As an educator, I have interactions on a daily basis with students and parents from backgrounds as diverse as one can imagine, given the nature of our community.

It truly never ceases to amaze me when I am constantly confronted with the generalized breakdown of a loving, respectful, nuturing family environment in today's society.

Please don't barrage me with comments saying that your family is the exception to the rule.

I am fully aware that there are plenty of families out there who strive for and are successful in maintaining healthy realtionships. I am merely giving you my unique perspective as one who observes a debilitating trend that seems to be picking up far too much momentum.

I became aware this week of a former student of mine who is near death as we speak, another victim of prescription drug abuse.

The events of the past few weeks in our community bring me to the realization that our children are being victimized by an evil, heartless phenomenon that threatens to destroy the fiber of the American family as we know it.

The young lady I'm refering to was a lovely, "normal" 14-year-old girl when I knew her. She was sweet, moody, obnoxious, silly, loving and everything else you would expect an 8th grade girl to be. In short, she was typical.

She didn't strike me as being troubled, and maybe she never was.

It makes me wonder, however, what happened to her in the last four years to bring her to the point of such desperation that she would place herself in the unenviable position she obviously found herself in a few nights ago.

It seems to me that our teenagers of today are viewed by present-day America as young adults and they are anything but.

Parents place far too much faith in the decision-making abilities of young people; the advertising and marketing machines target young girls and boys and manipulate them to the point of thinking they are capable of making rational, educated decisions regarding potentially life-threatening temptations.

It sickens me and I find it despicable. I worry desperately about my own children.

There's nothing glamorous or chic about dying from a drug overdose, nor is there anything particularly fashionable about surviving one.

My former student, a girl I used to give a hug to occaisionally and ask her how her day was going is clinging to her life, or what's left of it, in a hospital where I'm fairly certain this kind of situation is a daily occurrence.

She is, for the most part, in a vegetative state, with a hole drilled through her skull in a last-ditch attempt to remove pressure from her brain. That's not beautiful, that's not hip, and it's certainly not a positive reflection on the state of our familial status quo.

She might never again know life in the way most people take for granted.

I'm angry, and I want to blame everyone, but I know that's not fair.

I offer the suggestion that all of us take a step back here and re-evaluate our family relationships. Simple communication and an expression of love goes a long way sometimes.

Epilogue 1/31 - Danielle died yesterday. When you're 18, you don't pass away, you die. Danielle, I hope you have found solace, and I want you to know there is love for you on this earth. Peace, my friend.