I am writing today as both a community leader and a mom. April is National Alcohol Awareness month, an occasion to reflect on the impact of alcohol, especially underage drinking, in the Fayette community.
The Georgia Department of Education conducts an annual Student Health Survey. In last year’s survey, more than two thirds of all 6th-12th graders responded statewide. The survey reported that 25.85 percent of 12th graders in Georgia have used alcohol in the last month.
But in Fayette County, that number is significantly higher, at 32.93 percent. (These numbers are consistent with local survey results.) This percentage of underage drinkers places Fayette County as the 27th highest county — among Georgia’s 159 counties — in the percent of our teens who drink alcohol.
And these children are not just sipping a beer while driving on the cart paths. Most of them are binge drinking, defined as consuming five or more drinks in one sitting. According to the same survey, 65 percent of the Fayette County youth who reported drinking in the last month have consumed five or more drinks in one sitting. And according to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, as kids gets older, they drink more.
This kind of teen drinking increases the likelihood of violence, drunk driving, sexual assault, risky sexual behavior, and alcohol poisoning. The impact is felt throughout families, schools, law enforcement, and entire communities.
Last fall, three Fayette County organizations worked together to conduct a local survey on underage drinking. Those organizations were AVPRIDE (a youth leadership development nonprofit); Fayette FACTOR (a Georgia Family Connections Partnership in our county); and the Fayette County School System. The survey was emailed to all Fayette County youth in the public school system ages 8th—12th grades, as well as their parents. Overall, 462 youth responded and 695 parents responded.
This parent/student survey produced compelling results. 52 percent of parents said that underage drinking was a large problem. Our youth agreed, with 51 percent stating underage drinking was a large problem. This certainly supports the idea that alcohol is an issue of concern.
However, 71 percent of Fayette County parents said they have had a conversation with their child about alcohol in the last 30 days. Only 38 percent of youth say they’ve had such a conversation with their parents. This is a huge disconnect.
Why the difference? Why do 71 percent of parents think they’ve had this conversation, but only 38 percent of students do?
Do parents only think they are having a conversation about alcohol? Is the conversation too “surface” and their kids don’t register it? Are our children not really listening?
In the coming months, we will hear more from other community leaders as they take the lead and continue the conversation about underage drinking in Fayette County. They are working to engage all stakeholders and give parents and law enforcement the tools they need to keep our children healthy and safe.
There is a lot at stake here. Let’s make sure we’re listening.
[Kim Learnard has lived in Peachtree City for 15 years. She is serving her second term as a City Council member. She has three grown children, ages 28, 27 and 20, who attended Fayette County public schools.]
