Link drinking privilege to course, graduation

I agree with your Aug. 9 editorial, “21 doesn't work; what will?” I also support a system that focuses on education and accountability that results in a reversal of our double standard of acquiring all legal rights/responsibilities of adulthood at age 18 except possession/ingestion of alcohol.

As a parent, I understand the concern of allowing 18-year-old high school students access to alcohol. I also am concerned with the number of teens who fail to graduate from high school, drop out or get lost in the system. Some view the academic and other subjects as having no value to their lives, some are bored and some want to get on with “real” life.

I would like to suggest a plan that would combine the Amethyst proposal to require completion of a comprehensive alcohol education course with the graduated driver's license and a high school diploma/ GED certificate. Under this system, the teen who completed the alcohol course, was 18 and earned a diploma could acquire a “special” driver's license allowing them to purchase and ingest alcohol. Don't graduate? Those teens can wait until they acquire a GED or turn 21, whichever comes first. I guarantee the promise of the special license will be incentive to get some kids to stay in school.

Iowa needs to be brave enough to refuse the

10 percent federal highway funds, choose to invest in education and give our police something more important to worry about than busting kids on the Ped Mall.

Kathy

McGill-Patience

Iowa City