Fairness, balance encourage coexistence

I commend both Stevenson High School's actions and your editorial. Both decisions push people to look at where they stand on the issues. At Stevenson in 1980 there was an alternative paper.

As a lampoon of all things Stevenson it was tolerated by the administration. The need for an alternate press disappeared as the Statesmen matured into the paper it is today. Your editorial board is clear that its oversight makes the Daily Herald better and I would agree.

Fair, balanced and biased are completely subjective words and we are a better world for expressing opinions - no matter how they stir things up. I was discussing the issue of Stevenson censorship with Superintendent Twadell, school staff and several parents last week. The irony that this conversation took place the day of Stevenson's first Gay/Straight Alliance dance was not lost on us. The true measure of a school is the quality of their graduate's character. Stevenson is working hard to teach students that while fairness is only a concept and balance is rare - coexistence is always possible, often loud and messy but always possible.

Superintendent Twadell and Principal Gonzalez weave a complex path. One I sometimes disagree with. In the case of Statesman oversight I am willing to continue reading, confident that in the very least the alternative press will rise again in the unlikely event that this oversight proves oppressive.

I also unhesitatingly commend you for prompting the community not to sit idly as significant changes occur around us. I am pleased to see the paper tackle it with this level of rigor. Reading the blogging of this and other articles I see the community responding properly - coexisting at the top of their lungs and all over the map.

Daniel de Grazia

Long Grove