An Open Letter to the Superintendent, Staff and employees of the Worthington City School system from a father of one of your students who lives two hours away:

Good day to you all.  Thank you, first and foremost, for the outstanding job that is reported to me by my daughter, a sixth grade student, and by her mother.  The evidence of your education excellence is reflected in the education she is achieving, and the inquiring mind she has developed, as well as social skills and those in music.  I commend you for it.

The past few years have presented challenges to the Primary and Secondary education professions that have to be difficult to manage.  With subzero wind chills, budget issues, and sadly, sociopathic individuals targeting children and schools for attack.  The last of these I would like to specifically address to you all.

Each of you, every day, is responsible for thousands of young souls.  I am sure they are each precious to you and unique and loved.  To a parent, they are more.  They are the reason we go without, the reason we keep going, the reason we smile, the reason we laugh, the person or persons in our lives who we would, without hesitation, stand in front of an oncoming car for.  Or, if need be, take any attack to keep it from going to them.  They are priceless, precious, and irreplaceable.  Please remember that.  There are thousands in your care, but to us as parents, our own is the most important, and likely one of our greatest reasons for keeping moving forward in this world.  We build hoping for better things for them, do our best to protect them, and trust you to care for them.

To that end, I, respectfully, ask that you continue to do everything you can to make your school system anything BUT a soft target.  I understand these measures are improved daily, but there must be, from each member of your staff, a singular dedication that you will NOT allow harm to come to our children, to my child.  No matter what it takes to accomplish this.  Maybe you didn’t go into education with the idea of being a protector.  The world we live in now forces you to step into that role, along with the thankless others you take on as an educator.  I regret having to require yet more of you, but you see, I’ve only got the one little girl.  I want to dance at her wedding, hold her babies, and share her life for as long as God grants me breath.  I EXPECT YOU TO PROTECT HER.  By any and all means legally available.

I understand the procedures you have in place.  I want you to do more.  I would like to see my child protected at the same level as a banker, or a bank, by people trained and dedicated to doing so.  I want you each to be trained in advanced first aid and trauma treatment.  To have the resources at your disposal in every classroom to use that training.  I would prefer that you all were highly trained and armed and that you had the conviction to stop any attacker instantly.  For you see, you are there, and I am not.  And the most precious person in the world to me is in your care.  Consider it strongly.

With all due respect,

Jerod J. Husvar, Father.