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Darien High School Principal Dan Haron says the behavior of Darien students is probably in line with a survey showing that 43.5 percent of Connecticut high school students "currently drink alcohol."
"I think the average student is similar to the Darien High student," Haron said in reaction to results of the 2009 Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System.
The Centers for Disease Control released the study, which reveals what teens are up to nationwide. The results are also broken down by state. The responses covered such behaviors as driving drunk, having unprotected sex, using illegal drugs and carrying a weapon.
It showed that 9.4 percent of state high school students said they rarely or never wore a seat belt, 3.9 percent admitted to carrying a weapon on school property, 59.4 percent said they used a condom the last time they had sexual intercourse, 24.1 percent used birth control and 7.8 percent used both. The survey polled 2,392 Connecticut high school students.
"Results from the 2009 national YRBS indicated that many high school students are engaged in behaviors that increase their likelihood for the leading causes of death among persons aged 10-24 years in the United States," the report said.
Haron said Darien High School has a "commitment policy" that students have to sign to participate in athletics or extracurricular activities. "They pledge not to participate in risky behavior, both on campus and off," he said. It covers roughly 90 percent of the student body, he said.
Other Connecticut survey results include: 8.7 percent admitted to driving a vehicle while drinking alcohol, 28.9 percent said they were offered, sold or given illegal drugs on school property, 5.4 percent said they have used cocaine and 3.2 percent admitted to using heroin at least once.
"Since 1991, the prevalence of many health-risk behaviors among high school students nationwide has decreased," the report said. "However, many high school students continue to engage in behaviors that place them at risk for the leading causes of morbidity and mortality. The prevalence of most risk behaviors does not vary substantially among cities and states."
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