Dana Hills Students Find City Hall’s Views on Eatery Hard to Swallow

I am writing with regard to the article “Officials Say Eatery Hard to Swallow” (March 16). There are about a million different reasons to let the campus remain open and only about two that I can think of to close it. As a student of Dana Hills and a resident of Dana Point, I don’t think that it is fair to make 2,700 people suffer for 50 or so students’ rude misconduct.

I can see where the local businesses would be extremely upset with the situation that has arisen. I would be also if I were a business owner in that particular shopping center. One issue that was neglected is that the school has been in its location for 20-some years and the shopping center and City Hall have only been there since 1989. When it was constructed, the owners buying into the center and the City Hall members all were clearly aware of the school and its location. The fact that they didn’t bother to think of the possible problems the school and its students could bring on is their fault, not the rest of the students who attend Dana Hills. So why penalize an entire school for the difficulties that have been created by a minority?

Having a closed campus would negatively affect the students of Dana Hills and the owners of Sysco’s. Where is Dana Hills going to put 2,700 people? The school just doesn’t have the space! Not only that, but what about the people who don’t have a fifth-period class and don’t need to come back to school for the remainder of the day? Or the people who live near the school? Or the people who drive elsewhere for lunch? The possibility of closing the campus is much more complex than simply shutting the gates of the school.

ELIZABETH RUNGE, Dana Point