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Parents consuming beer and wine at a PTO sponsored event??
akeller May 21, 2012
The PTO at my daughter's public elementary school in Missouri recently hosted a school picnic on the school grounds and overflowing to the adjacent park. Much to my surprise, parents brought beer and wine to consume during the picnic. I couldn't believe what I was seeing!!! Is alcohol on school premises for a school-sanctioned event legal in Missouri?? Even if it is legal, is it appropriate??
TeacherParent June 9, 2012
Alcohol at picnics is suprising, even shocking, to some of us and to others it's a culturally embedded practice. I'm no youngster yet I'm still surprised when I visit some homes to find people routinely reaching for a beer as soon as they walk in the door from work. I'm just as surprised to be invited to a Sunday morning brunch and find my orange juice is spiked with vodka... and nobody asked me first.
Some folks drink beer like others of us drink water. For some, alcohol is an unquestioned part of every social activity. My parents were teetotalers so I'm likely outside the loop of what's commonly done.
And some places are more hard-drinking than others. Beer is very popular and drunk almost like water in some cities - St. Louis is a beer-making town... In Europe wine is served at lunch and dinner and in the presence of children.
But I'm with you - I would have been surprised and rather dismayed to see a PTO picnic include beer or wine - this isn't Europe. Is alchohol allowed on school grounds? Good question. Is it allowed in public parks? A google search should give you the answer to that.
Was the principal there? Ask the principal if it's allowed or if he/she just looks the other way.
People argue the issue both ways - Europeans say they have a lower rate of alcoholism than do we here precisely because they drink wine openly with their children present - they say their children learn that wine is to big drunk wisely and not to become drunk on wine.
I'm still with you but I'm not any bigger a fan of soda really and likely at the picnic children were drinking soda like water. Soda is doing our country as much harm as beer. In general, I've found schools and PTOs both to be very unresponsive to encouraging good health habits in children. What kind of shape were these parents in? 1 out of every 3 adult Americans is now obese and 2 out of every 3 Americans are overweight. Were the beer-drinking parents thin and able to put on a few pounds? Or did their appearance suggest a general disregard for their health?
I'd guess drinking beer at school picnics sadly goes hand in hard with the general lack of caring and regard we show for our health in America and for the health of our children. I'd still say it's not appropriate at any level but Americans get mighty riled up if they're denied something even if it's something that's bad for them.78860
pamb456 May 29, 2012
I've often joked that there should be a bar at our elementary school's carnival, but really, liquor shouldn't be at school sanctioned events, on or off school property, if kids are present.
First of all, it sends a bad message to our kids that mom and dad need to have alcohol to have a good time. It also goes against 'no drinking and driving' talks to have parents drive home after their kids have seen them have a drink or two.
I don't think alcohol is allowed on school property, which is why I'll bet most of the drinking was done in the adjacent park. I would think that the school could be sued if an accident were to occur involving a parent who had been drinking.
I would bring it up to the principal (was he/she present at the event?), anonymously, if you went, just to make them aware. Sometimes people just need to be reminded of the rules. If there is no rule against drinking at a school function, I'd be surprised.78673
MagnetMom May 22, 2012
Hi akeller,
That's a tough call. I know that our PTO has off-site, adult-only evenings, but nothing on the school site and nothing where there children are present is alcohol ever served.
You might want to bring it up with the principal, or the school board--not to penalize the parents who might not have known, but to clarify the law.
Good luck.78532
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