Mailbag - July 2, 2002

What really can one person do? Rachel Colgate, senior at Corona del

Mar High School, demonstrated to our entire community that one dedicated

person with vision can make a tremendous impact by teaching the tragic

ramifications of drinking and driving to her peers (“Living reality,” May

31).

Rachel spearheaded the “Every 15 Minutes” program that reenacts a

drunk driving crash to make students reflect on their own attitudes and

behavior about drinking and driving.

Rachel organized many community volunteers working together to put on

this event, including the Newport Beach police and fire departments,

California Highway Patrol and parent volunteers. May 30 and 31 was a

showcase of Newport Beach police officers, firemen and the CHP at their

finest. The firefighters and police officers, many of whom volunteered on

their own time, reenacted a realistic driving accident that would make a

powerful impact on the students.

They even airlifted by helicopter a “victim” from the scene. Their

care and concern for the teens in our community was apparent. There were

many other local agencies and businesses that contributed their resources

as well. Bravo to these wonderful heroes. Thank you Rachel (and your

parents) for your sacrifice in spending hundreds of hours during your

senior year to help your classmates make better choices.

CYNDIE BORCOMAN

Newport Beach

Make city safer by replacing fireworks

Two million dollars promised to city schools by the Home Ranch

Development agreement. Why isn’t the Newport-Mesa School District

involved with the proper distribution of this money (“City readies for

Home Ranch money,” Wednesday)?

How about eliminating the fireworks stands and allocating this money

to sports activities that the fireworks sales support? About 50 fireworks

stands. Quoting Costa Mesa Fire Capt. Randy Croll, “And the risk is

greater in our city because we allow fireworks this time of year” (“Fire

officials worried about Fourth,” Wednesday).

ANNE HOGAN SHERESHEVSKY

Costa Mesa

Schools need to accept that sex often happens

Should anyone be surprised that a school board that is under pressure

to teach creationism along with evolution would require teaching

abstinence-focused sex education?

Each is as unconnected with reality as the other. With four out of

five teens having sexual intercourse by age 19, it is a shame that

educators are forced to pretend like they are dealing with an important

social problem.

PAT ORMSBEE

Newport Beach

Creationism isn’t exactly a science

This is regarding Jean Olson’s letter (“Creationism should balance out

evolution teachings,” May, 15) and to clarify her (and others’) obvious

confusion about creation “science.” Creation science is not taught in any

public school as an alternative to the theory of evolution for a very

simple reason: Creation science is not science, not by any stretch of the

imagination.

It is Christian dogma masquerading as science. And teaching it in our

public schools would be as ludicrous as teaching astrology or flat-earth

theory as sciences. Just because something is called “science” doesn’t

make it so.

LARRY PLATT

Newport Beach

Columnist’s advice fails to offer solution

Other than emphasizing the obvious -- that unmarried teens have the

right to engage in sex and in so doing perhaps become responsible for a

resultant pregnancy -- Joseph N. Bell hasn’t much to offer (The Bell

Curve, “New studies tell troubling tale,” May 16.

But his anti-abstinence stand certainly won’t be of much constructive

help either. However, Bell does continue to be consistent: he still

doesn’t get it.

GENE BEAVIN

Costa Mesa

Bright future awaits Pilot teen columnist

I want to extend kudos to Matt Meredith, your teenage columnist, whose

column I have caught at least once before and probably a couple of times.

This man is an excellent writer and the fact that he’s going off to

college I hope will not end his career as a columnist for the Daily Pilot

because I thoroughly enjoy reading. He writes so well. He has something

to say. It’s sparkling and extremely talented.

DEANE BOTTORF

Corona del Mar