San Benito High School is grieving at the loss of two former
high school students as a result of a driving accident Saturday,
Dec. 6. Any accident has severe repercussions, but a driving
accident with fatalities changes the lives of all involved.
San Benito High School is grieving at the loss of two former high school students as a result of a driving accident Saturday, Dec. 6. Any accident has severe repercussions, but a driving accident with fatalities changes the lives of all involved.
The victims of this type of accident are all community members: young people who closely identify with the people involved in the accident itself; family members including brother and sisters, parents, uncles and aunts and grandparents. Emergency service personnel who served the injured are deeply affected by this tragedy. Teachers, classified staff, administrators and students who know and love the young people involved in the accident, as well as faith based organizations, all assist in handling the grief resulting from this tragedy. Any parents who picture their children as potential participants in any accident feel the hurt of those directly affected by the young people involved in the accident.
San Benito High School District is committed to making this county safer for adolescents. Efforts are being made to prevent unsafe driving and young people’s use of illegal drugs and alcohol. However, schools and parents cannot protect each young person without the support of the entire community.
One of the ways the Hollister community can assist in keeping our teens safe is to help stop underage drinking. Alcohol use is deeply rooted in American society with underage drinking being a significant factor in traffic fatalities, suicide, violent crimes and academic failure. Drug use and underage drinking have turned into a $53 billion problem that needs a society-wide treatment.
An initial step to curb underage drinking is to have aggressive efforts to detect and stop underage drinking parties. Our children are our most precious resources. Whenever their health and safety is within our control, parents, guardians and family members and friends together can support each other. It is exceptionally important to demonstrate to our young adults that they can have drug free parties that are safe, fun and healthy and teach them that it is not cool to cause a death in an avoidable accident. Each parent/guardian offering the same message that underage drinking is not acceptable will provide the basis for a solid prevention program, starting from home values and moving into the community.
The driving tragedy of Dec. 6 can serve as a clear warning of potential dangers or it can be the clear beginning for a change in community support for safe driving and stopping any illegal behavior, including underage drinking. By working together, community support for a safe community environment can be an outcome of this tragedy.
Jean Burns Slater,
San Benito High School District
