Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, September 24, 1995 TAG: 9509250010
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JOEL TURNER STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Ninety-five percent of the discipline problems in schools begin at home and are not properly handled by parents, G.B. Washburn Jr. says.
If parents can be fined for refusing to meet with school officials to discuss their children's conduct, it will cause them to become more involved in supervising their children, says the candidate for the Franklin County School Board.
Washburn supports a controversial new state law that permits parents to be fined up to $50 for failing to sign a student conduct pledge.
Parents also can be fined up to $500 if they refuse to meet with school officials if their child has been suspended or expelled.
A majority of the school board candidates in Western Virginia who responded to a survey by The Roanoke Times agree with Washburn, but some oppose the new law, which already has come under attack by some parents.
"I don't understand this program. How could it be administered with any degree of fairness? This policy could not have been carefully thought out," said Richard Edwards, a candidate in Montgomery County.
William Brown, a candidate in Roanoke County, said parents cannot control their children's actions in some cases.
"Fining them when they might be a single parent on limited income is not the answer," Brown said.
But others believe that the law will provide another tool that will help schools to deal better with disruptive students.
"Since schools have a limited number of alternatives to control behavior, the parents need to be involved. Yes, I support the approach," said Stanley Butler, a candidate in Bedford County.
Mary-Paul "Widget" Shannon, who is running in Giles County, said she favors the law because parents must work with the schools to control students' conduct.
"The schools can't do it by themselves," Shannon said.
The law has been criticized by some Montgomery County parents who describe it as a "Nazi tactic." They have refused to sign a pledge saying that they have read the student code of conduct for their children's schools and promising to cooperate with school officials in managing their children's behavior.
The parents of a William Byrd High School student have filed a federal lawsuit against the Roanoke County School Board, claiming the new state-mandated "parental responsibility contract" violates their religious rights.
Thomas and Deloras Whitt, whose daughter, Tommie, attends the Roanoke County school, said the law violates their religious beliefs because they do not believe in entering a contract with a governmental entity "by which they confess a belief that they must cooperate with governmental officials in managing their child's conduct."
The Whitts believe they have "total parental responsibility" over their daughter and should not be required to split it with the schools, said Don Huffman, their attorney.
County school officials said Thursday that they wouldn't ask the courts to fine the Whitts or any other parents who have "legitimate concerns" about the contract.
The American Civil Liberties Union of Virginia has received calls from parents across the state unhappy with the law and also is looking at possible constitutional challenges to it.
But the law has been defended by state legislators who said it is designed to give school officials another tool to help maintain discipline and order in schools. They said the measure should help get parents more involved in managing their children's conduct.
Del. Morgan Griffith, R-Salem, a member of the House Education Committee, said the law doesn't require parents to agree with schools' decisions in disciplining their children. Parents still can appeal the decisions. The law only requires parents to meet with school officials if a child has been suspended or expelled.
John Reed, a candidate in Roanoke County, is not surprised by the lawsuit over the new law and the likelihood of more legal challenges.
"Only the lawyers will think this is a good bill," Reed said.
Keywords:
POLITICS
by CNB