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