A Parent’s View

As the parent of a child attending the school that employed Sharon Rogers, I was shocked to read of Congressman Bill Lowery’s seemingly cavalier attitude toward the safety of these children.

The congressman forgets that the school and parents’ top priority is the safety of our children. His remarks ring hollow that we should “hang tough” against terrorists (by keeping Sharon Rogers on campus).

I tried to enlist his support and help from some of the San Diego City Council to provide any kind of protection for the school grounds--which are quite open and accessible. All for nothing.

I did notice, however, that the congressman’s busy schedule found time, in this agonizingly difficult week for us parents, to get headlines for some new detection equipment--hardly the response needed for the safety of hundreds of children attending a school that was not only a few blocks from where the van was bombed, but also the recipient of a bomb threat a few days following the van’s burning up.

But I want to be fair. I don’t want to prejudge Congressman Lowery. Let’s see him put his money where his headline mouth is on standing up to terrorists. What would you do, congressman, if the terrorism shifted to your child’s school? The national press has printed the exact name of the school, where it is located, and the grade your child is in. Let us know how you are going to place your child’s school on the front line against terrorism, Bill.

My son and I were blessed with the wonderful luck to experience Mrs. Rogers’ magic in the classroom for two years (third and fourth grade). She is one of life’s wonderful teachers and is a victim as surely as the children are.

All we parents wanted to do is move the arena in which you fight terrorism to a more fair battleground; one where weapons are equal; where expertise can match madness--a school ground full of children is not that place.

JEAN ANDREWS

San Diego