Construction is underway at Vernon Elementary School, but recent layoffs have some crews wondering why.

A concerned viewer e-mailed our web channel claiming construction workers are being replaced with illegal alien crews that could compromise student's safety. District employees say they can't promise everyone's job, but they can promise they've taken steps to make sure each student is safe.

With construction crews hard at work, Vernon Elementary School's administrators say they can't wait to see the completed project.

Lesa Burdeshaw, Assistant Principal, said, "We are very excited. We're supposed to get 30 new class rooms that we should be occupying by the beginning of school."

But some workers aren't as excited. The general contractor, Gulf Asphalt Cooperation, recently changed sub contractors leaving some crews without a job before the holidays.

District employees say they have no control over who the general contractor decides to hire as sub contractors, but they can ensure that the information of every worker on the job site has been run through both state and national databases.

Joe Taylor, Director of Facilities and Operations, said, "We do that at the district office in Chipley. What happens is the information is scanned in a checked in and we are responsible for doing it. Any time sub contractors are changed any time of that, GAC is responsible for that."

Project managers say any crews that might enter the school have undergone further screening including finger prints.

As state law requires, a six-foot fence without gates surrounds the entire site. A precaution that protects students from coming into contact with any unauthorized person. The district's director of facilities and operation says he's gotten some concerns from crews that claim the new sub contractors are illegal workers.

Taylor says he'll look into it, but he can't imagine that happening.

"So on sub contractors, for them to bring in subs who may not be legal, there could be a severe finical cost to them and it would not be worth anyone's while for that to happen."

As the project continues on Taylor says he wants parents to know not under any circumstances would he compromise their children's safety.

"It's an absolute paramount concern to everybody, to us, the district, the school, and the contractors."

The project is scheduled to be completed in May.