A second candidate has officially joined the race for Lawrence school board.

Craig Grant, a former longtime lobbyist for the state teachers’ union, filed Wednesday at the Douglas County Courthouse.

Grant, who lives in Lawrence, was chief lobbyist and political director at the Topeka-based Kansas National Education Assn. for 22 years. He retired in 2003.

He said he supported major portions of the school district’s proposed bond issue, including replacing South Junior High School.

He said he needed more information on next year’s new alternative high school program before he could say whether he supported closing Lawrence Alternative High School at the end of the school year.

He said that the federal government was not giving states enough money to satisfy requirements of the federal No Child Left Behind Act.

He also said he believed some conservative members of Congress voted for the No Child Left Behind Act because they wanted public schools to look bad.

Three of the Lawrence school board’s seven at-large positions will be on the April 5 general election ballot.

6News video: Former lobbyist announces school-board bid

Incumbents Leni Salkind and Austin Turney have said they will not seek re-election. Linda Robinson said she would seek re-election and would file next week.

The filing deadline is Jan. 25. If more than six candidates file, there will be a primary election March 1.