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SUGAR LAND – House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-Texas) hosted a back-to-school town hall on Thursday in Sugar Land to talk to students, parents, school officials, and members of the community about preventing drug use and rivalry among youth as the 2004-2005 school year approaches. He was joined by John Walters, director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy, and Robert Flores, administrator of the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention.

“Nothing can be done to bring Frederick Conner or Marsai Murry back, but we need to look at the factors involved in violence toward students – accidental or not – so we can prevent it from happening again,” DeLay said. “I believe our community can take on the challenge of drugs and violence in our midst. Our children need to believe in their own future and believe their lives matter.”

In recent months, Fort Bend County has seen two incidents of violence that took the lives of high school students Frederick Conner and Marsai Murry, leaving a harsh reminder of the dangers involved when students act violently. In addition to those losses, a June 2004 survey of Fort Bend students in grades 6-12 found that 11 percent of these students report taking part in gang-related activities. Fort Bend schools have also seen steadily increasing substance abuse among students in grades 6-12. DeLay organized the town hall to give parents, teachers, and community leaders an opportunity to hear what is being done to prevent the spread of drugs and violence in schools and to discuss further ways to combat these problems.

“As adults, we serve as role models for our youth – as parents, teachers, family members, and community leaders,” Flores said. “We have a responsibility to help each child develop his or her unique talents and abilities. The Department of Justice supports positive youth development through such programs as mentoring, Boys and Girls Clubs, and youth courts.”

Walters stressed the importance of early intervention by parents and friends whose loved ones are using drugs. Today’s marijuana is more potent than in the past, and Walters stressed that the drug is addictive and can be just as dangerous as other drugs.

“Teen drug use is not a rite of passage – it is an ‘experimentation’ with a serious disease, and it puts young people’s futures at risk,” Walters said. “Research shows that teens look to their friends and parents for help when it comes to drug problems. Parents and friends need to take action – early action – if they suspect or know a teen is using drugs. They cannot simply ignore the problem and hope it will go away.”

Attached is a photograph of the event.