The Gun Fires Only Blanks by Dr. Robert Wallace on Creators.com

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I Want Girls to Learn From my Mistake DR. WALLACE: I am not writing to ask for advice. I am writing to help other girls who may be making the same mistake I made. Maybe if I had seen a letter like this a few years ago, my life might be different now. I had a reputation of being easy …Read more. Your Girlfriend was Honest; Respect Her for That DR. WALLACE: Jade and I have been dating for about six months. We have had some really great times. But last week she told me that she no longer wanted to date me because she wanted the opportunity to date others. She also said she no longer had any …Read more. Should I Forgive my Friend? DR. WALLACE: I used to be good friends with Ashley, but no more! Ashley and I were friends since second grade, but for the past year or so, all she did was try to get me in trouble — at school, with my parents, with other friends and even with …Read more. Better Late Than Never DR. WALLACE: Susan was my best friend until a recent incident caused us to end our friendship. Last week, my "friend" brought a bottle of tequila to school, and she and another girl drank some during lunch. After lunch, she asked me to …Read more.

DR. WALLACE: Someone told school authorities that I had a gun stashed in my locker, and it was searched illegally by the principal and school nurse. What they found was a starter pistol, which fires blanks, not bullets, and is used to start races. I brought it to school just to show off, not to do harm, but I have been expelled from school for the rest of the year.

I've been told by an attorney that the police couldn't search a locker without a search warrant, but the school principal can. How can this be? — Nameless, El Paso, Texas.

NAMELESS: A school operates "in loco parentis" (in place of parents), which means that school authorities can do what a reasonable parent might do in times of stress or possible danger. Since a school is responsible for the safety and welfare of all its students, authorities can search a student's locker without permission if they suspect something harmful might be in the locker.

Where have you been the last few years? School shootings and heightened security are on everyone's mind. Bringing a starter pistol to school in order to show off was a stupid stunt. Your punishment fits the unacceptable behavior.

MOM FEEDS DAUGHTER'S FRIENDS ON FRIDAY

DR. WALLACE: I hear so many teens complaining about their parents that I would like to sing the praises of mine.

They are always seeking ways to better our relationship. Don't get me wrong, I don't always get my way, but when I don't, my parents take the time to tell me why.

Our newest family communication is a once-a-week economical dinner (usually on Friday night) when I am allowed to invite my friends for dinner. Mom serves spaghetti, chili, pizza, tacos, hamburgers or hot dogs. All are easy and basically inexpensive.

This way, my parents get to meet my friends and my friends get to chow down and meet my parents. And my friends and I help set up before dinner and clean up after dinner. It works really well and everybody enjoys these Friday evenings.

— Nameless, Moline, Ill.

NAMELESS: It sounds like a great idea! It is no secret that parents who take the time to show interest and love for their teens have teens that show interest and love for their parents.

TELL MOM YOU DON'T WANT TO LIVE IN HER HOUSE

DR. WALLACE: I'm 15 and live with my mother and her boyfriend. He moved in with us six months ago. My parents are divorced, and my dad is now living in England and has remarried.

My problem is that mom's boyfriend is making sexual remarks to me whenever my mom is at work. Now I'm really afraid to be home alone with him. I told mom what he was saying to me, but she said that he wasn't serious. I think he is.

Last night, he put his arms around me and tried to kiss me. I pulled away and ran to my room and locked the door. This morning, he told me that he was going to take the lock off my bedroom door so he could come in whenever he wanted to. I'm really frightened! What should I do? — Nameless, Chicago, Ill.

NAMELESS: Tell mom that you no longer want to live in the house while her boyfriend is living there. See if she can arrange for you to live with a relative immediately. If mom won't cooperate, tell your school counselor about your home life. Ask your counselor to set up a meeting with mom to discuss your problem. Many times parents will take the advice of an outside person, especially if it comes from a school professional.

If for some reason mom doesn't see that her live-in boyfriend has a serious emotional problem, speak with your school counselor again and ask him or her to help arrange for you to move in with a relative's family or a close friend's family. Do all you can to remove yourself from a miserable and psychologically dangerous home life.

I'm constantly amazed at the number of mothers who refuse to acknowledge a daughter's word of sexual advancement by a father, stepfather or boyfriend!

Dr. Robert Wallace welcomes questions from readers. Although he is unable to reply to all of them individually, he will answer as many as possible in this column. E-mail him at rwallace@galesburg.net. To find out more about Dr. Robert Wallace and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.