MAILBAG:

Community outrage against the local high school production of “Rent” at Corona del Mar High has nothing to do with homophobia.

Parents, administrators and the community are appalled at the play’s encouraging attitude toward promiscuity, sexual and drug experimentation and profanity. In today’s era of rising teen pregnancy rates, rampant sexually transmitted diseases, out of control drug use and teen violence, our role as parents, educators and community is to encourage our youth toward responsible decision making, respect for self and others, and resisting the lure of peer pressure toward behaviors which can destroy our youths’ future.

The play “Rent” undermines all of our efforts in these areas. It glamorizes the drug culture, promotes sexual experimentation and promiscuity and encourages acceptance of peer pressure-based decisions. The ACLU has done a great disservice to our students by labeling the opposition to “Rent” as “homophobia.” This is not a play about a stable long-term gay relationship. In raising the homophobia flag, it has silenced the true reasons for opposition to this high school production.

This production is inappropriate not because of its gay content, but because it promotes detrimental risk-taking behavior and derides thoughtful decision making. It is damaging not only for the Corona del Mar High School students, but even more so to the vulnerable junior high students who share the same facilities as the high school.

YVETTE KRATZBERG

Newport Beach