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To the Editor: 

A false fire alarm breaks the law, creates major disruption and may even place lives in jeopardy. But the “terrorism” label smacks of mindless hyperbole (reported in the Oct. 4 Daily Plant article “Staff ‘terrorized’ by false alarms”). Terrorism denotes an act of war. Berkeley High School co-principal Laura Leventer should know better. Equally irksome: I am old enough to remember an era when many men (and, regrettably, women) of my parents’ generation, would have snickered “feminine hysteria,” or worse. Ms. Leventer can certainly do better. 

Leroy W. Demery, Jr. 

former BHS math teacher 

Berkeley