To the editor:

Are there any other parents, teachers or students in Lawrence who are disappointed about our schools starting so early in the heat of the summer? The response I received from the school board was, “it helps the teachers end the semester before Christmas break.”

That certainly makes sense, and as a parent, I want to support our teachers with their needs so that my kids have a great education. However, I don’t believe all teachers feel this way, especially since it doesn’t apply to elementary school. Some teachers I talked with said one solution would be to extend the school day by 10 minutes. The consensus was that the school board would never approve this.

The heat is unbearable on all students, not just athletes. I noticed numerous first-graders looking a little ill after recess at our school. Lawrence High School and Central Junior High School do not have air-conditioning in their gyms, so the athletes and gym class participants are at risk for heatstroke. These gyms need air-conditioning no matter when school starts, since we can’t control the weather.

School started two days earlier this year and will start even earlier next summer. Some school board members are under the impression that everyone is happy with the school calendar. Although there may be some who prefer it, I do not believe it is the majority.

Kim Kastl,

Lawrence