MAILBAG - Nov. 16, 1999

Perhaps the next time we have an outbreak of head lice at one of

our elementary schools we should just advise all parents to remove their

children from the school and close it down (“Second thoughts,” Sept. 27)

This would be consistent with Tony Dodero’s opinion of what to do if a

few students reportedly suffer from an eating disorder -- to quote

Dodero, “One parent was paying attention (to an article on teenage eating

disorders in the Aug. 28 Daily Pilot) ... she took her children out of

Corona del Mar High School.”

It would appear that Dodero concludes that this will solve the parent’s

concern over eating disorders. Have you studied the disease? Do you know

the relationship of cause and effect? You don’t get it at school and it’s

not contagious. Taking a child out of a school will not preclude her from

contracting an eating disorder -- eating disorders are complex

sociological, psychological and medical issues. Family discord has long

been considered an important risk factor. Highly trained counselors,

psychologists ad psychiatrists typically treat eating disorders. Perhaps

Parent X would be better off examining her relationship with her

children.

Dodero notices the absence of a public display of concern by school and

district officials. He never thought to talk to someone at Corona del Mar

High School to find out why we do not discuss this issue publicly or why

we do not reveal the number of students we are helping with their

personal and/or emotional problems. The Rights of Privacy Act and the

Education Code of the state of California prohibit school personnel from

discussing confidential matters with the press or public.

Is the school district concerned with the health and welfare of our

children? Of course we are. Schools do more for families and children

than any other institutions in our society. We care about our students

and their welfare, but we cannot violate the confidentiality of our

students. The answer lies in educating our society about the causes of

this disease, not in removing students from their schools in the hope

that they won’t be tainted by exposure to societal problems. Schools do

not create society’s ills, they combat them.

It takes a whole village to raise a child -- it also takes a whole

society to create the pressures which lead to emotional diseases. On

second thought, maybe you need to conduct some research before you write.

DR. DONALD K. MARTIN Principal, Corona del Mar High School