[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 77 (Thursday, April 20, 2000)]
[Presidential Documents]
[Pages 21111-21112]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-10002]


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                         Presidential Documents 
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  Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 77 / Thursday, April 20, 2000 / 
Presidential Documents  

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 Title 3--
 The President

[[Page 21111]]

                Proclamation 7291 of April 12, 2000

                
National D.A.R.E. Day, 2000

                By the President of the United States of America

                A Proclamation

                Children face many challenges in today's complex 
                society. Peer pressure to abuse drugs and alcohol; 
                negative influences in films, music, television, and 
                videos; school violence; gang activities; fear and low 
                self-esteem--any or all of these pressures can lead 
                young people to make unwise choices that can jeopardize 
                their future and even their lives. Since 1983, however, 
                there has been a strong positive influence in the lives 
                of America's children that is helping them to navigate 
                safely through these dangers and uncertainties: Drug 
                Abuse Resistance Education (D.A.R.E.).

                D.A.R.E. was developed jointly by the Los Angeles 
                Police Department and the Los Angeles Unified School 
                District and continues to draw its strength from 
                partnerships among law enforcement officials, schools, 
                parents, and communities. Under the program, specially 
                trained police officers conduct classroom lessons 
                designed to teach children from kindergarten through 
                the 12th grade how to make healthy choices, overcome 
                negative influences, avoid destructive behavior, and 
                resist the lure of drugs, alcohol, and tobacco.

                The D.A.R.E. curriculum has several components designed 
                to meet the changing needs of students as they mature. 
                From the visitation program for children in 
                kindergarten and the early elementary school years to 
                the core curriculum for highly vulnerable fifth and 
                sixth graders to reinforcement programs for middle 
                school, junior high, and senior high students, D.A.R.E. 
                helps young people of all ages develop the skills and 
                self-confidence to recognize and resist negative 
                influences. And this year, D.A.R.E. has pledged to use 
                a specialized curriculum to reach out to thousands of 
                parents and help them talk to their children about 
                drugs.

                My Administration is also taking forceful measures to 
                help our young people make the decision to reject 
                drugs. We are continuing to expand the unprecedented 
                National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign in order to 
                change the attitudes of an entire generation of young 
                people; a campaign that is working across all race, 
                gender, grade level, and income lines. The campaign is 
                already paying dividends for American families: studies 
                show that growing numbers of parents are talking to 
                their children about the dangers of drug use, and youth 
                drug use is down 13 percent in just one year. We have 
                also expanded the Safe and Drug-Free Schools program 
                and the Drug-Free Communities program.

                Through efforts like these and the commitment of 
                programs like D.A.R.E., we can ensure that America's 
                children have the skills, self-esteem, and guidance 
                they need to reject substance abuse and violence and to 
                create for themselves a bright and healthy future.

                NOW, THEREFORE, I, WILLIAM J. CLINTON, President of the 
                United States of America, by virtue of the authority 
                vested in me by the Constitution and laws of the United 
                States, do hereby proclaim April 13, 2000, as National 
                D.A.R.E. Day. I call upon our youth, parents, 
                educators, and all the people of the United States to 
                observe this day with appropriate programs and 
                activities.

[[Page 21112]]

                IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this 
                twelfth day of April, in the year of our Lord two 
                thousand, and of the Independence of the United States 
                of America the two hundred and twenty-fourth.

                    (Presidential Sig.)

[FR Doc. 00-10002
Filed 4-19-00; 8:45 am]
Billing code 3195-01-P