In California the drinking age is 21. For kids at a lot of High Schools, that doesn’t mean very much. At Placer High School, students drink at events like Prom, and Senior Ball. Or, they will drink beforehand so they aren’t caught with bottles. But, even if they don’t have the bottles there in their hands, they still have it on their breath, and in their system. Placer High School has gotten into the habit of making sure there are police officers at each event, with Alcohol Readers.

Teenagers misuse drugs every now and then, but it seems like they go overboard on school events. Mixed with alcohol, these drugs could make for a crazy and unsafe night.

Why is drinking at these events such a bad thing? When asked, Yahoo answers said that 47% of accidents during school event times are due to students who have been drinking. It also said that 2,000 students die from drinking and driving, on just prom night alone, each year.

In addition to it being unsafe conditions to drive with, and for a person to ride with, Alcohol also is known to bringing out the anger in people that use it. On a website called Drinkaware , it says, “Alcohol reduces our ability to think straight,” says Professor McMurran, a psychologist at the University of Nottingham. “It narrows our focus of attention and gives us tunnel vision. If someone provokes us while we’re drunk, we don’t take other factors into account, such as the consequences of rising to the bait. This can lead to violent reactions from people who would usually shrug things off.” Why would someone,(a student) want to get drunk at, or before a school function, only to get aggravated, and start a fight? Then, not only are you on the school’s rules, but you also are going to read an alcohol level that will get you in trouble with the law. Why risk it?

When asked what they thought about kids drinking at school events, Senior Davis Jenkins answered, “As a result people make stupid choices. I wouldn’t do it because not only is it dangerous, but also I enjoy being sober.” Another senior, Stephanie Betrozoff answered, “I think if they are not harming other people it’s their decision. It’s not worth it because eventually it’s going to affect them in a negative way in the future.”

Some students might try to make the argument that they don’t get angry when using alcohol, so there’s no problem. Well, if that’s the argument, why would they even be going to the school event anyway? Take Prom for example; it’s a night that you only get once or twice: and if you’re drunk, or drinking, you most likely will not remember it. Therefore, drinking at that school event would erase any memories for going there in the first place.