The political protest in front of state Sen. Tony Strickland's office on Feb. 5 was organized by newly elected Conejo Valley Unified School District trustee Peggy Buckles, who's also the legislation chair of the highly political District 12 PTA for all of Ventura County.

I was there to document the demonstration, since a press release stated it was against Republicans. I took pictures of the signs that read "Phony Tony hates Kids" and "Phony Tony kills education" and more.

I was screamed at by a large, short woman in a red parka saying that I worked for a terrible person and that I was a government worker and should get back to my desk. She was wrong.

I'm a private person and long retired from Naval Intelligence. At the end of the hourlong protest, I explained to her that she was mistaken. But instead of apologizing, this rude person said she mistook me for "that horrible woman at Elton Gallegly's, but I know you are a right-wing Republican wacko!"

And this was a nonpartisan PTA protest? I didn't engage in arguments with this violent person but calmly walked away.

While I don't dismiss her passion for education, I disagree with her use of violent words and her disrespect for Strickland and Gallegly. I have it on good authority that Tony- - the father of two toddlers and the husband of a former school teacher- - doesn't hate kids.

This event is further evidence of the partisan nature of the California PTA. They endorse leftist socialist bills such as Sheila Kuehl's SB-777. The state PTA also refused to stop SB-1322, which would have let communists teach in California schools. It actually passed both houses on a partisan vote this summer. Thank goodness the governor vetoed it in August. Why didn't PTA legislation chair Peggy Buckles warn every PTA in Ventura County about this dangerous procommunist bill?

Are you still feeling warm and fuzzy about your pro-communist PTA? Cathy Carlson Thousand Oaks