College people get an unfair rap in evaluations of what must be done about student drinking binges.

Some Americans might be shocked by the report, but people in a college community such as Lawrence are not surprised at a recent report on alcohol-related accidents.

The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism’s Task Force on College Drinking reported last week that alcohol-related accidents kill 1,400 of these youngsters a year. That’s an average of nearly 30 per state, though larger states with more and bigger schools have the highest tolls.

The study also notes that alcohol consumption by college students contributes to 600,000 assaults, 500,000 injuries and 70,000 sexual assaults every year. That’s a tremendous decimation of human resources! And so sad and unnecessary.

More than two million college students involved in the study acknowledged that in 2001 they drove a motor vehicle with alcohol in their systems. And 400,000 students between the ages of 18 and 24 reported they had unprotected sex while under the influence.

“These numbers paint a picture of a deeply entrenched threat to the health and well-being of our young people,” says Raymond S. Kington, acting director of the NILAAA. Motor vehicle accidents account for the majority of the estimated 1,400 alcohol-related deaths each year. The study included car accident victims whose blood alcohol levels were both above and below the legal limits to drive.

Task force members say they hope the study will spur colleges and communities to combat what they call “the culture of drinking” on U.S. campuses.

And one of the first responses by a lot of readers will be that “those college people have to do a better job of dealing with this problem.” They overlook the fact that college people, certainly here in Lawrence and elsewhere in the state, have been aware of the heavy substance abuse by young people for well over 50 years and do a great deal to try to prevent it.

Families must lay the groundwork to prevent alcohol abuse by youngsters. When family members set bad examples, help provide alcohol and other drugs to kids and even go so far as to take part in the drinking binges, how can college officials counteract the trend?

Some activists steadfastly fight identification checks in bars and trot out all sorts of alleged violations of civil rights when college people try to deal with this scourge. Some colleges are bucking that tide, however, and are beginning to notify parents or guardians when students are repeat offenders and endangering themselves and others.

Kansas University long has done more than the average school to educate, guide and advise students about the perils of drinking and other substance abuse. But there are 18 highly formative years in youngsters’ lives before they get here. College officials are unfairly targeted more often than not in the quest to “do something” about student drinking.