parents should be parents...

So I’ve been following this story about the 21-year-old SMU student who died of a drug overdose. Police officials found her body near Waco. Meghan Bosch’s parents have been pretty outspoken throughout this whole ordeal. Last Monday, her dad announced that school officials needs to better address substance abuse among students. In the past five months, three SMU students have died due to alcohol and/or drug abuse.

I think the dad is right. But at the same time on a collegiate level, there is only so much university officials can control. It’s not like its high school. The campus is spread out everywhere. Once your “child” hits 18 years old, your “child” isn’t really a child anymore. From the time we are in elementary school, we are taught to say “no” to drugs. Excuse me if I seem a bit insensitive, but Meghan Bosch chose to take those drugs herself. Maybe her family is in a bit of denial (which is understandable), but she was a 21-year-old woman. That’s an adult. If an adult wants to take drugs, an adult will find a way to get drugs.

Mr. Bosch said “drugs are woven into the Greek system and social fabric of the university.” While I believe the university has a responsibility to enforce the rules that are already set, which prohibits drug use, isn’t some of the responsibility on the student itself? When are parents going to stop blaming school officials for their “children’s” mistakes?

According to news reports, Mr. Bosch and his wife knew she was on drugs since February. I’m not saying it was the parents’ responsibility, because once a “child” is 21 years old, you really don’t have much control of his/her life. I’m just saying neither does a university.