It is truly remarkable, how San Diego “educators” do not understand the impact on children of ROTC military training (“School board muzzles JROTC’s rifle ranges,” Beacon, Feb. 19, page 1). Our public schools should be off limits for any military recruiting. Children become fodder for the military. They are taught that war is glorious. In reality it is a dishonest way to entice the youth into the military. It also costs the district $65,000. Mission Bay High Principal Cheryl Seelos supports the marksmanship program at her school and sees no conflict with existing “zero tolerance” policy regarding weapons on campus. She calls weapons training a “collegiate sport” with no connection to killing people. Fortunately, after considerable community outcry, the district voted to eliminate the rifles and shooting ranges. But it retained much of the ROTC incursion into our schools. It allows ROTC to fulfill physical education graduation requirements. Don’t our children need REAL physical education? Point Loma High principal Barbara Samilson supports weapons practice because “ROTC marksmanship teaches self-discipline, the value of hard work…and the value of working as a team.” How about music education, drama or arts programs? They serve all of these needs and in addition develop creative, useful and joyful life skills. Shooting is only good for one thing. To hit a target, period. Unfortunately the target is often a person. ROTC is a devious way, with extravagant promises, of getting our children funneled into the military. It is a tragic corruption of education. Unfortunately, it is mostly the less educated and less advantaged youth who become the main target of recruiters. Many of them return from war destroyed in mind and body. Preparation for war is not an acceptable career option for anyone. In the nuclear age, when 90 percent of war victims are civilians, our goal should be the abolishing of war. • Editor’s note: The San Diego Unified School District Board of Education voted Tuesday to allow marksmanship training to continue through the end of the school year, including ranges at Point Loma and Mission Bay high schools.