Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, March 19, 1994 TAG: 9403190084
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-3 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JOEL TURNER STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Alabama is grappling with the same disparity issues that have been argued recently in the General Assembly and the Virginia Supreme Court.
An Alabama judge ruled recently that the state's funding system is unconstitutional, and he has ordered the state to develop an acceptable plan by Sept. 30.
Wayne Teague, state superintendent of education in Alabama, was in Roanoke on Friday to talk with school officials from the Roanoke area about disparity and other educational issues.
"Not only did the judge rule that [the system] was inequitable and inadequate, but he listed things that should be done," Teague said.
A $900 million plan has been developed to eliminate the inequities within five years. But it will cost $1 billion or more to bring Alabama up to the funding average for states in the Southeast region, Teague said.
He predicted that Alabama will enact a system based on the taxable wealth or financial ability of localities and their local tax effort.
There is a myth that rich school districts make a strong local tax effort while poor school systems make a weak effort, Teague said. Many poor localities make a strong effort to raise local funds for schools, he said.
In Virginia, the General Assembly recently approved a $103 million plan to hire more teachers and improve technology at poor schools. The legislators have described the plan as a first step in ending disparities.
A coalition of poor schools in Southwest and Southside Virginia has sued the state, contending that their children are being denied equal educational opportunities based on where they live. The case is before the state Supreme Court.
Teague's appearance in Virginia was arranged by his longtime friend John Cain of Blacksburg. Cain, a retired chemical engineer and former director of cooperative education at Virginia Tech, is chief executive officer of Lifeship Earth.
Beverly Fitzpatrick Jr., director of the New Century Council, helped with the luncheon for the school officials.
Fitzpatrick said education is pivotal to economic growth in the New River and Roanoke valleys. "We need to make sure we educate our children for the jobs of the future," he said.
Fitzpatrick said more people have requested to be on the education task force than any other group.
Teague told the educators that schools are being blamed unfairly for all of society's ills.
"Our country was built on three foundations - the home, church and school," he said. "But now everything is being blamed on the schools. It bothers me."
Teague said schools are being blamed for the problems that are caused by drugs, guns and other weapons. "The way to eliminate them in the schools is to get them out of society," he said.
Schools need to treat students and parents as customers, Teague said.
"We've got to get more people involved in schools," he said. "I am convinced that [parents] will become involved with the school system if we treat them better."
Teague said schools need to develop partnerships with business leaders and build support for excellence in education.
by CNB