College
SIR: I am a student of Capilano
College who is concerned with the
allegations presented in recent issues of
your newspaper. I am also on the staff of
I the Capilano College student newspaper
— the Id. However, this letter does not
specifically represent any group or
organization at the college.
Personally, I do not use drugs on or off
the campus and believe that the
majority of students fall into this
category.
As to the statement that 'some of the
staff would look very appropriate selling
the Georgia Straight' ' , 1 take strong
exception. I would ask these anonymous
parents to perspectively judge people on
more than appearance. Have they talked
to any of these, quote, ':far out" staff
members? What first hand information
have they got? It is very easy to criticize
but criticism should be of a constructive
nature.
I am not ignoring the possibility of pot
smoking at the college for that would be
foolish. But to infer that our community
college should be disbanded is
ridiculous. Must we give up all our
efforts without being given the chance
and some COOPERATION from
citizens in the community. After all this
college is our (the community's) college
T^no one else's. .
D. L. Burrowes
Image
SIR: Re. the letter concerning pot
smoking at Capilano College. (The
Citizen Dec. 9.)
I admit that it must be alarming to
fear that one's children are flirting with
criminal charges by using drugs,
especially when the true facts about
marijuana and the "soft" drugs are still
such a cloudy issue.
However, I fail to see how the dress
and appearance of teachers at Capilano
College can be condemned as an
encouragement to drug abuse.
Dependance upon drugs is a sign of
rebellion and insecurity. The young
generation has been brought up to be
skeptical of authority, perhaps with
good reason. Most good teachers realize
that to reach their students they need to
sympathize with their views, not act as
the condemning voice of authority.
Their youth ful outlook and willingness
to meet the student on his own level are
reflected in the mode of dress.

It is unfair to interpret this as an
attempt to lure the students into drug
abuse. If the teacher meets the student
half-way, the student is bound to be
more receptive to good counselling and
guidance.
j
The law against marijuana has proven;
to be ineffectual. This points to the fact
that the benefits derived from pot
outweigh the fear of discovery. I suggest
that more be done to examine why the
students use it, rather than how to put
them in jail for it.
Surely this is more important than the
image" of Capilano College.
(Miss) J.Bickford