Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: MONDAY, October 31, 1994 TAG: 9411150014
SECTION: EDITORIAL PAGE: A-4 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE:
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Three of the five seats on the School Board will be filled in the Nov. 8 election. In the Hollins District, incumbent Joe Canada is unopposed, but there is a field of good candidates seeking seats in the Vinton and Windsor Hills districts, where the appointed incumbents chose not to run.
And as the process gets started, it does not appear to be highly politicized. One candidate in the four-way Windsor Hills race, Thomas Leggette, has collected the endorsements of the county's Democratic and Republican party chairmen, though the parties themselves are endorsing no one, and also of the county education association's political-action committee. One candidate in the three-way Vinton race, Robert Rouse, has released a position paper on his views, which seem to reflect religious-conservative positions on school prayer (he favors nondirected silent prayer) and sex education (he calls for a family-life curriculum based on abstinence). But he says he isn't affiliated with the Christian Coalition.
Beyond that, the candidates sound remarkably similar on most issues. It's a given that they all want to make the county's fine schools even better, and to attract and keep excellent teachers. To do that, they want: more money from the county to meet long-neglected building needs and upgrade instructional technology; tough policies to ward off "big city" problems like drugs and guns in schools; better communication with and greater involvement of parents in their children's education.
There are differences in emphases and style. In Windsor Hills, Lisa Merrill is aggressively challenging the county's leaders. She complains past timidity has resulted in overcrowding and deteriorating buildings. Leggette presents himself as a coalition builder who will have the best chance of getting more school funding. Richard Cullinan, an appointed board member from 1985-89, believes his experience will help smooth the transition to an elected board and forestall political bickering. Wayne Newman says he's no troublemaker, but the board should be more assertive in seeking funding so kids will leave school prepared to compete in a global economy.
In Vinton, Rouse sounds many of the same themes, while making no apologies for wanting to apply his conservative religious views to public education. Evelyn Ball points to a career of volunteer work and boosterism for the schools, including a decade of leadership in the Parent-Teacher Association, which gives her an edge in knowledge about the school system. Straight-arrow Michael Stovall, a Vinton police investigator, stresses making the board accessible to parents and ensuring children's safety. He also has the endorsement of the county education association.
This first crop of candidates appears to be a group of parents interested in improving education. The low-key campaign has focused attention on funding from the Board of Supervisors - and it remains to be seen if popularly elected members will exert more pressure on the voter-sensitive supervisors, or simply create friction between the two boards.
One positive already, though, is the timing of the race. Coming when there is growing demand to take care of high-profile building needs, county voters should be well aware that a greater investment in schools is necessary.
by CNB