I would like to share with you all what happened to my lil boy Travis...

This past Friday he went on a field trip to the local police station-which I thought was going to be a good experience. He has been hating police officers since his father was arressted, so I saw this a a chance for him to see them as protectors and good people...Well, I was wrong! The trip consisted of, among other things, a tour of the "jail" (holdong cells) where the touring officer described the horrid conditions one must face if in prison. Some of the things Travis repeated to me were : you have to sleep on a hard metal bed, with no mattress, pillow, and blanket, you only get a little food and no drinks, and all you can do is sleep or use the toilet. Now , dont get me wrong I think it is a good idea to show kids what the consequences of bad choices can be BUT his class consists of 4 and 5 year olds first of all and no thought was given that these little kids may have a loved one in prison.. He came home very distraught and worried about how his daddy was living and no matter how much I reassured him , he just kept saying I was lying cause the policeman said that was how it was. Thankfully we went to visit Stephen the next day and he voiced his concerns to him and I thin he feels a bit better..but we were making progress on coping with this and now we are a few steps back :( I am going to speak with his teacher tomorrow (she knew his sensitivity to the subject) and I am planning on calling the police department and letting them know what kind of effect their trip in reality had on a 5 year old!!
I just wanted to share this and see what your thoughts on this were....

this is a good initiative....and I'm not sure if it's up to the police departement to look into the backgrounds of the children...they want to provide them to ever end up in prison. But it doesn't sound like they paid it any attention how young these children are.
And I believe it's up to his teacher in the first place, to think about this carefully. She should know that all this might upset a child who has a beloved one in prison. And especially since she knows about his sensitivity on this subject!! Did she ask permission to the parents if they want their child to take this tour?
When she didn't, she should have made it clear to the police officer who gave the tour that he should pay attention to the fact that some children had a parent in prison (not saying in particular who of course)

Good Grief Amelia that sounded more like one of those SCARED STRAIGHT programs. My daughter got in toruble at around 13 years old. I took her to a court appointed one. That poor girl cried and cried. She is a tender child and she felt so bad and scared for what she did I was not worried about her getting in trouble anymore. Some of the inmates where exsposing themselves. I didn't appreciate it I know teenagers didn't need to see that.
I thought at elementary ages they were teach8ing policmen were thier friend type programs.

I would diffently voice my opinion on this. To the principle and the school board. I would not justify my opinion because my child had a father in prison. Because that is none of thier business. That was just a bad program regardless.

If we can't teach children the truth about Christopher Columbus to that age child (he chopped off the hands of Indians that did not bring back gold....we have to wait until we go to college to learn that) why do they need to learn the insides of prison systems. Bad decsions on the Age appropiate teaching of this subject.

I agree that you should voice your opinions... "Scared Straight" programs were designed for defiant and resisitive teens that have already failed to respond to "less harsh" interventions... Interventions that are appropriate for adjudicated or delinquent older teens can be traumatic to a young child!!

I had to go to the scared straight program when I was 13.. It was not that bad for me because they took us to the men's prison.. Needless to say not much later I got into some trouble and was in the middle of a nasty trial.. Right before the end of it I escaped.. Then they put me in the women prison in PC until the end of the trial.. I was scared then, I am so hell bent about staying out of prison. It is no joke.

Four and Five year old are way to young to do this. Their imaginations and ability to understand reality is only that of a child. I am in shock that his scholl did this for children who are in kindergarden. I agree that the program is a good idea but I feel that it should be implimented for older children who can emotionally handle it.
Just my opinion.
Michelle

How terrible! Now a days teachers have to be especially careful about that kind of stuff. I have also wanted to let Brittany know that police are not bad people and that they are here to help keep people safe. I thought of taking her to a jail for a tour kind of thing but instead I have used social interaction with her which has worked well. Stuff like when they are at an event, we may go up and say hello, waving in the car, usually they are kind to her and that helps. She still gets a bit nervous but it is getting better.
kali

I THINK A LOT OF PARENTS HAVE MADE THE MISTAKE OF USING " IF YOU DO THAT YOULL GO TO JAIL" OR "THE POLICE WILL COME PICK YOU UP" AS A THREAT TO THEIR KIDS-AND NOW MANY KIDS SEE THE POLICE IN A TOTALLY NEGATIVE LIGHT- I THINK HAVING SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICERS AND DARE OFFICERS AND SIMILAR PROGRAMS HELPS KIDS TO SEE THAT THE POLICE ARE THE GOOD GUYS--NOT PEOPLE OUT TO GET THEM

I am thinking of taking him myself to talk to some officers so he can see that things arent so bad...maybe talk to the guard I am friendly with over where Stephen is...

I think dare sucks....personally. When the time comes for them to address my daughter in school I will either take her from class or ask that she use the library. Her father is serving 17 years in prison for drugs and no matter what his situation is I will not have anyone say he is a bad person, that is her dad, no matter what. PLUS, stats show that the dare program is not very effective at all, so why bother. I will teach my own child about drugs and the consequences.
kali
I guess I just feel that it is my job to teach right from wrong and morals and values.

RON IS ALSO AN ADDICT AND IS IN PRISON FOR CHARGES RELATED TO HIS ADDICTION BUT I DO NOT THINK THE DARE PROGRAM TELLS KIDS THAT ADDICTS/ALCOHOLICS ARE "BAD PEOPLE' BUT RATHER THAT USING IS A "BAD DECISION". I CAN ONLY SPEAK FROM MY EXPERIENCE WITH THE PROGRAMS IN MY CHILDREN'S SCHOOL BUT I THINK THE PROGRAMS THERE ARE POSITIVE . I AGREE WITH YOU THAT IT IS THE PARENTS' RESPONSIBILITY TO INFORM AND GUIDE THEIR CHILDREN, BUT ALL KIDS ARE NOT FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO HAVE PARENTS WHO FEEL THAT WAY, ARE AROUND OR EVEN COMPETENT TO DO SO, SO THESE KIDS NEED OTHER PEOPLE TO LET THEM KNOW-THE LOGICAL PLACE IMO IS SCHOOL-KIDS WHOSE PARENTS ARE IN ACTIVE ADDICTION ARE NOT GOING TO KNOW A BETTER WAY UNLESS SOMEONE TELLS THEM-AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE, AGAIN IMO, IS THE MOST PREVALENT PROBLEM IN SOCIETY TODAY IMPACTING MANY, MANY LIVES--INCLUDING MINE.