To the editor:

Regarding the article in the Feb. 27 Journal-World about immigrant children receiving in-state tuition to Kansas institutions of higher learning: Toward the bottom of the article I read, “But supporters of the bill said Kansas law allowed military dependents the in-state rates.”

As military parents paying out-of-state tuition for two children attending Kansas University, I wish someone would show us a copy of that law! Although I grew up in Kansas, come from a family of lifelong Kansas residents, graduated from KU, taught school in Kansas for several years, have been stationed in Kansas twice, always have and always will consider myself a Kansan and have children who consider themselves Kansans, I married a Virginian and therefore am not considered a legal resident of Kansas.

We have been paying out-of-state tuition for our children since our son entered KU in 1999. (Even though he holds a full-time job and has paid Kansas income tax for several years.) Our youngest child plans to join her siblings at KU in 2004.

In all honesty, we understand the out-of-state reasoning, as our state income tax has gone to another state these past years. And that is the purpose of this letter. Have the immigrants in question been paying Kansas income tax all these years? If so, then of course they should be allowed in-state tuition, regardless of citizenship! If not, and they are granted the in-state tuition, then I hope the Legislature is prepared to give your military personnel (who are U.S. citizens!) the same rights.

Please don’t let the good people of Kansas think that all military personnel receive in-state tuition. Just ask KU’s Office of Admissions’ or better yet, we will gladly show you our canceled tuition checks!

Ann Bradford Yingling,

Fort Bliss, Texas