Musician Brings Message to Lafayette

Few Presidio Middle School and Lafayette Elementary School students knew of the legendary folk music group, Peter, Paul and Mary, but most of them knew the group's song, "Puff the Magic Dragon."

Activist, singer and songwriter Peter Yarrow, of Peter, Paul and Mary, appeared at Presidio Middle School in January to promote Respect and Violence Prevention Month.

Yarrow is a performer and social activist who has always focused on using music to send a message. After four decades of advocacy for civil rights, peace and social justice, Yarrow founded an organization called Operation Respect, which fosters respect and tolerance among children by helping them to become responsible and active citizens now, as well as later in life.

Yarrow sang and talked about Operation Respect's classroom-based program, "Don't Laugh At Me," which uses images of Special Olympics participants. Presidio students listened and some participated on stage. Students spoke about how it hurts to be laughed at and said people should be accepted for who they are. The program is available for free at www.operationrespect.org.

"When a special education student from Lafayette came on the stage and said what he could, the children gave a great ovation," said Paul Rosenberg, 1950s Presidio and Lafayette Elementary School student and father of current eighth grader, Coleman. "It's amazing how good Peter is at reaching the children. The students gave him their full attention throughout."

"We would like to incorporate the program in all of our schools," said Presidio PTSA President Sherrie Rosenberg. "The reaction of the students shows how much this program is truly needed."

Yarrow will do a public presentation of Operation Respect in the Sunset District the evening of Feb. 18, at Abraham Lincoln High School. For more information, contact Rosenberg at shergaye@pacbell.net or at (415) 751-9039.