Schools today face a dilemma when teaching the young about drinking. If teachers acknowledge the fact that students drink, the teachers may appear to be condoning the behavior. Education about alcohol use that assumes the learners have and are having some actual experience is necessary but remains "difficult" for many teachers in many school settings. The majority of Americans do not favor a return to Prohibition but is increasingly restive about the obvious harm that is associated with alcohol consumption, particularly in accidents involving drunk drivers. The best premise is that education which involves students actively in the thinking and learning processes is the method most likely to help bring about some more relevant way for this culture to consider the use, nonuse, and misuse of alcoholic beverages. The selection of facts for alcohol education is a matter of judgment, but should include such things as the effects of alcohol, concentrations of alcohol in various beverages, and the fact that alcoholism is a treatable illness. Each teacher develops a certain style of teaching which reflects his personality and seems appropriate for the majority of students being taught. The learning experience may be more important for lower-class youth than for middle-class youth. Alcohol education is a unique context in which to see humans, beverages, and environments in dynamic interaction. Teaching materials can include those which stimulate thought or which provide information. Education about drinking must make it clear that a lack of agreement about alcohol use exists. (ABL)