Today's letters were written by members and former members of The Advertiser Teen Editorial Board. They were asked to write on either transit or school locker searches.

TEEN BOARD WEIGHS IN ON TRANSIT, LOCKERS

TRANSIT

RAIL WILL HELP FIX O'AHU'S TRAFFIC MESS

Traffic in Hawai'i is out of control. Many who live here face countless hours sitting in traffic every day. Think of all the frustration, loss of time and pollution that this causes every day. Thankfully, the leaders of our city came up with a solution to help fix this mess — the rail transit system.

Many people on O'ahu have a problem with contributing to something they won't use.

What these people have to remember is that even though few may use rail, it will have a positive effect on those who do. They should feel good that they are helping others in need. As the saying goes, "You reap what you sow."

O'AHU RAIL SYSTEM STILL NEEDS MANY REVISIONS

The rail transit system has caused mixed feelings on O'ahu.

Rail is an effective solution for our traffic problems, but plans for the system must be revised.

The fact that the system does not travel through the airport or the University of Hawai'i-Manoa is a problem that must be considered. The route also does not touch the east side of the city, where there is also heavy traffic.

The proposed transit route has angered many on O'ahu. Because they will be the ones using the rail, the views of O'ahu residents must be considered seriously. If people are unhappy, they will not take advantage of transit, and the project will be futile. Thus, lawmakers must conduct polls and surveys to get citizen input about rail. This will allow government to determine more accurately the number of potential riders for rail.

Although the transit system is a wonderful idea to clear Hawai'i's roads and give us alternative means of transportation, our leaders still have serious revisions to make before it is ready to run.

O'AHU MUST BE WILLING TO SUPPORT TRANSIT

The Zipper Lane opened in 1998, much to the relief of commuters from West and Central O'ahu. Over the last decade, there has been a continuous rise in population. Meanwhile, no significant improvements have been made to accommodate the sharp increase in the number of commuters.

There is a widespread agreement among the people of O'ahu that urgent action must be taken to fix the traffic situation. Two proposals — toll highways and a rail transit system — sound appealing.

Commercially sponsored toll highways provide alternatives to commuters to drive on a private freeway for a fee. The use of toll roads could, however, mean more expenses for O'ahu residents. And there is no guarantee the toll road will be free from congestion.

A rail transit system seems appealing for its environmental friendliness and high-occupancy capacity. But will enough citizens use rail transit to keep it going?

With the increasing cost of gasoline and the environmental effects of vehicle emissions, it is imperative that O'ahu considers more efficient modes of transportation and be willing to pay for it. The 0.5 percent general excise tax increase could be viewed as a wise investment for future generations.

TRANSIT IN BEST INTEREST OF ENTIRE COMMUNITY

Transit is of paramount importance if Hawai'i is to become a more sustainable community.

A transit system will help reduce road congestion and cut down on commuting time. Long commutes cut into time that could be spent with families.

Also, the average household spends 18 cents of every dollar of income on transportation. In addition, car exhaust emissions have a deleterious effect on the environment. These problems may very well be solved by the development of a transit system.

This system would be beneficial to many people, even if they will not be directly affected by transit. I strongly believe that one should support transit development for the sake of the community and for the sake of the environment.

Although higher taxes will have to be paid for development of the transit system, that money will be used for the purpose of creating a better quality of life.

After all, we all belong to one community, and we all have an obligation to that community to act in its best interest, which would be to support the development of transit.

RESIDENTS NEED ACCESS TO A UNIFIED SYSTEM

With the passage of City Council Bill 79 in January 2007, Mayor Mufi Hannemann and the council have committed Honolulu to a fixed-guideway mass transit system. The plan has been revised many times. However, what is possibly the final plan still falls short of servicing most residents of the island.

The latest route connects Kapolei to Honolulu, hitting Salt Lake, Ala Moana and Manoa. According to the mayor, this will greatly benefit those residents by providing faster, cleaner transportation and fewer cars on the roads.

However, residents of areas such as 'Ewa or the North Shore will not have immediate access and feel they are paying for something they aren't going to use.

Also, the mayor and City Council have yet to adequately address the issue of getting to and from rail stops. The transit system must be inexpensive, convenient and efficient for everyone to give up their cars. Fares for using the system must be reasonable and transfers quick.

Puerto Rico, comparable to Hawai'i in size and traffic, has a bus, ferry and rail system that works efficiently to move citizens from place to place. If the mayor and City Council want people to give up their cars, they must create an infrastructure that provides connective transportation in a unified system so that residents can get where they need to go without wasting time, money or patience.

COUNCIL MUST PUT ASIDE POLITICS, OWN AGENDAS

Rail transit has the potential to be either the beginning of the end of the O'ahu traffic nightmare or an economic failure.

I would love to think that the transit system will be built rapidly, easily affordable, conveniently placed and heavily used. But I also know it is feasible that my eventual hard-earned taxpayer dollars will be put toward an eyesore of a money drain I may never ride.

The City Council must put aside politics and personal agendas and ask themselves whether a rail system will take people where they need to go.

The University of Hawai'i- Manoa and the airport are two major hubs on O'ahu. Is rail worth building if one or both are not on the route?

Are the most-populated areas of O'ahu stops on the proposed route? If not, why?

TheBus works because it does take people where they need to go — it just takes forever to get there. Can rail do the same, but faster?

The bottom line is: Will this rail system be convenient for the majority of people on O'ahu?

Billions of tax dollars are on the line. If the council fails to answer that question honestly when they make their decision, we can expect to see a lot less money and a lot more traffic in our future.

LOCKER SEARCHES

EDUCATORS MUST BE ABLE TO ENSURE SAFETY

When parents pay for students to go to school, whether by paying taxes for public school or tuition for private school, they trust that their children will be kept out of harm's way.

This responsibility is certainly taken seriously by state educators. However, an educator cannot perform this responsibility to its fullest if students are allowed to bring, and essentially "hide," whatever they want in their lockers.

Yes, each individual has a right to privacy, but when students enter school grounds, whether it is public or private, they make a silent agreement that the purpose of coming to school is to learn. Once a student breaks that agreement, the responsibility lies with educators to ensure that the safety of all students is not compromised by one person's actions. This is only possible if educators have access to school property, including student lockers.

If educators suspect a student has some type of contraband within his or her locker and the student is innocent, then good for them. They've kept to the agreement and should be allowed to continue their education. However, if contraband is present, then the necessary steps can be taken to ensure safety for all. As the saying goes, it's better to be safe than sorry.

LOCKER SEARCHES WILL MAKE SCHOOLS SAFER

The Board of Education should definitely allow school officials to search student belongings for contraband items, with or without cause. Such a move would only further the safety and security of students, something that should be a priority. While privacy rights are important and should be respected, they will not mean much when a preventable and dangerous situation ensues.

From an ounce of drugs to weapons the size of a pencil, the smallest object can spark the most harmful of situations.

With school violence showcased in the media, students are only influenced more to act upon irrational decisions.

Searches without cause, and the consequences attached, would be the most effective form of preventive and corrective action. Students would get a clear message not to bring any contraband items to school, and items that do find their way onto campus would be confiscated. That would provide a safer environment for all.

All students need to learn the implications of bad decisions — through punishment or not — and they need to learn as early as possible. Searches without cause extend much further than a questionable act of violating student privacy. They keep schools safe and teach students right from wrong.

School should be a safe place for learning. Anything that threatens that should be eliminated, and if that entails these kinds of searches then so be it.

LOCKER SEARCHES STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION

The Board of Education proposal advocating for locker searches without probable cause in public schools should be a good start in the attempt to deter students from bringing illegal substances and objects to school.

School should be an environment where students feel safe and can learn without distractions.

Though many argue that searching without reason is invasion of privacy, the bigger picture is the safety of students. Plus, the lockers are the property of the schools, meaning that they are the property of the state.

I see no reason why schools should not be able to search lockers. There are students who bring contraband and prohibited items to school — and I'm not talking about MP3 players and cigarettes.

Something must be done to keep the majority of innocent students safe from those who break the rules and the law.

Though this proposal will not eliminate the problem of students bringing contraband and illegal items to school, it is a start in the right direction.