EDITOR,

I recently read an opinion article written by Susan Silver, superintendent of the Scotts Valley School District stating, that she was setting the grand jury straight.

It is amazing how angry and insulted she sounded in her response to a Press-Banner article on the grand jury report that focused on teen drinking in Scotts Valley.

Did the jury hit a nerve?

Her response made me want to see what the grand jury had to say. After reading the report carefully, I found that Silver may have misreported the findings and recommendations in the report.

The report quoted various data sources and does not compare other districts to Scotts Valley. However, the report clearly displays data from the United Way 2007 Youth Survey indicating that alcohol remains the top drug of choice for youth in the area. In addition, at the time the report was written, the 2009 California Healthy Kids Data was not available.

Is the defensive posture taken by the superintendent diverting readers from other facts in the report?

What about the board policy outlining a comprehensive process for developing district programs related to alcohol and other drugs? Does this policy exist? Has the district leadership fully participated in a community-wide effort to minimize alcohol use among teens?

Finding 26 of the report indicated that the district office did not participate in an April 28, 2009, town hall meeting.†Yet other community and county dignitaries attended. What did the no-show from the district indicate to the community about its support?

Throwing up an insulted smoke screen demonstrates Silverís ìlack of supportî attitude mentioned in the report.

It is unfortunate that the superintendent could not embrace the report and look for ways to leverage the findings to assist with improving alcohol prevention and intervention programs for students.

Brook Marlowe, Santa Cruz