If,as Santa Ana school superintendent Al Mijares indicated,the one
hour lost per week to teach the DARE program is a reason students are
not learning the basics["DARE on outs in Santa Ana?" Local News,
Aug.12], one may suggest it's not because of the one-hour DARE program
but maybe a lack of a good teaching program. If anything there are too
few DARE officers and not enough time is spent on drug awareness.

Also, if good student role models are hard to find, it's hard to
understand Mijares' objection to the popularity of DARE officers. DARE
officers teach kids how to stay clean from drugs and alcohol by
learning ways to say no. If Mijares does not want DARE officers to
teach it during school hours then, perhaps, he had better have the
teachers do it. Everything must be done to save our children. They are
our future.

Joe Pitta Garden Grove Drug Awareness Chairman of the Garden Grove
Elks Lodge.