Where should the focus be? Certainly there is more at issue than a mascot. Lake County residents need to be focusing on how we can keep our teachers in our schools doing what is necessary for the future of our children, our county and our country.

Please, please, everyone get your heads out of the morass of mascot sand and get busy with seeing to it that the children of Lake County get the best possible education. That means all children. Get out of the past! Deal with the future. Stop wasting time, newspaper space, money and emotions on the past!

Lake County Office of Education is dealing with a very difficult situation. Give them your support to keep our schools functioning. A mascot has nothing to do with the quality of education required by children to be successful, self-supporting, productive human beings. Let’s close the chapter on mascots now and forever, and get the entire community united and focused on the critical issue of educating our children.

To me, and to many others with whom I have discussed this issue, the Kelseyville Indians have always represented school teams that are tenacious, courageous, resourceful and bright with a winning attitude. Does this sound derogatory?

Leona M. Butts lives in Clearlake Oaks.

{mos_sb_discuss:4}