Kamloops mom says P.A.R.T.Y. went too far, KBIA stands behind program

“They knew that they were going to the morgue. There was nothing said to any of the students that they would be seeing dead bodies, at all. They didn’t have the option to opt out either, or a warning or anything,” said Franzen.

Dr. Paul Wroz, who gave the presentation, told CFJC News Monday the students are often shocked by the trauma they see and the effort it takes to try to save a person who has been in a collision.

But Franzen contends the presentation itself is traumatic. She says Brianna had a hard time sleeping Monday night.

“She came back downstairs and said, ‘Every time I close my eyes, I see (name withheld) in that body bag. I asked her how she was feeling this morning, and she said she can’t get the taste of the morgue out of her mouth.”

Franzen is also concerned that the privacy of those who have died is not being respected. Personal information tags of the deceased were affixed to the drawers of the cooling facility, and visible to the visiting students.

KBIA Executive Director Dave Johnson says the program is not meant to be shocking, but it is meant to be impactful.

“It’s very real and it’s uncomfortable,” said Johnson. “Part of what the P.A.R.T.Y. program is is saying, ‘You’ve heard there’s a car crash, but do you know what that really means?’”

“It’s maybe a truism to say that teenagers don’t always listen, but if you show them something, they’ll take that on board.”

Johnson says P.A.R.T.Y. has been going on for more than 20 years, and that has allowed academics to study its impact. They have found teenagers who go through the program are less likely to be involved in auto collisions than those who don’t.

“If you multiply that over hundreds and thousands of kids across the country, that means fewer kids die. We want it to be powerful; we want to make a real difference to keep our kids safe,” said Johnson. “Not everyone is 100 per cent comfortable all the time, but we’re talking about some big issues that aren’t always comfortable. So I think it’s all right.”

Johnson notes those students who have an extreme reaction to what they see are given options to step outside or have a sugary drink to help prevent fainting. He says the KBIA will redouble efforts to ensure students and parents are prepared for the presentations before they are made again next year.

This year, Franzen says her daughter was not prepared and the images are seared into her brain.

“How horrifying this is to these children and the post-traumatic stress that it’s caused them. My child wanted to be a nurse and she’s terrified now,” said Franzen. “That’s why she went; because she was so excited for the nursing program. (Now), she said, ‘I don’t know if I can. All these dead bodies… I’m so scared.’”

by James Peters

Kamloops mom says P.A.R.T.Y. went too far, KBIA stands behind program

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