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A story in the news this week pointed out how many youngsters are using
air freshener (of all things!) to achieve that high. Apparently, these
youngsters were saturating towels or cloths with air freshener and
breathing in the toxic fumes.
One young teen died from over-dosing on the poisonous product. He was
only 13. Just starting out his life as a teenager and young man. A time
to look forward to so many new things and experiences.
His own parents didn't realize the hazardous and potentially fatal
results this peculiar habit could have. They had caught the teen doing
this at one point, had a long discussion with him on the dangers of
breathing in this product and thought they had dealt with the situation
appropriately.
But apparently, the feeling he received from the product kept him
yearning to try it time and time again, until the very last time when it
proved fatal.
And just last week a story ran in newspapers and the news about
youngsters taking muscle relaxants at a local dance. Muscle relaxants!
Where do they find these type of pills? Are they that easy to acquire?
Luckily nobody died from this particular incident, but many were
hospitalized. The bad feeling lingered throughout the school with
students feeling fearful and remorseful. Fearful of what could have
happened, of how serious the situation could be and remorseful that they
were some of those students who were experimenting with such a lethal
drug.
We can't be there to protect our children all the time. We can only do
so much. But with peer pressure and yes, sometimes, adult pressure, on
these youngsters it doesn't make a parent's job any easier.
The most we can do is try to help them through the difficult teen years
and pray for the very best!
EDITOR'S NOTE: Rosie Flores is an Enterprise writer and editor of
Lifestyles and Golden Years. Her column appears each Wednesday.
So many people want to talk about how bad today's youth are, yet can
you honestly say they are all bad kids? Did you never rebel as a teen? I
did.
The school board and some of our teachers want to say our children are
trying to take over the school. Well, isn't the school for our children?
Don't they have rights just as adults have rights? Would you want
someone to stand in the door of a store and tell you that you can't
enter because your shorts are ½ inch too short? Or your dress? How about
not being allowed in because your shirt isn't tucked in? Where is
America's freedom? Where are our rights as parents, our children's right
to be individuals?
I was filed on and summoned to court for my child not attending school.
He was, indeed, absent for two days in February with a sore throat,
fever and congestion. I called the school and sent a note with him when
he returned to school. It was documented on the note that it had been
received the day of my son's return. Take note at this point, today I am
to appear in court to answer this charge (Mar. 4). When I went in today
I was told that I had been filed on because the note wasn't received
until 3-19-97. No, it's not a misprint, 3-19-97 is when they claim I
sent the note.
This has gone too far! I intend to be there for court today. The school
assures me I don't need to go, because they made a mistake. Well I am
going anyway. I can't afford to be arrested because they haven't
realized that we aren't far enough in the year to have passed the 19th
of March.
While I'm at it, why doesn't anyone complain because some teachers call
the kids losers and stupid? They want the kids to be clean shaven, then
all male adults working for the school should be too. If you want the
kids to toe the line, then I say make the teachers do the same.
There is to be a school board meeting March 20. I intend to be there.
If enough prents will voice their concerns, then maybe we will get
something done. Anyone can gripe and complain, but do you have enough
intestinal fortitude to stand up and be heard?
Don't get me wrong, we do have some teachers who genuinely care about
our kids and teaching. They know who they are!
-- Debra Millan
Corruption came to light at the highest level last week when Mexico's
drug czar, Gen. Jesus Gutierrez Rebollo, was fired and arrested for
suspicion of cooperating with a drug lord. ... President Ernesto Zedillo
called the episode a betrayal and promised that the offenders would be
punished. ...
Is the timing of the arrests just a coincidence or are the arrests a
sign of good faith? ... We must persuade President Zedillo to continue
the crackdown on corruption and to assist our fight against the
international drug trade. American lives are riding on it.
-- Lubbock (Texas) Avalanche-Journal
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