We need school resource officers, not gophers

I am a third generation Thurston County resident. My family have been active in our community and county trying to make it a better place for future generations.

When I talk about future generations, this is not just an abstract concept for my wife and I. We have grown children in Rochester who have started to raise the next generation.

This is why I was supportive of Commissioner Blake’s decision to support and propose the funding of school resource officers - provided by the Thurston County Sheriff’s office to our rural schools. I was greatly saddened and a little shocked when I learned that Commissioners Romero and Wolfe decided to reject the idea that provides additional protection and safety for our children.

This is particularly galling to me because both commissioners have been squandering unlimited taxpayer dollars on pocket gopher studies, doggy parks, and buying land for politically connected organizations.

I just don’t understand the priorities of Wolfe or Romero. Don’t our children deserve at least as much support and attention as a random pocket gopher? Why would both Wolfe and Romero squander millions of our dollars on very questionable policies over the years, but then refuse to help children?

In the real world, our children should be more important to our politicians than a pocket gopher.

This story was originally published October 12, 2015 at 1:07 PM with the headline "We need school resource officers, not gophers."