In a tough April 28 editorial entitled "Adults Required," the Worcester (MA) Telegram & Gazette criticized an area couple for allowing underage drinking to occur on their property -- and encouraged other parents to remain vigilant against the scourge of teen alcohol abuse:
Ronald and Susan Smits were arrested Friday night after police responded to their home, where they found one intoxicated teen wandering the yard, others sprinting into the woods, and dozens more in the basement. Some of the teens were drunk. Beer cans covered the top of the pool table. ...
Any of the dozens of young people present might have become the subject of a tragic headline the next morning. Responsible parents and homeowners cannot turn a blind eye to underage drinking.
It’s now up to the courts to remind the Smits of the responsibilities they seem to have forgotten. For thousands of other parents in Massachusetts, this incident should act as a reminder that supervision and saying no to your child is an essential part of being a parent, and one of the best ways to ensure that he or she makes it safely to adulthood.
Labels: teenagers, alcohol, substance_abuse
Posted By: Stefanie Hamilton