
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: TUESDAY, February 12, 1991                   TAG: 9102120478
SECTION: EDITORIAL                    PAGE: A-4   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

IN WARTIME, PREPARE FOR SAFETY AT HOME

THESE ARE stressful times to people who live in the Mideast, but should we not be worried ourselves of the dangers this war could mean to our own homeland? Are we prepared here in our communities and, most important of all, our schools? I think not.

I asked my daughter's teacher, if there should be an attack of some kind in our immediate area, would the school be able to protect our children? The answer was extremely shocking; not since the '50s have teachers been guiding our children on what to do in an emergency such as war. The teacher was not sure what would be done and was frankly surprised I had asked.

The principal informed me the children would be brought to the center of the school, which was considered the safest place. He said they would have only enough food to last several days, so hopefully nothing will ever happen.

Like most mothers in this country, I guard my daughter from anything harmful. I felt I would be letting her down if something was not planned for such emergencies, so our family worked out two plans just in case.

I hope this danger will never come our way, but shouldn't we prepare our children, if for no other reason than to implant in their young minds how terrible war really is, with the hope they will never have to fight one? MELODY DeLONG MONTVALE

by CNB