STUDENT'S DRUG STORY DRAWS SUPPORT

A student reporter for Highland High School's campus newspaper will not be
disciplined for quoting an unnamed source who compared the euphoric effects
of the date-rape drug ecstasy with that of "a permanent orgasm."

The quote -- in a story about the illicit drug's use and effects -- drew
the ire of at least one parent, who accused school officials of condoning
teen-age drug use by letting the story run.

Assistant Principal Katie Kleier on Tuesday defended the reporter, Michelle
Yett, saying the Highland junior's story did more to discourage students
from experimenting with drugs.

The issue arose about a week after the Feb. 14 issue of The Highland Fling
was published.

The article, headlined "The Power of X," discussed the physical effects of
ecstasy and the risks involved in its use.

It included quotes by an unnamed Highland sophomore who claimed to have
used the addictive narcotic.

The sophomore, whose gender also isn't mentioned in the story, said the
high was like "a permanent orgasm" and claimed it made them more loving and
appreciative.

Yett declined to name the student when school officials questioned her
after the complaint, said Mark Balch, Highland's journalism adviser.

Further in the article, the report noted the drug can create intense sexual
pleasure, feelings of warmth, openness and love.

The story also says using the drug can lead to legal troubles and
health-related side effects, ranging from chills and vomiting to depression
and hallucinations.

Kern High School District officials said Tuesday they did not receive
complaints from any parents about the story other than the one made to
Highland administrators.

Student newspapers in Kern County run by public high schools generally
follow quality guidelines of the California Student Free Expression Law.

The law grants school publications -- both newspapers and yearbooks -- the
right to exercise freedom of speech and the press, as does the First Amendment.

However, it also prohibits the use of any material determined by a school
or its governing board to be obscene, libelous or slanderous or prone to
incite students to perform illegal acts on campus.

Kathy Freeman, a journalism professor at Bakersfield College, said while
she understood how a parent could be concerned with the story's subject,
the school showed courage by addressing such a controversial topic.

"On one hand it talks about ecstasy and on the other hand it compares the
drug to a permanent orgasm," Freeman said. "I'm sure parents aren't
thrilled with the idea that a student may be familiar with both. Students
are simply covering an issue accurately."

Kleier said she believed Yett's story did not break any of the guidelines.

"The article was an example of balanced journalism," Kleier said. "It
showed the dangers of drugs and didn't endorse its use at all."