School Alleged to Have Fired Sharon Rogers

Sharon Rogers wanted to stay on in her job as a teacher at the La Jolla Country Day School after a bomb blast destroyed her van on the way to work, but was fired by school officials in what was announced as a “mutual decision,” according to sources who have spoken with her and her husband, Capt. Will C. Rogers III, commander of the guided missile cruiser Vincennes.

Investigators are seeking to determine if the bombing was in retaliation for a Persian Gulf incident last summer in which Rogers launched missiles from the Vincennes at an Iranian airliner that he believed to be an attacking military aircraft. All 290 people aboard the plane were killed.

On Tuesday, the Rogerses communicated publicly for the first time in a letter to The Times in which they indirectly criticized the school and thanked those who have shown support for them in the days since the bomb, possibly planted by terrorists, destroyed their van.

“The image of a burning van must not become a symbol of fear and unreasoned reaction,” the letter said. “Instead it should represent the resolve and courage of a community and a nation to resist and defeat the mindless and cowardly process of terrorism--whatever the source.”

Officials of the exclusive private school said in a press release Thursday that they had reached a “mutual decision” with Sharon Rogers that, “to ensure the safety of the children,” she would not return to the campus. Sources who asked not to be identified said that Sharon Rogers was “stunned” by the school’s insistence that she not return and that the words “mutual decision” be used so it would appear that she had not been fired.

But the sources told The Times that she is now so “upset” over the way she was treated by the school, where she taught for 12 years, that she is considering going on a lecture tour to speak out against the dangers of surrendering to international terrorism.

The FBI and several other law enforcement agencies continue to investigate the blast that occurred on March 10, just moments after Sharon Rogers stepped out of the vehicle at a La Jolla intersection. She was not hurt in the incident but she and her husband have moved out of their home and she is under the protection of the Naval Investigative Service. Capt. Rogers is at sea on the Vincennes for several days of training exercises.

“I don’t think Sharon Rogers would go back to work there now even if she was asked,” one source said. The Rogerses are “livid. They threw 12 years of her career in the tank.”

Jim Stewart, development director of La Jolla Country Day School, said Tuesday: “We still stand by that ‘mutual decision’ part of the statement we released on Thursday. It was by mutual consent.” Stewart also said the school has agreed to pay Sharon Rogers’ salary through August, but he declined to say how much that is.

According to the sources, Sharon Rogers believes that she was never given a fair opportunity to make an argument to the school’s administrators that she should be allowed to continue teaching the fourth grade.

‘Brought Decision to Her’

“She was fired,” one source said. “They brought the decision to her as a fait accompli .”

After the van bombing, Sharon Rogers expected that, at the most, she would only be asked to stay away from the school until the end of the spring break recess. “Eventually she hoped to return,” one source said.

The source said Headmaster Timothy Burns and the Rogerses spoke twice on the telephone after the bombing, and that the headmaster said “take the rest of the week off” between the bombing and the start of spring break.

But the next time they spoke, the headmaster visited her and her husband and told her that the school’s Board of Directors was planning to drop her permanently from the faculty.

‘You’re Out’

“He presented them with the school’s decision,” a source said. “He went over and said, ‘This is it, you’re out.’ ”

At that point, Sharon Rogers negotiated to add the phrase “mutual decision” to the press release announcing her departure, the source said.

The school’s treatment of his wife also “greatly distressed” Capt. Rogers, especially after he had been told that the Naval Investigative Service was preparing a plan of security for safeguarding the school while his wife was teaching there.

“The Navy had promised to do their part and they were in the negotiating phase of a security plan,” a source said.

Because she is upset and believes that she was victimized twice, Sharon Rogers is now thinking about going out on a speaking tour to urge communities not to bow to terrorism, as the school allegedly did by dropping her from the faculty.

‘Wants to Speak Out’

“She wants to speak out about the right community response to terrorism,” a source said. “She wants to talk to the Rotary, the Kiwanis, the Navy League, to various civic organizations.”

The sources also described the Rogerses as a “very private, very personal” couple.

“They expressed the very, very keen desire to have this thing off the front pages as soon as possible,” a source said. “They want some sort of normalcy to return to their lives.”

But at the same time, the source added, “They are bound and determined not to let this incident negatively influence their lives. These are strong, strong people.”

Contents of Letter

The letter from the Rogerses, which was also sent to the San Diego Union and Tribune, read:

“The image of a burning van in the middle of the street of our community must not become a symbol of fear and unreasoned reaction. Instead it should represent the resolve and courage of a community and nation to resist and defeat the mindless and cowardly process of terrorism--whatever the source.

“If we react either individually or collectively without applying rational thought to our actions, we have surrendered the field to those who would invade and attempt to destroy our way of life.

“If on the other hand, we press on with our lives, taking appropriate precautions and assist constituted authority in punishing those responsible, we ensure the safety of the community and sent the ‘RIGHT’ signal.

“Finally, we would like to extend our appreciation for those who have given us support and to our hometown of San Diego. This support has been a needed bolster in a difficult period.”

Times staff writer Ralph Frammolino contributed to this article.