Originally Posted by Alex

"Monday morning last month, highway patrol officers visited 20 classrooms at El Camino High School to announce some horrible news: Students had been killed in car wrecks over the weekend.

Classmates wept. Some became hysterical.

A few hours and many tears later, though, the pain turned to fury when the teenagers learned that it was all a hoax — a scared-straight exercise designed by school officials to dramatize the consequences of drinking and driving."

"'They were traumatized, but we wanted them to be traumatized,' said guidance counselor Lori Tauber. 'That's how they get the message.'"


Playing with students emotions by using death is going too far. The same lesson could have been taught using less abrasive means. Shame on them.

Is it an appropriate or cruel hoax?

Teachers defend shock tactics in teen drunk driving program / QCTimes.com