ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Friday, March 7, 1997 TAG: 9703070019
SECTION: EDITORIAL PAGE: A-11 EDITION: METRO
COLUMN: Ray L. Garland
SOURCE: RAY L. GARLAND
BEFORE we say farewell to things done or left undone by the legislature recently departed, let us focus on a few important issues that didn't grab many headlines.
Taking another leaf from President Clinton's campaign playbook, Democratic Lt. Gov. Don Beyer won approval for a watered-down version of his idea to grant free second-year tuition to students at community colleges maintaining a "B" average their first year. The assembly limited this to designated technical programs with a cost to taxpayers estimated at only $2 million a year.
But the idea of linking free tuition or grants to grades is catching on. That would seem to run counter to studies showing the tremendous grade inflation of the past 30 years. As in Lake Woebegone, all our kids are now above average. With grades tied to government money, faculty will be even harder-pressed to be generous in judging their charges. One can easily imagine a student telling his teacher, "If you give me a 'C' in this course, I'll have to drop out of school."
One measure certain to draw Gov. George Allen's veto would delay until next year those tougher accreditation standards for public schools the state Board of Education is set to impose. The bill's chief patron, Del. Ken Plum of Fairfax, defended this extraordinary step by saying members of the Allen-appointed board are "ideologues who have a strong set of opinions about education."
Though one is entitled to hope those accepting appointment to the board have strong opinions about education, they have a bit more than that. The state Constitution gives them the "general supervision" of the public schools. It also says the board's actions are subject to the "ultimate authority" of the legislature, which could provide a basis for Plum's bill, but I don't think so. At some point, the state Supreme Court should clarify how far the assembly can go encroaching upon the board's authority. While Allen's veto is almost certain to be sustained, legislators still itch to boss state and local school boards.
That vanishing breed of independent druggists, who figured so prominently both in old movies and in real life on America's Main Street, tried and failed to get legislation passed to ban cash payments by drug manufacturers to pharmacists who succeed in persuading a doctor to favor one product over another. That would normally be done when a drug of similar therapeutic value can be used, perhaps at lower cost.
Businesses that pay much of the cost of health insurance opposed the bill, presumably because they believe "switching" can cut costs. They also seek to limit the use of their plans to large drug chains. If we become a nation where only mass counts (as obviously we are) we must expect the worth of the individual to be diminished (as obviously it is).
Under current law, independent cities with populations less than 50,000 can revert to town status without the consent of the county with which they merge. Still, it's a long and costly process that only South Boston in Halifax County has successfully navigated. Charlottesville, Staunton and several other small cities are studying the idea.
But most counties oppose it because they don't want their body politic changed by an infusion of voters whose loyalty may belong to the old city. Sen. Louise Lucas, who represents Portsmouth and a broad swath of Southside, filed a bill requiring approval by both city and county voters, in separate referenda. It failed in committee by one vote. While fair on the surface, the likely outcome would preserve the status quo of growing counties and stagnating cities.
When Virginia was predominantly a rural state, its system of independent cities represented the hope of progress. Now, they more often represent a strait jacket. While there's little chance at present that the option of reverting to town status would be extended to cities with populations greater than 50,000, it shouldn't be foreclosed in smaller locales. If the idea proves workable, it could be expanded.
Perhaps the strangest statement heard at the recent assembly was spoken against the bill requiring parents to be notified when their minor child seeks an abortion. "I am purely pro-choice," said Del. Jean Cunningham of Richmond, "but I'm glad the 17-year-old mother of my adopted child decided to give birth."
Considering the vast multitude of couples who would dearly love to adopt a child, the time is now for government and private agencies to encourage - by all means possible - those contemplating abortion to give life a chance. It's worth it.
With scarcely a dissenting vote, the assembly passed a bill requiring parental notice before persons under 18 can be tattooed, and punishing those who inscribe a tattoo without parental consent. No one saw fit to point out that while medical science routinely removes tattoos, it seldom succeeds (or wants to succeed) in restoring life to the aborted.
Farewell
Having covered mainly Virginia issues for my group of 22 papers for more than 12 years, it's time to vacate this space - at least for a while. There is sense in stepping back to catch a breath of air outside the hothouse of politics.
When a kindly publisher suggested I try my hand at punditry, it seemed impossible that it would run to an unbroken line of more than 600 columns! It has been a privilege. My aim has been fair comment in the context of a conservative's view of the rise and fall of nations. But to contemplate human history is to know how feeble our understanding can ever be.
I am grateful to those many newspapers - and readers - who have strongly sustained this column. Your time of day was my reward. Perhaps we'll meet again.
RAY L. GARLAND-is a columnist for The Roanoke Times.
LENGTH: Long : 105 linesby CNB