Does this sound like something that should be taught in nursery schools?
CHILDREN under five are to be schooled in the dangers of drugs in a bid to "drug-proof" Scotland's youngest generation, The Scotsman can reveal. Infants will be introduced to the issue of illegal drugs while at nursery schools, and day centres for the first time.Nursery teachers will begin training on the use of educational packages for children early next year, under an initiative led by Scotland Against Drugs (SAD). The move follows the successful introduction of drugs education in primary schools in recent years.
Specific educational packages are likely to include concepts of "good" and "bad" medicine and also from whom it is safe to take medicine. Details about specific controlled drugs will not be taught.
Childcare staff will be taught how to deal with children whose parents are drug users.
Um, how will the staff know whose parents are drug users? Does the method include training children how to detect drug use in their parents? How likely is it that the definitions of "good" and "bad" drugs are subtly and properly defined, given that these definitions are being taught to kids still learning their ABC's?
Most importantly, is there research to suggest that learning about "good" and "bad" medication as a five-year-old will prevent later drug use? The Scotland Against Drugs website is down, but I found one online quote from the SAD gang which suggests that they're not so much interested in what the research actually shows as what the public perception of such research is. Which makes me wonder if their "scare 'em while they're young" approach actually has any research to back it up.
Posted by kswygert at July 18, 2005 12:38 PM