(Editor's note: This letter was sent to the U.S. Attorney General and a copy to the Times/News)

Dear Mr. Attorney General,

I am a Vietnam era Veteran. I served my country- proudly - from 1965 to 1969, including three years of overseas duty. I took the oath-to defend the Constitution against all enemies, foreign and domestic-in 1965, and believed in it.

I have lately been hearing far too many stories about Foster High School in Tukwila, and how administrators and the school board have been trying to quash dissent, trampling on the freedom of speech and assembly of students and teachers at Foster High School. Students and teachers both have been suspended or are "under investigation" for exercising the rights I spent four years of my life in service to protect.

On March 31, I took the oath - to defend the constitution against all enemies, foreign and domestic - for a second time, as a board member of the United States Selective Service System (ID #305752).

The actions of officials of the Tukwila school district are not only trampling the rights of students and teachers, they are impeding the investigatory responsibilities of federal officials, and destroying their rights as well. Allow me to explain.

First, if this country continues with its present foreign policy, the draft will return. Soon. It then becomes my responsibility as a board member to "investigate" the legitimacy of inductees who claim exemption as a conscientious objector to war. Conscientious objector status is recognized by the Selective Service System, and is a legitimate reason to not send a draftee into a combat situation.

But it is up to the board members, like myself, to determine if the claim is legitimate or not. There are no hard and fast rules for this, but there are guidelines. A draftee who becomes a pacifist upon receiving his draft notice is usually not considered to be authentic.

On the other side, an 18-year-old draftee with two years of documented anti-war activities-attending rallies, writing letters to the editor, starting groups like YAWR (Youth Against War and Racism), talking to ministers, family, anyone who will listen about their feelings against war-those young people are pretty much a slam dunk for getting a deferral or assigned to non-combat service to complete their obligation to their country.

The officials in the Tukwila school district, especially those responsible for repressive actions at Foster High School, are making it impossible for those against war to get the kind of documentation necessary to prevent them from going to war.

This means that the school district is preventing me from doing my duty, and taking over my responsibilities to decide who should go to war. If students are not allowed to speak against war in school or in public, then I am denied the opportunity to get a realistic idea of individual draftees' actual commitment to ideas of war and peace.

I await your reply.

Kenneth L. Slusher

Boulevard Park