Pubdate: Sun, 10 Feb 2002 Source: Bradenton Herald (FL) Copyright: 2002 Bradenton Herald Contact: http://www.bradenton.com/mld/bradentonherald/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/58 Authors: Carol Nelson, Sarah Viren, John Chase, Christena McGuire, Johnathan Shute, Arlene Kocsis Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v02/n178/a03.html Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v02/n180/a01.html MHS DRUG STORY NEEDS TO BE TOLD I understand the controversy about the Macohi drug story. The fact is that there has been a drug problem at Manatee High for years. This seems to be ignored by the principal and staff there. We had four of our children attend MHS, and the problem was a serious concern at that time. Our children would come home and tell us that this was denied by the principal and staff. I feel what the kids did was a very brave step in helping others who have a problem. They should be commended instead of trying to place blame on "Who did it." Yes, the article is graphic, but kids know how to get what they want and how to do it. The article isn't going to encourage someone who doesn't want to do drugs to do them. The ones who do want to experiment are going to anyway, whether articles appear in the school newspaper or not. I hope this awakens those who need to see what is really happening. I again commend the kids and the teacher who were brave enough to bring this to the forefront, and maybe help someone who is suffering. CAROL NELSON Bradenton ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ WHY THE SHOCK? This is in response to the front-page article Feb. 1 concerning the inclusion of a drug addict's story in Manatee High School's newspaper. While reading this story I was shocked to realize that such an event is considered newsworthy at all. Rather than condemning such a move we should applaud it. It's nothing new that many teenagers have drug problems. Kids at high schools around the world talk about drugs all the time, and usually they are saying good things rather than bad things. But for some reason it is seen as shocking for one kid to share his/her struggles with recovery and the evils of using hard drugs. It seems to me that we need more of these stories in the media - both popular media and school media. Also, as a side note, the term "homosexual" to describe a relationship between two people of the same sex is medicalized and thus demeaning. If the student in question used this term that's his/her prerogative but professional journalists should take a leading role in eradicating this word from general usage. "Same-sex," "gay," or "lesbian" are all more appropriate and humanizing words to use when referring to any sexual or loving relations between members of the same sex. SARAH VIREN Sarasota ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ANONYMITY WON'T HELP Re: your editorial "Teen Drug Shocker" of Feb. 3, you are absolutely right that this kind of news should be published. But before we take it too seriously, find the name of that "anonymous" student. A "dialogue with our teenagers" is unreliable if the teenagers remain anonymous. On the other hand, the fear of retribution by law enforcement would silence most drug users, even former ones, so candor is a scarce commodity. The drug war and reliable dialogue are mutually exclusive. We can have one but not both, but the failed drug war can't be fixed without dialogue. Just another catch-22 of drug prohibition. JOHN CHASE Palm Harbor ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ AUTHOR DEFENDED I am a senior at Palmetto High and have been best friends with Mike Maietta for about five years. He was the author of the anonymous tale of a heroin/OxyContin abuser. I would like to clarify, the story he wrote was not his story and he is not a drug user. Mike is a a good student and college-bound. There aren't many high schoolers who haven't tried drugs. To act like this is the 1950s is naive. Many parts which referred to drug use as regrettable were not put in the story, making the article written in the Macohi look irresponsible. It was not included for many reasons. I was TigerTimes (Palmetto's school newspaper) editor-in-chief last year, and as Ms. Brogdon stated in a Herald article, our publication has always gone through the principal before being printed. Why isn't The Macohi subject to the same editing? In my eyes, this may put the brunt of the responsibility on the principal. Second, I feel as if this may be being made a big issue just because it is Manatee High School; Palmetto wrote an article last year about Ecstasy, but no mention was made about it. Third, this was not an article condoning drug use; that should be the paramount point. CHRISTENA McGUIRE Palmetto ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ LET TRUTH COME OUT Reading your article, "Drug Article spurs high school debate," I ask myself "Why are Dr. Boyer and district officials so strongly opposed to the truth?" Who are these parents that want to keep similar articles from being published in the future? Wake up, people! Drugs are the same real problem today (even at Manatee High School) that they were when I went to school. To brush them under the carpet and pretend that "they don't exist here" is only going to allow the problem to continue and get worse. I applaud the students and teachers who are responsible for addressing a very real issue and encourage them to continue on in spite of those who would repress their First Amendment rights. JOHNATHAN SHUTE Bradenton ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ DON'T SQUELCH STUDENT Michael Maietta should be congratulated for having the courage to print his article in the Manatee High paper. I'm glad Principal Lynda Boyer didn't know and prevent it. This does need to be told, not hushed up by the schools. Get the information to all. ARLENE KOCSIS Palmetto - --- MAP posted-by: Larry Stevens