Studies show that southern Marin teens drink far more than most kids their age. "They're getting passed out drunk every weekend and I can see that it's affecting their grades," warned Shankel. "The way they treat their friends, I want to change that."

Some attendees pointed out that the kids who perhaps needed to hear the message most of all didn't even show up for the meeting.

You mean the alcoholic teenagers couldn't take time out of their partying sched to make their way to an anti-drinking rally with their straight-A classmates? You don't say.

Or, as Beth Spotswood, former Marin teen and current adult alcohol expert says, "Duh."

Somewhere, somehow the D.A.R.E. program and Sargent McGruff has failed to reach their target audience. We weep for the future.

Photo by trancedmoogle.