UNDER THE AGE OF 21 TO DRINK ALCOHOL IN THIS COUNTRY!

But you are correct in one thing, it is the parent?s responsibility to teach their kids right. Obviously, some have had a lapse in judgment, but this problem needs help from the whole community by now. Parents should also keep in mind that they are extremely liable if any kind of underage drinking takes place in their home.

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m m - Severna Park, MD - Karma: Neutral

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Not all of us drink! - 2008-01-15 19:23:45

I am one of FEW severna park students that does not drink. I find it very disappointing that students would drink. I would encourage every single parent to MAKE SURE that their child/children don't drink.

What is also very sad is that some students have been kicked out of dances for drinking, however, they always seem to show up at other dances.

Let's keep the student body straightedge. A term that means anti-drug, anti-alcohol, and anti-sex. I'm sure that many of you know this already though.

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Zachary G. - Arnold, MD - Karma: Neutral

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SP Dance - 2008-01-15 19:07:36

Wake up SP parents! Drinking and drugs have been a part of SPHS from the start. Children do want guidance. However they do not want to be raised by parents that do not remember their own youth. My parents raised 5 children (all great SPHS graduates). My parents were realistic. They knew that we would experiment. Their rules where that we did not get in the car after drinking and drive or ride with anyone else that had been drinking. We were to call them, NO QUESTIONS ASKED until the next day. We knew that we would be in more trouble once we got home than anything we faced by the police. My parents were not abusive. They just taught us that they were the boss. These kids (the seniors) are mostly 18 by the time of graduation. If they want to go to OC and celebrate, they should be able to. After all, most are on their way to college. Some paying their own way. Some going off to war to protect and defend this country. Tell me you don't think that these individuals should be able to have a drink. How about the 17 yr olds that are going to be able to vote in the primary elections because they will be 18 by the time November comes around. If the US government believes that an 18 yr old is of sound mind to help vote for our leader, they should certainly think that they are of sound mind to have an alcoholic beverage. Parents need to teach children responsibility. To ones self and to the community. To act as a responsible person. To realize that for every action there is consequences. As for respect and the schools being empowered to teach these children respect? If these children are not taught respect and responsiblity by the two people they are supposed to admire, respect, and fear the most, no school systme will be able to teach them that.

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G. DUNCAN - SEVERNA PARK, MD - Karma: Neutral

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SPHS DANCE - 2008-01-15 17:49:18

15 years? NO it's been going on far longer than that. My brothers went there in the 70's and we went there in the 80's and drinking, sex & drugs was all high school was about!!! It has never changed. I thank god my 2 kids made it thru HS safe. Where do kids get it? They get it from parents, friends and work, all it takes is money!!!!! So if your kids work or have a huge allowance, & they party ,they will spend their money on partying. We use to get into the local bars underage. I have seen more than my fair share of all the

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Lisa J. - arnold, MD - Karma: Neutral

Report Abuse or Vote In order to allow the user community the ability to collectively rank the value of comments posted on the Capital Gazette websites we have implemented a thumbs-up/down system. All logged-in users may participate by voting up/down each comment. If others vote on your comment, your individual score will go up/down depending on the votes. Initially, everyone starts with a score of zero, and must earn credits to have significant voting weight. Individuals with higher scores will have more voting weight.    0 0

SPHS - 2008-01-15 15:24:41

The moment my daughter walked into that HS 3 years ago her personality changed. Drinking and drugs is common use amoung that group. Have you checked out facebook this week? There are hundreds of photos from Saturday night and most of them are of kids drinking before and after the dance. Where are the kids getting the alcohol? The photos are taken in SP homes. Where are the parents? I have had multiple discussions with my daughter and her friends about drinking and drugs use. It's illegal period. They tell me EVERYONE is doing it. Well, after looking at facebook I am begining to believe them.

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marie n. - severna park, MD - Karma: Excellent

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SP Dance - 2008-01-15 14:54:16

Drinking and teens in Severna Park is and has been (for at least 15 years) a huge problem. I have had 4 teens go through that school and it worsens by the year. We need to work as a COMMUNITY to POLICE not only our own teens, but those of our neighbors. Follow up on their plans, call other parents. It is a shame. But parents, stop thinking it's okay to let teens drink. They do not make good choices and nothing good can come of it all. The school needs to be empowered to get respect as well. From what I hear, the kids would not be quiet. Does anyone teach their teens to respect others anymore ? It seems we have overly privileged teens in SP. This event is no surprise to me.

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M A - Severna Park, MD - Karma: Neutral