Recruiting Students

* The sanctimonious whining of local school employees and high-ranking Democratic political hacks in “Republicans Turn to High Schools in Bid for Campaign Foot Soldiers” (Oct. 17), on the state Republican Party’s outreach effort to high school teens, amused me immensely. They’re shocked at a whiff of political partisanship in their classrooms? Please.

During my four years working in politics, I regularly received reports from students and parents about teachers, board members and school bureaucrats who recruited students for their pet campaigns and causes. In one race I was involved in, a school board member running for higher office got her cronies at local high schools to coerce students into volunteering for her after she hired a student there to work full-time on her campaign.

ANTHONY FINCHUM

Deputy Executive Director

Young Republican Federation-California

Chula Vista

* Just as it is essential to the health of our democracy to maintain a wall of separation between church and state, we must also insulate our public schools from partisan politics. What the GOP has done in attempting to recruit high school kids is the first step in opening a never-ending stream of influence aimed at our children. All political parties should back off and stay out of our schools.

DAVE SILVA

Seal Beach