As a Franklin Alternative School alumnus, I was saddened by the Sun Journal article (Dec. 6) regarding the possible merger of Franklin Alternative and Edward Little High School.

I was angered by the tone of city councilor and mayor’s representative Alfreda Fournier, who stated “Out of sight, out of mind,” as rationale for consolidating the schools into one location. That is a shortsighted solution to a long term problem and it is antithetical to the ideals and disciplines of Franklin.

Fournier’s statement indicates that members of the Auburn School Committee are not concerned with the best interests of students. Instead, they are preoccupied with their own apathy and bias.

According to the article, Fournier “agrees Franklin should be at the new school to give students more opportunities.” Why should it be required that Franklin students be schooled on a mainstream campus to receive equal treatment?

It is not a question of whether all students deserve the same opportunities, but, rather, why Franklin students must demand they be kept in “mind” and accordingly counted as equal to their Edward Little peers?

Why does Franklin’s location render the school board unable to bolster and uphold the principles of education that they were elected to enforce?

By ignoring numerous valid reasons to not house the two schools together, it appears the school board and City Council are looking to justify one shallow reason to carry such a merger: it is simply inconvenient for them to remember Franklin Alternative students.

Anna Hayes, Eugene, Oregon

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