How Do I Talk to My Daughter About DRUGS & ALCOHOL?
By Dannah Gresh, founder of True Girl
It's time for me to tell a story that I didn't think I would ever share publicly. My hometown is being rocked by the death of a Penn State student, who would be alive today were it not for alcohol. My heart breaks for the parents as they face this horrific reality. The lives of students who were drinking with him, as well as those hazing him, are also forever changed. They are facing steep legal charges that will change the trajectory of their lives. I know the parents of some of those boys, bringing this all the closer home to my heart. None of them ever expected to be in this situation. I'm sorry that they are, and I'm praying for them often.
The grand jury report said that conduct in a "permissive atmosphere fostered by the Pennsylvania State University Interfraternity Council" led to Piazza's death. Penn State defends itself stating that "has one of the most aggressive student misconduct policies in the country and its off-campus policy pertaining to misconduct remains the most vigorous in the Big 10." Policies are only useful if they are enforced. As a parent of a Penn State grad, I'm grateful for many things about the university, but found it to fall woefully short in enforcing any kind of responsible and legal behavior for students when it came to alcohol. Here's my story and some things you should know about preparing your child.
