Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, April 20, 1991 TAG: 9104200090
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: A-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: NEAL THOMPSON/ EDUCATION WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
"I hope he [Wilder] proposes a tax increase," Virginia Tech education administration Professor Richard Salmon said after the Coalition for Equity in Educational Funding voted unanimously for a suit.
Some members said higher taxes are not likely and predicted the courts will force a solution to what has come to be known as "the disparity issue."
Coalition members agreed to sue the state unless it finds solutions to the disparity that gives students in wealthier districts more educational opportunities than those in poorer districts. The coalition set a Sept. 13 deadline for Wilder and legislators to offer a "detailed blueprint" for finding the money to solve the problem.
"I think it was probably inevitable," said Wise County School Superintendent Jim Graham. "Probably nobody here wanted to have to sue. But if you don't see too much movement anywhere else, you have to generate a little."
Norton School Superintendent Albert Armentrout said the coalition's decision gives Wilder "adequate opportunity" to offer solutions.
Wilder called Friday's ultimatum "unfortunate" and said he would not push for a resolution by the September deadline.
Giving in to that would mean "today we are held hostage by the superintendents, tomorrow by some other group," said Wilder. He appeared irritated that the group rejected his advice to give the General Assembly more time.
State Secretary of Education James Dyke said he was "disappointed that the coalition has attempted to put a gun to the government's head at a time when the governor has clearly demonstrated his willingness to move aggressively on the disparity issue."
In a news release from his office, Dyke said the administration would continue to address the issue, in hopes the coalition would reverse its decision and allow the legislature to act.
Dyke warned, "Those who think that the legal issues involved are only favorable to the plaintiffs or that the government will not vigorously defend this lawsuit are sadly mistaken."
Willard Lemmon, who chaired the Governor's Commission for Educational Opportunities for all Virginians, said he was "deeply saddened" by the coalition's decision, which he called "confrontational" and "insulting."
"Perhaps the gauntlet has now been tossed. Perhaps we must now have a costly suit before giving the political process a chance to work," Lemmon said.
The governor's commission released a report on disparity in March. It found some districts paid teachers twice as much as others and some districts offered students four times as many classes to choose from as others. Many of the districts with less money to spend are on Western and Southside Virginia.
Coalition members have said the commission report was too vague and ignored the issue of paying for its 27 recommendations.
Lemmon said, "It is true we did not recommend from whence the money should come. That was not our job."
At Friday's meeting in Roanoke, Salmon, the Tech education professor, jabbed at nearly all the commission's recommendations with comments like: "I'm not sure what that means, except that it appears to cost more money."
Earlier this week, Wilder said he would try to include more school funding in the next budget but said it's the General Assembly's job to find the money needed to address disparity.
At least two legislators predicted higher taxes would not be an option.
"I don't think raising taxes is the answer," said Del. Willard Finney, D-Rocky Mount, who serves on the House education committee.
"I'm hoping we could do it without raising taxes," said Del. Joan Munford, D-Blacksburg, who is also on the education committee. "If we can't, then I guess we'll have to look at it again."
Coalition members say legislators must find the necessary funding because Virginia's constitution holds them to a higher standard than most states for educating children.
Coalition attorney Andrew Miller said that if a suit is filed, it will seek to have Virginia's education system declared unconstitutional because all students do not get the same level of education.
"I'd like to think it wouldn't be necessary. But the courts have a very important role in this process," Miller said.
Miller and others say Virginia has an even better chance in court than groups that have sued and won in other states. "I think we can win this one," Salmon said.
Salmon and Professor Kern Alexander, also of Virginia Tech, have been consultants for the coalition. Both have advised groups on similar suits in other states.
Alexander called a court ruling that dismantled Kentucky's education system "the most important decision to happen to that poor state." The state would not have changed its inequitable school system "one iota" if the court had not forced it. And that may be the case in Virginia, Alexander said.
"Virginia is a rich state," he said. It ranks in the top 10 states in many categories, such as per capita income.
But Virginia ranks at the bottom in supporting education. As federal contributions to state education are dropping, "the burden is on the state," Alexander said.
Coalition chairman Mark Pace, who will soon retire as Alleghany Highlands school superintendent, said Friday's decision "will have an impact on the children of my division and yours."
Halifax Superintendent Kenneth Walker was nominated Friday to replace Pace as chairman.
Political writer Rob Eure contributed to this story.
by CNB