
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SUNDAY, March 1, 1992                   TAG: 9203010175
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: B5   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: ASSOCIATED PRESS
DATELINE: ALEXANDRIA                                LENGTH: Short

KINDERGARTEN PROGRAM ADMISSION BIAS CLAIMED

A group of minority parents has sued Alexandria public schools, claiming the city discriminated against their children in filling slots for a popular all-day kindergarten program.

The selection process "artificially and unfairly limits," enrollment of minority students, the suit filed in U.S. District Court on Friday alleges.

The school held a lottery for the 132 spots in the program, reserving half the spaces for white children, half for minorities. Minorities, mostly black and Hispanic children, make up 67 percent of the school population.

Of the 875 applicants for the coming school year's program, 618 were minorities and 257 were white. Minorities thus had about a one in nine chance of admission, while whites had a one in four chance.

by CNB