The research the Partnership does to better understand the needs of parents is invaluable to our work. It is also frequently cited in the media, which gives a huge boost to our efforts to share what we’ve learned, especially with parents. On rare occasions, well-intentioned efforts to showcase our research don’t work out as planned. A USA Today "snapshot" on July 14th citing the 2008 Partnership/MetLife Parents Attitude Tracking Study fits that description, and we believe it’s critically important to clarify the significance of the data presented.

The numbers shown indicate that 66% of fathers and 78% of mothers disagree that “schools should have the main responsibility for educating teens about drug use.” These numbers reflect positively on parents’ willingness to take responsibility for educating their children about the risks of drug use and drinking. They do not indicate that parents regard schools as unimportant in the effort to keep their kids drug-free.

It is the combined effect of parents, communities, media initiatives and school-based programs such as Safe and Drug-Free Schools that has resulted in a sustained reduction in teen use of drugs and alcohol over the past ten years.