X Buckeyes07 X;1701050; said:
My issue with this argument is the fact that he was going to head off to college in but a few short months. You have to take the training wheels off at some point (or just have them forced off when your kid heads off to school), and I really thinkalcohol is just one of those things where you're going to sink or swim, regardless of what your parents did prior to you getting on your own. It's unfortunate because when you 'sink' it can be deadly as we saw here, but I really think that's just the way it is. My parents tried to decrease this to a certain degree by offering to let me drink in our home (provided I wasn't driving later), but even if they hadn't allowed me to go on that trip to Florida, I would've still had that experience of mass over-consumption prior to learning my limits. Only difference is it would've occurred at school, where while there are no balconies, I could have just as easily gotten hit by a car after stumbling into the road or get in trouble with the law, and in turn get in trouble with the university. Hell, just a year or two ago a kid who had his first experience of drinking way too much fell out a window at my school. While obviously no one will say it now given the outcome, would it be that outlandish for his parents to think that spring break was a good place for Matt to get it out of his system before college so once he got to ND he would have a better understanding of his limits and not get belligerent to the point where he would jeopardize his football career via arrests, etc.?
First, since I haven't posted in this thread yet, I would like to extend my condolences to the James family.
Now to the issue being discussed:
I'm 24 and just graduated from tOSU 2 years ago. I went down to PCB twice for spring break while at tOSU. Any parent who is letting their 17 year old go down there with a bunch of other 17 year olds for SB is acting irresponsibly/naively IMO. You used taking the training wheels off a bike for a metaphor, but I'll use skiing as one. Partying at PCB as a "first big drinking/get it out of your system" experience is like going down a Black Diamond Hill for your first real skiing experience. It's just a terrible idea that's bound to turn out horribly if you aren't careful (and who on SB is).
I (like many others) started drinking before I could even drive in HS. I've been to Mardi Gras, I've been to 40 keggers at TOSU, I interned (and lived right after graduating) in Manhattan. PCB trumps them all in by quite a bit when it comes to outlandish and drunken behavior exhibited by all/terrible decision making made by people in attendance (mainly due to the fact that it's a week long binge by people who don't get enough to eat or sleep during the week and are out in the sun all day). I mean, most of those kids that go down with St. X will probably drink more in the week there than they have in their entire lives. Most people down there literally drink from the time they hit the beach until they pass out at night, and when you get a bunch of drunken idiots together (and let's face it, 90% of us are plain idiots when [censored]faced), then drunken idiot shenanigans occur, which are often the opposite of safe.
Factor that with the fact that a lot of said idiots drive around at some point in the day, there are townies that will try to rob you (after coming into your room to party), that there are hot tubs, pools and an ocean for drunken people to stumble into and that a lot of those hotels have open balconies, and the chance for serious trouble is there that doesn't really exist (at least not in the same quantities but mostly not at all) on college campuses. Now throw in the fact that not only do most 17 year olds not know their own limits, but few have any good idea what to do if one of their friends is overly-intoxicated. If the chaparones have little to no contact with the group (which most of what I've read/heard seems to suggest), then I am truly amazed that something like this hasn't happened before to the group.
Look, my point isn't that the parents should try and keep their kid away from alcohol at all costs (but it certainly is not their job to build up their kid's tolerance or experience either, since it is illegal anyways). And I don't think they should be crucified for letting their kids go on SB (this tragedy is far more punishment than anyone deserves for such a decision). What I am saying is that allowing underage, inexperienced and impressionable kids (and they are indeed still kids) go to a place like PCB where alcohol over-consumption is a near certainty and there are serious dangers present as well, is not responsible parenting IMO.