Setting the Record Straight on Morals

* I appreciate the June 25 article that included me. However, the public was deceived when the article portrayed me as a teenager with no moral values.

“Summer Job Blues” failed to include the vital information that would have eliminated any misconceptions. When asked about recent interviews, I shared my experience about the survey at Linens ‘n Things. One of the questions asked if I would report a relative who was stealing. My response was no, but only because I was not given room to explain myself. I would, in fact, confront my relative and ask him/her to turn themselves in. If they refused, my next course of action would be to report them. I did explain this to the reporter, but it was not included in the story.

I hope this clears up any questions about my morals.

DEBBIE LEJEUNE

Thousand Oaks

* I am writing in response to the recent article “Summer Job Blues,” which featured an interview with my daughter, Debbie Lejeune. The end of the article took a statement I made out of context and combined it with a partial statement made by my daughter. The result made it appear that neither my daughter nor I have any sense of right or wrong.

As an elementary school teacher, I feel it is important to set the record straight. First, I had no idea how my daughter answered questions on the Linens ‘n Things survey until I read your article. The article makes it appear that I was counseling her to lie about the way she would behave in a hypothetical situation. I was not present when the reporter questioned her about her job interview.

I do not now, nor ever have, condone any kind of lying, stealing or cheating by members of my family, people that I work with in the community, or students in my class. I feel it is my duty as a teacher to be sure students leave my classroom with both more academic knowledge and greater social skills, which includes setting high moral standards for themselves and their peers.

I did say that one should try to give the kind of answers that an interviewer is looking for when you are in an interview situation. I believe this is only good common sense and it is the kind of advice that is taught to job seekers by employment counselors. This does not mean telling lies, it means putting your best foot forward and emphasizing the skills and abilities you can offer a potential employer.

Since your article was published I have already received one piece of hate mail questioning my suitability for the teaching profession and several phone calls from people who know me and couldn’t believe what they read. I hope this letter will eliminate any doubts the public might have about my fitness to teach elementary school.

JERRI LEJEUNE

Thousand Oaks