Pictures of Drinking Slip Into Yearbook

Yearbook pictures of Edison High School students drinking alcohol and partying has led parents to complain to the Huntington Beach school’s administrators, some of whom had picketed Hallmark Cards over alcohol-related graduation cards.

“It really crushed us,” said Edison Principal Jack Kennedy, one of several school officials who had joined Mothers Against Drunk Driving in recent picketing against Hallmark Cards--a move that led the greeting-card company to discontinue alcohol-related graduation cards.

“We’re really disappointed. Some pictures got past the kids in the journalism class and it got past the adviser,” Kennedy said.

On the last pages of the yearbook, the Oracle, are photographs of students drinking from bottles and cans of beer. The pages are sold to students for messages and photographs, the principal said.

The yearbook’s student editor, Kelly Kentner, 17, said that several of the people featured in the photographs were sent to speak to the dean about their behavior. She said alcohol has been in past yearbooks, including the 1986 book, which included a “beer bong”--a tube and funnel used to take in large amounts of beer rapidly.

“I think it’s really getting blown out of proportion. It’s no secret that a lot of people (in high school) drink,” said Kelly, a junior. But, she added, “it’s not good to have that in the yearbook.”

Although school administrators said they have received several complaints about the inclusion of the photographs, other parents said they never looked that closely at their children’s yearbook.

“It doesn’t strike me as good,” said Ray Brown Sr., 44, of Huntington Beach, whose son attends Edison. “I wouldn’t have even noticed it, though.”

The yearbook’s adviser, Jim Wheeler, discussed the photographs with some students in his English class, said Julie Sweeney, 17, a junior in the class. Julie said Wheeler told her class that students should still pick the photographs that go into the yearbook but that stricter guidelines will be used next year. She said many students agreed with him.

‘Should Have Been Censored’

“I think it should have been censored a little bit,” Julie said. “I don’t think that is a good thing to put in the yearbook.”

Kennedy said students who buy yearbook pages next year will have to sign contracts saying that no pictures or words they submit will promote alcohol, drugs or smoking. He said next year’s principal, Brian Garland, who also demonstrated against Hallmark Cards, is planning to be especially careful.

“I’ve got a feeling that our next principal will be paying particular attention to what is going in that yearbook,” Kennedy said. “He’ll be watching that very closely, and so will the adviser.”

Janet Cater, Orange County chapter director of Mothers Against Drunk Driving, said she sympathizes with Kennedy, whom she considers a partner in MADD’s struggle.

“We worked together on the Hallmark thing,” she said, “and to turn around and find in your own yearbook pictures of the things that you’re against. . . . I imagine he’s feeling embarrassed.”

Yearbook editor Kentner said it shouldn’t be the yearbook committee or the school’s administrators who are embarrassed.

“I feel the people that should be worried are the kid’s parents,” she said.