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

DATE: FRIDAY, May 12, 1995                   TAG: 9505120038
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: B-3   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: FAIRFAX                                LENGTH: Short

JUDGE KEEPS HIGH SCHOOL'S VOTES SECRET

A judge refused to release results of a high school student government election Thursday, agreeing with school officials who argued the vote totals are confidential student information.

The editors of the Centreville High School student newspaper sued the school board under Virginia's Freedom of Information Act, arguing that election results are a public record.

``It would needlessly embarrass those students who lost, and discourage students from running,'' school system lawyer Thomas J. Cawley argued in a hearing in Fairfax Circuit Court.

William Wall, attorney for the student editors, argued that voting results are similar to published box scores for high school sports.

``It's no more personal than a record that tells you how often a person struck out or how many points they scored,'' Wall said. ``I don't see any difference.''

Wall said he may appeal the ruling by Judge Gerald Lee to the Virginia Supreme Court. Since appeals of civil cases are not automatic, the Supreme Court would have to agree to hear the case.

``No one forced any of the candidates to run for elected office, and they did so knowing the full results could be published,'' said Lucas Wall, the paper's editor-in-chief and William Wall's son.

by CNB