Parent Post: The point of the whole post is being missed.  The after prom was awesome!  The committee did a great job!  If your child attended, good for them!  If not, I hope they had a good, safe time at the event they attended, if any.

The whole issue of Board Member's having/hosting parties is really off the original topic and is taking away from the credit the after prom committee really deserves.  Either save that for next year's elections or start a different posting and just congratulate the after prom committee for a job well done!!

My son attended after prom and loved it!  He also attended the prom itself and didn't not care so much for it.  Every kid likes different things.  The great thing about after prom was it had activities for everyone in a safe environment.  If your child wanted to leave prior to the end of the event, the parents were called first. If your child purchased a ticket and didn't show, the parents were called.  I think it was a great way to provide a fun activity and keep everyone safe and accounted for.  I applaud all the parents involved and kids who chose to attend.

Student Post: Wow! As a student I almost can't believe what I read by some of the parents sometimes. This "concerned" parent says she is concerned about the well-being of all of the kids yet she is gossiping about 2 specific board members. Anyone who reads this knows exactly who she is talking about and the students and most parents who read this know ALL of the kids they are grouping together as drinkers. Now anyone who is friends with these kids is assumed to have been drinking that night. Just gotta love the Deer Creek Parents! They wonder why there are so many problems at the school and all they need to do is take a quick look in the mirror. To me, gossip is bullying. I bet the parent who sent in the original post has taught their child by example how to gossip. Is drinking a problem? Yes! Is it illegal? Yes! Does that mean that our parents should start rumors and spread gossip about kids they think were drinking that night? NO!

For everyone who has been following this topic, please stop taking your "not liking" a few board members out on their kids. Their kids read this and it is hurtful.

I just wish that some parents would grow up!
 

Parent Post: It doesn't matter what I say, with any amount of facts I present.  Rumors are so much fun to believe, aren't they?  Rumors sell.  If I had videotape of the entrances the the homes in question people still wouldn't believe me, (the truth isn't fun and juicy) 8 hours of mosquitoes around a porch light isn't that interesting, but that's what you would get.  If you're so concerned, do a stakeout, any day any time, the Denton's don't live in a gated neighborhood and you can be on the lookout for that pesky raccoon, they've been trying to run him off for weeks.
 

Our Reply: To the Student Post.  We are sorry that some people’s feelings may be hurt and we are sorry if people are using this topic to vent their frustrations at a couple of board members.  But we will not apologize if the actions by all keep one student from being killed in a drunken driving accident.  We will not apologize if it keeps one student from becoming an alcoholic or drug addict.  We were all in your shoes once, when we felt invincible and that we would live forever.  Unfortunately the statistics (http://www.sadd.org/stats.htm#impaired ) say differently.

So with that said how do you curtail a problem?  You make people aware of it.  How do you stop a problem?  You try to eliminate the cause and not treat the symptoms.  But none of that will happen if we can’t cut it off at the source.  We need to eliminate the supply of alcohol to the teenagers.  Where do they get it from?

• Parents (Intentionally and Unintentionally)
• Siblings
• Friends that are over 21
• Friends that are under 21
• Stores that sell to minors
• And other ways we don’t even know about

If we work together, parents and students, we can achieve results beyond our imagination.  If our conversations get reduced to talking about raccoons and mosquitoes then we are destined to fail.  We do appreciate you holding the mirror up to our faces to help us get back on track and refocused on what is important.  Instead of focusing on the symptoms, we need to keep our sights on trying to eliminate the problem. 

Sometimes what will be said may not be very flattering to those involved but it should not keep us from doing what is necessary.  Other times you have to let people know you are aware of what they may be doing.  The fear of being caught may be the best preventative practice to get people to stop doing what they are doing.  Whether we like it or not, this may be a case where the end will justify the means. 

In the end, we all should strive for having you and your friends live long healthy lives and not become another morbid statistic.

Parent Post: I don't disagree with you that they do exist, (parties) however to accuse with the only evidence you have is a rumor and in this case a false rumor is "salon talk".  My head wasn't in the sand prom night, I was observant enough to observe and learn that the poeple "concerned parent" accused didn't host any after prom party.  Let's save the spreading of rumors for the kids, that's what they do.  The parents getting involved spreading rumors, making false accusations, is childish.  This all makes for an interesting topic.  Before the internet and anyomous posting rumor sites, rumors could be traced (with enough effort), now they just fly freely with no accountabilty and virtually now way to address the people that start them.  Our society (Deer Creek) has stepped up the rumor mill to a high-speed manufacturing operation.  The good information this site provides is beneficial but the spineless people that spread lies on this site make it what it is- a modern day version of a 1950's beauty salon.

 
Our Reply: You say there is no evidence, so I guess all of the kids that attended and their families are lying?  You discount what those people are saying because you refuse to believe it since your friends say it isn’t true. That is true salon talk at its best.

You call them rumors because the people associated with them say it is not true even though multiple people say it is because they attended them.  For the record Shelley Denton and Danny Barnes outright lied before a school board meeting when they said “They would like to allow the patrons to speak but it is against the law to do so.”  There is no such law.  If they lied once to protect their actions then, is it not totally out of the realm of possibility they would lie again?  To put blind faith in individuals that have lied in the past would be nothing more than burying your head in the sand.

As can been seen with you, addressing people who blindly accept facts because that is what they want to do is a waste of time.  No matter what is presented, individuals such as yourself will not open their minds to see that there are possibly more sides to a story than what your friends told you. 

The Internet has allowed individuals on multiple sides of an issue to address those issues to a larger audience than in the past.  As seen with this site everybody is allowed to post their side of any issue so that the entire group can hear the different perspectives on an story instead of what information the person relaying the message deems factual.  Now multiple perspectives of an issue can be presented instead of just one.  That is the point and value of this website.

Parent Post: Hey, if your kid didn't attend the private after-prom party why get so offended?  It is a shame that the truth about the house it was held at doesn't come out.  No, I wasn't there, so I can't say for sure...I've never seen a million dollar bills either, but I know they exist...

I will always be concerned about the safety of my kids, as well as others, when underage drinking is allowed by some parents.

Still A Concerned Parent
 

Our Reply: While we realize you probably didn’t mean to, but in your email you categorized every kid. But with that said it should not take away from your point about the parties with alcohol.  Since we were not there we can’t say for sure that it happened but to blindly believe that they don’t happen is ignorant. 

Think back to your high school days. Have teens changed that much? How many parties were held then where alcohol was served? We only heard of the one party but we wouldn't be surprised that there were others.

Underage drinking has been a problem for a very long time even before most of us were in high school.  To dismiss talking about the subject by calling it ‘salon talk’ is just plain ignorant. I recently substituted at the high school and listened to students talk about who is doing drugs as you and I would talk about the weather.  That is frightening.

Can we put a stop to drug and alcohol abuse?  Probably not entirely but that doesn’t mean we should put our heads in the sand and pretend nothing is happening.  The parents need to talk to each other about what’s going on because our kids may not be as forthcoming.

Parent Post 1: Why would you even say stuff like that? You should have just stopped at the congratulating the parents for a great after prom.

My daughter did not attend after prom, they were not drinking, they came home and went to bed. Please stop grouping all kids together. Some kids just don't enjoy that type of event, it doesn't mean they are "too Cool" to attend.

You say you are a concerned parent but what you really mean is "a concerned about everyone elses kids parent". Mind your own business. Unless you know for a fact what the kids that did not attend after prom were doing, and I mean fact, not just hearsay, than stop talking about it! My guess from reading your post would be jealousy!
 

Parent Post 2: Get a life!  I'm so sorry to disappoint you.  Now I'll answer your question to whether there were parties at an ex-board member's house or current board member's house.  Answer:  There wasn't any!  Take your slander and salon talk elsewhere, gets some facts then post something useful.  I encourage you to ask your child or anyone else to verify these facts.  Until then, shut up!

Or, If you have fell like growing a backbone temporarily call and ask the people you accuse, yourself.  Better yet, interview the neighbors, show your true colors and mission.  Whatever that is.
 

2nd Post from Same parent: Not all of the kids that didn't go to the after prom were out drinking. Some went home, some went places and had innocent, supervised, legal fun.  But with no evidence you come to this site to label, accuse, make fun and tease the kids that didn't go to the after prom.  I teach my kids not to make fun of other kids.  I don't know what you teach your kids but your actions are irresponsible.  It is very ironic that you also refer to yourself as a concerned parent.  My concern is that my kids may be exposed to someone like you at school or school sponsored event.  I think you should save your concern for your own children, they are going to need it having you as an example.  There was an interesting post on here about cyber-bulling, maybe you should read it and leave the kids alone.

Parent Post: CONGRATULATIONS AFTER-PROM COMMITTEE!!  Another great year of fun activities, food, prizes and, most importantly, a safe place for our kids to go after the Prom.  No surprise the kids that think their "too cool" and would rather drink didn't show...just wonder which board members, or ex-board member's house, the party was at.  When is the truth going to come out that our great leader condones drinking and serving minors at his house?  Another reason to boot 'em out of office!

Concerned Parent