Editor:

I can only hope that the news that we watched Thursday night was somehow in error. I hope, I pray that the message from the Superintendent of Bryan County Schools was somehow misinterpreted, and that a clarification will be forthcoming.

Did Ms. Brewer really prohibit Jack Barfield from speaking to the high schools in Bryan County? If she did, then a professional and public statement from her is in order. If she did not, then a professional and public statement is still in order.

This is an issue that affects us all as citizens of this state. As a parent, I believe that testimony from Jack Barfield will have an extremely positive impact on our teens. He and his testimony have the opportunity to reach our children in ways that us ‘mere’ adults never can. To use a favorite Southern phrase, Jack can speak ‘from the horse’s mouth’. He can relate to the teens.....their hopes, dreams, and mistakes.....like most of us never can. If Ms. Brewer has truly barred him from delivering this message to our children, then it is my opinion that Ms. Brewer is not someone that I would choose to have in charge of leading the education of the students in our area. True education is not limited to books and course work. True education reaches out into the community to teach our children the lessons that come from ‘real life’.