To the editor:

Two weeks ago, I visited with the Kansas State Board of Education, have received some answers to inquiries made to USD 497 and visited Harmon High School in Kansas City, Kan.

Lawrence Alternative High School is recognized as a program tied to Lawrence High and Free State high schools. Lawrence Alternative High School is just the name of a program. Diplomas are issued from Free State or LHS.

Consider the following:

1. Salaries for certified staff at the “alternative” high school total $576,479, representing a full-time equivalent of 14.3 employees. The salary range is $68,400 to $29,440 for full-time employees. The $576,479 does not represent expenses for substitutes, the five classified employees at LAHS or building expenses.

2. There are 86 full-time students and 16 part time. The most disturbing part of this information is that one student who is either enrolled at Free State or LHS takes one, yes one, class at the “alternative” facility. Why can’t one student be helped at the high school they attend? How can this be? It makes no sense for that student to cross town to take a class.

Patrons, parents and students of USD 497, visit Harmon, as I did, and your facilities and staff in Lawrence will look like a country club. Lawrence needs a vocational school, not a $6 million or $10 million remedial learning center, aka “program.”

David Holroyd,

Lawrence