Some Howard County Parents Provide Alcohol to Teens. Would You?

Howard County Public Schools teacher Julia Jackson McCready poses this question in her blog: “Do you want to pay to be the cool parent?”

She notes that parents can be fined up to $2,500 for providing alcohol to teens, which is nothing compared to the potentially deadly consequences of teen drinking and driving.

The issue of parents providing alcohol to teens was recently raised at an HC Drug Free event held at Wilde Lake High School in Columbia, according to the Facebook page of Clarence Lam, a Columbia Democrat running for House District 12, which includes Columbia, Catonsville, Elkridge, Halethorpe, Arbutus, Lansdowne and the Baltimore Highlands.

On her blog, Village Green/Town Squared, McCready wrote:

“My parents never talked to me about alcohol. They decided to let me learn my own lessons. I got really sick a few times, but overall I was lucky. I wish my parents had talked to me. I wish they had shared their concerns and their values with me. As a teenager, I probably wouldn't have been remarkably receptive. But it would have added to my developing concepts of what is safe and what isn't.”

Howard County police said they don’t have statistics on how many parents provide alcohol to teens, but they are aware that it happens.

“Generally, parents are not at home when these parties go on, but on occasion we may learn that parents provided alcohol or had knowledge that alcohol was being consumed at their home,” said Howard County police spokeswoman Mary Phelan. “We know that some parents may condone the behavior as long as they don't leave the house, but we feel this is not the right thing to do and sends the wrong message to teens.” 

Tell us in comments: Do parents buy alcohol for their teens in Howard County? What do you think of this practice?

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