  We account for the different symmetries of the 2^{1,3}S helium excited states
in a quasiclassical description of the knockout mechanism augmented by a
quantum shakeoff contribution. We are thus able to formulate the separate
contribution of the knockout and shakeoff mechanisms for double photoionization
for any excess energy from the 2^{1,3}S states. Photoionization ratios and
singly differential cross sections calculated for the 2^{1,3}S excited states
of helium are found to be in very good agreement with recent theoretical
results.
