DRUG ARTICLE GALVANIZES PARENTS

SCHOOLS: The story about 'ecstasy' unsettles Foothill High.

TUSTIN - Foothill High parents shaken by a school newspaper story on
"ecstasy-"left a drug-awareness program Tuesday night feeling more at ease.

About 100 parents, students and staff packed the school cafeteria for the
session, which featured drug experts and teens discussing drug abuse,
prevention and education. It included a video, panel discussion and a
question-and-answer session.

"This was a good idea," said parent Judy Penero of Santa Ana. "Parents need
to be informed, and students need to be aware of what's really going on."

Students had mixed reactions.

Senior Danielle Lampert thought discussion of ecstasy disguised as
Skittles-brand candy or lollipops will just frighten parents.

"I've seen drug use first hand, and I've never tried anything," said
Lampert, 18. But she said she didn't realize how harmful marijuana can be.

The program followed a controversial article in the Knightlife newspaper
that many parents felt glorified the use of ecstasy, a popular rave drug.

The story provoked half a dozen parents to hand out fliers criticizing the
story at Friday's Open House.

Junior Jillian Abernathy, who wrote the story, said she had no intention of
promoting drug use and issued an apology for misperceptions to some 2,200
students via a video announcement aired at the school Friday and Monday.

Additionally, information provide by a doctor on ecstasy will be printed in
the next issue of Knightlife.

Principal Dan Brooks said Abernathy's story, which slipped through staff
supervision on deadline, should not have been published.