...There is no First Amendment issue here. Allowing outside groups of any ideological stripe to come in and proselytize students detracts from the educational function of schools. Teachers who claim they merely seek to provide a range of world perspectives should not object to a forum that includes opposing views. And teachers giving students flyers that are critical of the administration does not advance education in town.

The First Amendment guarantees Wheels of Justice the right to hold its views and speak them. It gives it the right to stand on a street corner or other public space and shout its message. It does not grant it the right to come into a school building to lecture a captive audience of children over the objections of the teachers' bosses, the school administration.

Andover school leaders made the right decision.

Congratulations to Andover High School Principal Peter Anderson for keeping the focus of the teachers and students where it should be: on providing and receiving an education. The high school is not the forum for presenting one-sided views of the world. It is the place where our children should receive non-biased information from impartial educators, not from a group of traveling zealots with their own agenda. If the Wheels of Justice want to hold a forum to advance their agenda, great! The First Amendment gives them the right. Just hold their forum some place other than our high school. Otherwise who comes next to exercise their right of free speech: the Taliban, the Ku Klux Klan, or a group of neo-Nazis?

Fortunately, the majority of teachers at AHS do not see the need to expose their students to the views of these radical groups. Instead they do what they are supposed to do: teach their students the approved curriculum and allow the student to listen to these outside groups (if they choose) outside of the classroom. The high school is not the place for a few teachers to advance their personal agendas, biases and political crusades. I commend Anderson, the administration and all the dedicated teachers at Andover High School for providing our sons and daughters with a quality education. Keep up the good work.

As a concerned group of parents from Andover High School we would like to voice our support for Peter Anderson's decision to postpone a presentation scheduled for Oct. 27 by the group Wheels for Justice. From what we understand, Anderson did not have adequate time in advance of the date to research the background of this group to properly consider if they should be invited to speak at the high school. This type of research would be done with any group that would potentially make a presentation to the students.

As parents we respect and support Anderson's decision on this matter.