READERS RESPOND

Hi. I want to tell you that the article[s] on girls suffering from

eating disorders at Corona and in general in Saturday’s Daily Pilot were

outstanding. They were informative. They were in depth. They were

detailed. They were outstanding. I congratulate you.

I think it important that a local newspaper deal with important local

issues. The Daily Pilot should do this more often as there are other

topics that need more open discussion.

Once again, thank you for the excellent article on eating disorders.

HANS BODE

Newport Beach

As a community we have collectively experienced firsthand the painful

consequences of fast cars, fast illegal drugs, and fast guns these past

few years. Now, just when we thought it was safe to pick up the Daily

Pilot, comes word that the fast prescription drug (Ritalin) is eating

away at our kids. How courageous of the Pilot, Jessica Garrison, Bill

Lobdell, Tom Johnson, and staff to come forth with the best five pages of

local investigative journalism the people of Newport/Mesa have seen in a

long time. This piece may hurt some deeply now but in the long run will

help us all.

The fingers will point faster than the arrow on a spinning compass. My

suggestion is that we all share the blame on this one. This rush to

Ritalin shows we have done a fine job teaching kids our own poor value

system. We live in a place that deifies superficiality, material

possessions, image and vilifies substance. Good looks, thinness, cosmetic

plastic surgery, palaces for homes, multiple luxury cars, boats, planes,

athletes, and lavish parties are more highly honored than basic things

like honesty, ethics, and character.

Now that we know the Pilot can do it, we look forward to more excellent

journalism.

MICHAEL A. GLUECK

Newport Beach

Alexis’ tale is familiar to me. Is she a real person in our community? I

am a recovering anorexic who attended NYC Art schools through high school

and college in the late 1960s-’70s. After reading the articles I feel a

responsibility to discuss the “Real World” Alexis expects to find in a

NY art school with her. I’m concerned that she will find more of the same

call to perfection there. I did.Thank you for reporting on this story. I

hope you will continue the dialogue.

Sincerely,

KATHY POPPERS

Newport Beach

As a Newport Harbor student I feel it was a misrepresentation of the

feeling at our school regarding the publicized problem with eating

disorders and Ritalin abuse at CdM. We are in no way “gleeful” about this

serious problem at our “rival” school that exists at our own school, too.

These Corona girls are not only our friends but also our teammates for

many club sports. Their suffering is ours as well and the problem of the

whole community. To separate the issue in terms of school rivalry is

wrong.

ELYSE POPPERS

NHHS Class of ’01

Congrats, you’ve done it again! If anyone doubted that the Daily Pilot

was the house organ of Newport Harbor, this piece would set them

straight. By building a sensational conclusion on rumor, inference, and

the hyperbolic tales of teenagers, Ms. Garrison wants us to believe that

Ritalin abuse is:

1) virtually a daily ritual for a “sizable minority” (never defined) of

girls at CdM;

2) the proximate cause of this abuse is CdM’s obsession with

“perfection.”

My wife and I have two children that attend CdM, and two that attend

Harbor. We live in the CdM school zone, but have family and numerous

friends at both schools. We know, from what our children tell us that

there has been a problem with Ritalin use at CdM. The school also has a

problem with alcohol, marijuana, cocaine and other illegal drugs. Is CdM

unique among NMUSD high schools? Hardly! Harbor, Estancia and Costa Mesa

all have similar problems with drugs, some more, some less. These other

schools have also had problems with gang violence, a drive-by shooting,

and various other disturbances not yet visited on CdM. The difference is

in the perspective of your paper.

Should we ignore the problem at CdM? Of course not. At the same time, it

does no good to gloat, as the Daily Harbor High Pilot routinely does when

there is bad news to report about CdM. As the paper claiming to be

“Serving the Newport-Mesa Communities Since 1907”, you ought to take a

more evenhanded approach to things and highlight the good things in our

community.

TOM VOGELE

Newport Beach