We all know that strict enforcement of the Athletic Code would be a huge step toward solving the problem. If the cool kids in jockdom have to choose between partying and sports, they and their parents would make different decisions then they do now. Janesville schools have been complicit in encouraging drinking by selective non-enforcement of their own Code. If Janesvillans would point out examples of this
preferential treatment, and teams were forced to play games with only the kids who obeyed the rules, there would be a sea change in behavior, and fewer tragic car crashes, and fewer teen alcoholics. Heck, we might even win our first Boys State Basketball trophy ( I mean Craig boys} , if the kids who deserve to play are allowed to play.

MakeItBetter, I completely agree with your statement. With me being 18 years old, underage drinking is a pretty big issue that I have had to deal with. I have parents that don’t condone me drinking, but they realize that just because they don’t want me to drink, doesn’t mean that I’m not going to. They tell me to be smart about drinking at parties, and to call them for a ride if I need one so I don’t drive with someone who has been drinking. They don’t do this because they want to be “cool”, they do this because it allows me to be safer.
I have multiple friends that their parents are extremely against underage drinking, and ironically enough, they happen to be the biggest drinkers out of all of my friends. One of them actually got a DUI because she couldn’t call her parents for a ride, when there was no one else that could.
I still don’t necessarily think that the legal drinking age should be lowered, but I do think that parents should open their eyes, and realize that if a teenager wants to drink, they are going to, regardless if the parents agree with it or not. So they should talk with their teen and tell them the risks of drinking and just tell them to do it responsibly if they choose to do it all.

It is the same old story.......people think that if kids are old enough to fight for our country they should be old enough to drink. Well, it is against the law to drink at l8. It is not against the law to join the military. If you don't think your child is old enough or mature enough try to talk him out of going in the service that young. There isn't a draft anymore!! Would you let your child shoplift? break into homes and steal? beat up people? No, those are against the law. Well, so is underage drinking. Parents need to tell their children they will be punished if drinking....if they are athletes the parents should turn them in. We need to teach our kids the life values and the need to follow rules and laws. I get so sick of the parents who say they let them drink at home because they won't be driving.....and most of those parents are letting kids that aren't theirs drive away. Ridiculous! Parents need to be responsible and raise responsible young adults. AND the police should do more ticketing of underage drinkers.

MakeItBetter said it best!

IDK our sons and daughters(18-20 year olds) can be in the military, fight to preserve our rights, die for our country, but they can not come home to have a drink with their loved ones! There is something very messed up with that!

I do agree with some of what has been said, as far as foreign countries not having this problem, but maybe their parents are more involved. Today's society is a "ME" society and that includes parents. I am just saying it is really time for parents to step up and be parents. I have an 18 year old daughter, who respects my opinion and now understands, why we had some of the rules we did. She sees what has happened to her peers. Just set an example for your children, isn't that what is the best for all involved????

I fully agree with MakeItBetter. By raising the drinking age from 18 to 19 to 21, in my opinion, it has only made the issue worse. Parents can be your friend but they also need to educate their children. Take a trip to a foreign country and see how invisible the issue is due to parental education and society. We let our 18 yr old drink with us in a foreign land and at functions back home. If you deny it, they will get it from someone else and could hurt someone. If you can monitor them, they see that you can have a few drinks and do not have to binge to have a great time.

We need to encourage underage drinking. Bright eyed students full of energy an enthusiasm aren't very likely to get a job at a restaurant, or some hard, dirty job. They'd all go to collage leaving us getting our own food, and changing our own oil. I'm just saying...

Our culture and laws regarding how young people mature and develop with regard to alcohol are disfunctional and unworkable. Do you really think it's reasonable to expect anyone in our society to not experiment with drinking at all, then suddenly start when they turn 21? We're a bunch of hypocrites!

Learning to control one's alcohol consumption to be able to avoid dangerous situations and become a responsible social drinker is something that takes time and usually involves getting puking drunk along the way. Our society needs to have a safe pathway for kids to learn that, and parental oversight of young people's drinking is probably the best option we have. Would you rather they sneak around and hang with bad elements for their first experiences? Would you rather they die from alcohol poisoning the first time they get a chance to indulge as a college freshman away from home?

The "okay to drink at 18" laws we baby boomers grew up with were not that bad. Neither are functions where parents monitor their kid's first experiences with alcohol for safety sake. We should be taking lessons from other countries on this. Mostly, instead of being prudes or hypocrites, we should be honest. The kids know the difference, just like you did when you were 16 or 18.

I agree. BUT, it isn't just underage drinking. As long as Wisconsin remains so alcohol-friendly in regards to consumption, kids won't change.

really I meant have party's for their kids.

There needs to be stiffer penalty's for parents who party with their kids.

I agree with you colran. A big problem with teenage drinking and parenting in general is the parents inability to realise they can't be their childs friend all the time. I call it permissive parenting. The children have control of the home and their parents. A parent should be the one to make rules and enforce them. I see to many children left to care for themselves and their younger siblings while mom or dad will buy them a laptop or expensive cloths to satisfy their need for interaction with them. It's frightening the lack of respect children have for adults these days and the lack of respect and relaistic love parents have for their children.Children now expect to be given what they want or their parents don't love them. I've seen children dictate what the groceries are to the extreme. They won't eat off brand food or drink off brand soda. Their parents have allowed them to relate love with money. As far as the drinking goes parents want to have them drink at home because they know what they are doig then and they are the cool parent. Instead of telling them about their own experiences or because of that they want to watch them do it. The same is said for drug abuse. Parents are still on the "If I tell them about my drug use in the past they will do drugs." sex is viewed the same way. What needs to happen is parents need to take the authority back in their relationships and they need to be honest with their kids. Stop buying them off and realise sometimes you have to be the bad to guy to do whats right for your child! Sorry my soapbox. :)

The Sheriff has little to do with getting underage drinkers to stop. This is really something that has to be dealt with at home. Many and I do mean many parents allow their kids to drink. A lot of parents host or turn a shoulder to kids parting at there house. Athletic codes established by smaller communities turn a blind eye when one of their athletes or group of athletes gets in trouble, because if they don't play, they don't have a team. I know this from experience. We as parents need to grow up and stop being "friends" to our children and start being parents. It is important that our children love us, but they don't always have to like us.