Saratoga News

Letters

Parents need to let the library know

Do you permit your child to read Playboy, watch X-rated movies or discuss any subject in private with total strangers? If you care what your child is exposed to, then you had better learn more about what is available on the Internet.

The Internet is a no-holds-barred source of information and live conversation. Anyone in the world can say anything they want or show any pictures. Its content can't be controlled--period! It is the epitome of free expression.

Go to the Saratoga Library and ask the staff to bring up Yahoo (http://www.yahoo.com) on the computers your children can use. Enter "chat AND room AND sex" in the box and click "search." Read the contents of the 40 or so sites. Click on some and look at the pictures. Enter a few chat rooms. Do you want your child to access this garbage? (Believe me, there's much more available than just sex on the Internet.)

However, access to it can be restricted. If you want the library to install special software to restrict access, to supervise what children are viewing and to at least attempt to enforce the pornography laws, then contact your City Council and the library.

Ray Froess
Ljepava Drive

Contiguous boundary only brings solutions

As a resident of Saratoga, I want to express my admiration of our councilmembers' recent resolution supporting the realignment of school district boundaries in being contiguous with our city's boundaries. It was a pleasure to experience the council's proactive stance supporting the elimination of school boundaries that artificially divide our neighborhoods. The council's decision to support inclusive boundaries for all Saratoga residents and high-quality education for all Saratoga children strengthens my belief in the elected officials of our fine community. Rather than having my children attend schools outside their city or attend private schools locally, I hope to strengthen my children's sense of community identity and enroll them in the public school system in Saratoga, also enabling me to devote more of my resources to my community.

Overcrowding of Saratoga schools has been cited as a reason not to realign our school boundaries with city boundaries. Yet overcrowding in our Saratoga schools is yet another reason why we need to unite. Realignment of school boundaries in Saratoga brings solutions to congested classrooms, rather than creating a problem. With the inclusion of all Saratoga residents in one school district come additional financial resources, the high probability of additional school sites, active volunteerism and greater opportunities for joint ventures with city projects and school-system children. One school district for Saratoga is a positive step for our city.

Rita Romero-Williams
Saratoga

United communities work better for all

We'd like to thank Jerry Hwang (Letters, Nov. 5) for highlighting the problem with the current school boundaries. He says, "...[S]tay where you are and make it a great community." Well, guess what? We are your community, Mr. Hwang. Saratoga is a small city, and all Saratogans are members of the Saratoga community. Like you, we are proud community and school volunteers. We appreciate your concerns and hope you are able to appreciate the concerns of some of your fellow Saratogans.

Yes, the Saratoga schools are congested and will become more congested if the boundaries stay the same. Why not investigate the obvious solutions? Including all of Saratoga in the school district brings in more schools, with space to accommodate more than expected additional students. Wouldn't it be great to get rid of those portables? Wouldn't it be great to have extra help in the form of volunteerism and donations from all of your fellow Saratogans? It will still be a small school district.

It is a fact that Saratoga High School can accommodate more students and still maintain excellence. It is also true that undivided communities work together for the good of the whole community. Let's work together!

Anne Mehaffey
Paul Avenue
Jenny Crotty
Raven Court

The Red Cross stands ready

Before we all forget about the "Cats Fire" that threatened Los Gatos in August, some little-noted occurrences deserve to be made part of the record. By 4:30 p.m., the fire was roaring up the hills and evacuees were being moved from The Meadows to the high school lawn. At this point, United Methodist Church personnel welcomed them into the adjacent church complex.

Church members and other residents of the community arrived to help, and in true loaves-and-fishes fashion, a small barbecue for a small group of church members turned into adequate food for the hundred or more refugees congregated.

Due to preparations ongoing since 1990 by the West Valley Advisory Committee of the Santa Clara Valley chapter of the American Red Cross, a complete shelter was set up and ready to go by 8 p.m.

An ARK (a 40-foot storage container) donated by the Red Cross now occupies an area near the LGHS football field. This ARK has been stocked with emergency supplies due to fundraising efforts of students and faculty over several years among local residents and merchants. Cots and other emergency supplies were thus available in this ARK.

Members of the Red Cross (including both the WVAC and the Mountain Emergency Response Corps) reported to the high school gym (a previously arranged ARC-designated shelter) to be ready when or if emergency personnel asked for a shelter. When the request came, everyone pitched in and located a truck to transport supplies, and with the immense help of the school custodian, Carlos Ramirez, the shelter was ready for use in a very short period of time.

Fortunately, the fire was soon under control. Because The Terraces, local hospitals, the Toll House and townspeople opened their doors for the night, the shelter was no longer needed. However, its rapid implementation was a successful culmination of many years of preparation. One could wish for a less harried "drill," but it certainly represented a payoff for years of meetings and planning and, yes, disaster preparedness.

Los Gatos isn't the only place to benefit from those years. Since its formation in 1990, WVAC, which operates as a direct arm of the Santa Clara Valley chapter of the ARC, has added to the original two ARKs at Redwood Estates and Loma Prieta with the one at LGHS, one at Lakeside School, one at Saratoga High School and one at the Saratoga Community Center--six in all. While not quite fully stocked yet, these ARKs are in place with basic emergency supplies should a disaster occur--be it flood, earthquake or fire. I thought you'd like to know that your Red Cross is ready.

June Sythe
Los Gatos

[ Back to Contents Page | Saratoga News Home Page | Archives ]