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Letters
DeCinzo misses the boat on Safe Rides
I am writing to protest the DeCinzo cartoon denigrating Safe Ride in the Nov. 3 issue of the Saratoga News. The idea that providing a safe way home for kids who may have had something to drink in and of itself promotes drinking and alcoholism is both simplistic and a slap in the face to a community of students who deserve our support.
The students of Saratoga High School do this town proud. They produce outstanding academic achievements--the highest average SAT scores in the state, a ranking of 13th nationwide in a Newsweek poll, and huge percentages of each graduating class being accepted and attending the most elite universities in this country.
Students win additional awards in the creative arts and sports. They do this while dealing with stresses and outside forces that most adults today cannot conceive of. Yet these achievements don't make the news in the way that the perceived problems do.
Separating teenagers from risk-taking behavior is almost impossible. The fact that one responsible group of teens has chosen to try to protect their peers from one aspect of that risk-taking behavior should be applauded, not ridiculed. Safe Ride is a proven program sponsored by the American Red Cross.
Mr. DeCinzo, you owe both the teenagers of this town and the participants of Safe Ride a huge apology. And next time you choose to make fun of something, understand first what is going on before you make a fool of yourself.
Michelle Kaplan
Saratoga Avenue
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Saratoga, California Since 1955
