Trustee Abused Her Role as a Parent

* As a parent of seven children, I can sympathize with the difficulties of raising them. I also will stand up and defend them and work so they can have every advantage possible in life.

It is from this standpoint I must state my outrage at Simi Valley school board member Carla Kurachi’s total irresponsibility as a parent and elected official. (“Trustee Abused Power, Parents Say,” Dec. 7).

As a parent, I want my children to be protected and to feel safe. I am also concerned for the other students’ and teachers’ safety. The zero-tolerance policy is the first step in assuring this safety. This policy must be kept in force as is, with no changes. There can be no gray areas; enforcing this policy on a case-by-case basis is not acceptable.

Justin Elementary School sends a student handbook home in September. This book outlines the rules and policies of our school. There is a portion to be signed by the parent and returned to the school stating that, as a parent, we have discussed the information with our children. It is a long afternoon in our house with five school-age children, but we have no questions as to the rules.

If my child breaks a rule, suspension is not looked at as a denial of two days of education--it is a different kind of education. It is education in life.

I only hope Ms. Kurachi plans to spend the rest of her life getting her son special treatment because it’s not always easy in the real world to avoid the consequences of disobedience to the rules and policies.

DAWN MOFFETT

Simi Valley