To the editor:

My wife and I are the parents of two children who attend Centennial School. We have had the opportunity to bear consistent witness to the dissembling, even Orwelllian, communications from the school board with respect to the closing of Centennial.

Initially, we suspected the district had designs on the Centennial property for use by Lawrence High. When questioned in this regard, the school board consistently denied such interest or tap-danced around the issue altogether. Now, of course, in recent propaganda from the board, it finally admits that the idea has been part of its agenda.

In the main hallway at Centennial, the school was compelled to exhibit a display designed by the district to argue their case for passage of the school bond issue. In the happy, hyperbolic language of the display, there was no reference whatsoever to any planned school closings. Sure, we were told how marvelous the improvements and additions to other schools would be. Yet in the halls of a school slated for closing the very fact of those intentions was undiscussed. This is propaganda of the worst kind — patronizing, condescending and evasive.

My question is this: Why should we believe anything the school board says?

Steve Wilson,

Lawrence