Alpena County has about 3,600 students who are represented by a senior high school, a junior high school, and six elementary schools. All of these schools represent diverse students that Alpena Schools have the responsibility to care for and encourage, no matter what level they are at in each of the grades they are attending. All teachers have been trained to accept all students where they are in their path toward a fulfilling life, to make them feel welcome and help them to understand that all students learn at different rates and the concepts that each grade expects them to learn eventually become part of each resume. Character is one of the main concepts that the teachers try to convey each and every day. Trying to understand one another’s feelings and showing compassion is part of an everyday occurrence. The school board members apparently missed these lessons that show compassion for one another. Our schools are unique and have support from the surrounding community. They support all activities that the schools organize for sport activities, art shows, concerts, science shows, and just every day school activities. They have not had a problem with the use of bathrooms! If we push hard enough, our schools will not be known for our healthy support of our schools, but for using the right bathroom. It will be the talk of the town, and this definitely will not be a positive experience that our community will be proud to have in the news throughout the city and beyond. What do we want Alpena to be known for? Would it be the great school activities and teachers or a policy for the use of special bathrooms? The board should think twice about adopting this policy which is demeaning and not acceptable by most students, teachers, and the community at large.

MICHAEL STOLL,

Lachine