Three hours of heart-wrenching personal testimony from dozens of students, parents and teachers Monday left in shambles the Lawrence school board’s plan to select major budget cuts and fee increases.

Comments from more than 50 people in the overflowing board room rendered the board unable to make a single decision that moved the district closer to $4 million in spending reductions and $1 million in revenue enhancements.

“It certainly is frustrating … because we’re sitting here knowing we don’t have a choice,” said Sue Morgan, board president.

In an unusual move, the board will reconvene 4 p.m. today at district headquarters, 110 McDonald Drive, to take another shot at reaching consensus on key budget provisions.

Board members are under pressure to reshape the budget because the 2002 Legislature is facing a projected shortfall that has grown to more than $675 million. Assuming tax increases don’t cover the gap, lawmakers will likely trim appropriations to public school districts.

In Lawrence, Supt. Randy Weseman started seven months ago to identify options for running schools more efficiently without damaging instruction in core subjects. His goal is a combination of budget cuts and fee increases that totals $5 million.

At a loss

By 11 p.m. Monday, the board was too weary to coherently engage in the political deal-making necessary to meet such a massive budget realignment. Board members bickered briefly about cherished parts of the budget before throwing in the towel.

“I’m at a loss how we’re going to get four votes for anything,” said Scott Morgan, the board’s vice president.

Parents, teachers and students representing a wide range of special-interest groups  nursing, counseling, WRAP, special education, band, libraries, foreign languages, athletics, orchestra, supplemental reading and math programs  told the board the budget knife should be applied elsewhere in the budget.

Charles Marsh, who is profoundly deaf, spoke passionately through an interpreter about the folly of a proposal to phase out American Sign Language in the district.

He said ASL programs are growing nationally, and asked why the Lawrence district could justify cutting it.

“I’m in pain,” Marsh signed.

Parent Maryemma Graham added her voice to a torrent of criticism directed at the board for even considering the idea of dropping sixth-grade band and orchestra programs in all elementary schools. She said many families didn’t have the financial resources to give their children private lessons.

“Let’s pay attention to the have’s and have not’s,” she said. “You want more crime? You want more prisons?”

Betrayed

Patrick Kelly, who teaches instrumental music in the district, said the budget blueprint on the table slashed more than $500,000 from fine arts programs.

“No other curriculum area, no other student service activity or other district organization … takes a hit of that magnitude,” he said.

He said the bulk of that reduction wasn’t made evident to music teachers in the district until a few days ago.

“We feel we have been betrayed,” Kelly said.

At one point, Sue Morgan urged special-interest groups to designate a few people to speak on everyone’s behalf on specific topics. Some folks objected, shouting that they had a right to be heard.

She warned the audience that if the meeting got out of control she would order an adjournment.

The board is far from agreement on core issues, and new obstacles surfaced Monday night. The idea of eliminating all sophomore sports programs has been discussed before, but Sue Morgan indicated the board would have to go deep into the district’s $1.68 million athletics budget if the public refused to accept adjustments closer to the classroom.

“Some of these (athletics) programs are going to have to go,” she said.

In other business, the board:

 Agreed on a unanimous voice vote to approve the “late-start” plan that allows Lawrence high school faculty to meet seven times  90 minutes at each session  during the 2002-2003 year. Advocates say the only way to schedule professional-development meetings for all teachers is to cut into the school day.

 Voted unanimously to spend $265,000 on library furniture, computer software, tractor and van, sheet music cabinets, instrument storage and parking lot paving. Most of the money came from capital outlay and bond revenue funds, rather than the general fund.