Why You Wanna Treat Your Girl Like That?

The front page of The St. Petersburg Times today featured a story about 17 year-old Sarah Rinaldi, who died just short of her 18th birthday. Cause of death? Accidental overdose. The New Tampa teen got drunk and took Xanax, OxyContin and dextromethorphan. Many in New Tampa blame inner city (read: black) kids for bringing drugs into their posh neighborhoods. My children attend a New Tampa elementary school and last year I taught at both Freedom and Wharton High Schools. I hear it all the time. Our black students, bused past thirteen other high schools, are blamed for corrupting white kids. Such ideas are not grounded in reality. Privileged kids with money to burn and zero parental guidance are doing this to themselves without any help from Suitcase City.

The Times asks, "Who is responsible?"

As always - look in the home. Sarah grew up with a mom who acted more like a friend than parent. She was able to sneak out and miss most of the last school year with no consequences of any kind. Yes, Sarah's friends could have called 911 to prevent this particular death from happening. Perhaps the police officers who detained Sarah and her friend should have called Sarah's chain-smoking and stressed out mother instead of Sarah's boyfriend. However, Julie Rinaldi didn't seem to know what more to do for her daughter.

It's no secret where Sarah's mom lays the blame.

"In my heart, I know that none of this would have happened if they (the police) had done their jobs."

Sorry, Mrs. Rinaldi. None of this would have happened if you had done your job. Besides, Sarah was almost an adult and knew what drugs could do to her body. Read more here. There are more Sarahs out there than most parents realize. Wake up already.