O.C. Schools and Crime Statistics

* Re “Many Schools Plagued by Crime Rates Well Above State Average,” June 13:

As an active and involved parent of two students in the Santa Ana Unified School District, I and others could have predicted the story that this information has shown.

We who are active in Santa Ana know that our schools are safer than most in Orange County and the results bear that out. Unfortunately, the way that the tables were written listed the schools by city name instead of by school district.

Because of this, several schools are listed in Santa Ana when in reality they are not in the Santa Ana Unified School District. Our city has five school districts within its city boundaries.

Since this article was focused on the reporting and interpretation of the crimes and since that is done by district, wouldn’t listing the schools by which district they are in have been more accurate?

My kids have been in the district for eight years and I grew up here, graduating from Santa Ana High School. We have always been very happy with our neighborhood schools.

When it comes to safety, the schools in Santa Ana are top-notch because the district has acknowledged that there are potential problems and has taken a proactive approach to protect our kids. Evidently, it has worked well.

KATHI JO BRUNNING

Santa Ana

* Your article on crime on Orange County campuses is very misleading.

Schools that have high standards of behavior and report infractions are labeled as high-crime schools, whereas schools that [overlook] a lot of unacceptable behavior appear to have safer campuses.

Your article is based on what’s reported, not on what really is happening an campus. To think there is more sexual harassment at an elementary school than a high school is ridiculous. It’s just that the older students put up with it and don’t report it. Elementary students tell parents and teachers.

GAIL BRICKNER

Orange