The latest trend to
hit high schools is supervised teenage gambling at the Post Prom
School Party. Over the past few months I have received
numerous emails from parents, students and school faculty
expressing concern about the new alternative entertainment. In
all cases these people believe it would do more harm then good.
The concept became reality for students once the Post Prom
Committee voted to accept this new alternative entertainment.
This Post Prom
Committee believes this is safe night party for the High School
prom. The students who are taking part are between the ages of
sixteen and eighteen years old. Each student is able to
purchase fake money to gamble with and at the end of the night
they can trade this money in for prizes with at the end of the
night. Some parents believe this is a safe wonderful event for
their children. While others believe this is one area they
prefer their kids not be involved with.
One of the emails I
received was from a family who home schools their five
children. I was surprised since their kids were not involved.
She had explained to me that her daughter who is seventeen has
friends who attend the public school system. She went on to
tell me the negative behavior exhibited by these teens after the
event took place. In fact they taught her daughter how to play
black jack and poker. This is a good neighborhood that has
strong community ties. She also informed me that she not see
the difference between using fake money or real money when you
still have a chance to win a prize that has value. She believes
these teens are being educated on how to gamble, win and take
the easy way out.
People in favor of this gambling event, nicely told those who were
against it to have their teenager’s stay home. It was my
understanding the post prom parties were supposed to be for
everyone.
It surprised me that a school district finds gambling night an
acceptable behavior for our teenagers.
I have seen first hand the self destruction gambling can do to
teenagers and adults. It’s my belief that gambling should be
limited to people who are eighteen and over.
Another email was asking me for the specific statistics on the
negative impact on a teenager’s who attend a gambling event.
General statistics reflect a percentage of those in attendance
will develop a compulsive gambling addiction. Some of these
same students may become addicted at some point in their life.
I have found that addictions to gambling are not age sensitive.
People of any age who are gambling for the very first time
