ECSTASY STORY BIGGER THAN ONE STUDENT, ONE SCHOOL

I'm writing with regards to the sensationalized coverage of Monarch High
School and the drug Ecstasy. From my perspective as a senior at Fairview
High School, I believe the media is disregarding a simple and obvious fact:
In reality, drugs are a problem in every school across the nation -- not
just Monarch High School.

As does everyone in the Boulder Valley School District, I mourn the loss of
Brittany Chambers. However, the fact that she had a fatal reaction to a
commonly used illegal substance does not mean that her situation is unique.

There is so much drug use in so many schools. Sometimes teachers know about
it and try to take action. Sometimes the situation is well-concealed.
Sometimes people are in a deep denial. We need to wake up.

We also need to realize that it is not the teachers who are at fault. It is
not the administrator or the district. Sometimes it is not even the fault
of the parents. It is the kids who are making these decisions. Society can
try all it wants to stop them, but the simple fact is that sometimes those
actions work and sometimes they don't.

Take some of the heat off Monarch High. The situation is bigger than one
student and one high school. Instead of exploiting one story, educate the
public about the use of ecstasy among the youth population.

Haley Sinn-Penfold

Boulder