No guns at schools Guns don’t belong in our public schools. JROTC guns don’t belong in our public schools either, and that air-riflery is part of JROTC training came as news to me (a former eight-year School Board member), thanks to student activists at Lincoln High who brought the issue to light. The School Board was right to vote JROTC riflery off-campus several weeks ago and that vote should have been unanimous, not split 3-2. In an unfortunate lapse of judgment and will but as pure political gesture, this matter was reintroduced at last Tuesday’s Board meeting, and the vote flipped 3-2 the other way — keeping riflery through this academic year ostensibly so that students can participate in springtime riflery competitions. The truth is that our School Board should stick to its guns: guns don’t belong in our public schools, not even JROTC air rifles. The Board could easily have called upon JROTC military leaders in this military town to arrange alternative military venues for such student competitions. Frances O’Neill Zimmerman, La Jolla Snubbed in the Village I dutifully read the La Jolla Village News in an effort to keep in touch with what is happening in my community. A common refrain appearing weekly in both papers implores readers to support local businesses. I read about the various community boards and committees who seem to gather often to discuss ways to keep the lights on during these tough times. Heeding the call and sensing the urgency, I try my best to shop in the village even if it means spending more than I would at say a Target or Big Box store. And then I politely ask a local merchant if I may use the facilities so that I can continue to sip my coffee and shop around and my request is denied, forcing an early departure for home without any further discretionary spending.  I’m well-employed, keep a neat appearance and otherwise am a respectable person living here in La Jolla. I understand that some places don’t offer a restroom for customers (but otherwise have one for employees) but shouldn’t we all be going that extra mile to appreciate and keep the business we have during these tough times? The next time I want more coffee to fuel my efforts to spend, I will walk down Girard to Starbucks where they treat you like a neighbor.   Stephen Cooke, La Jolla Lightner deserves laud Your 26 February edition contained a Letter to the Editor from a Mr. Jerry Cesak of La Jolla (“Coincidence?,” page 8). Mr. Cesak was bemoaning the fact that our Council Representative, Ms. Sherri Lightner was the sole dissenting vote to changing the Tidelands Trust governing the Children’s Pool. Rather than castigating Ms. Lightner, she should be lauded for her stand against civil waste. Regardless of what we would be lead to believe, the City of San Diego is in the process of denying 700,000 children in San Diego County the use of a public swimming beach specifically designed for children. They seek to do this by eviscerating a Tidelands Trust to allow a hundred or so seals and animal rights activists to commandeer a small beach to the exclusion of humans. The City is attempting to disenfranchise not only kids but also the other 2.5 million residents of San Diego County by turning this beach into a seal habitat to the exclusion of humans. David W. Valentine, Ph.D. Marine Biologist, 41-year La Jolla resident