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

DATE: SUNDAY, September 17, 1995                   TAG: 9509180022
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: C-5   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Long

WHERE SCHOOL BOARD CANDIDATES STAND

The Roanoke Times mailed a questionnaire this summer to all 74 school board candidates in Western Virginia, asking where they stood on a variety of school issues. Many responded; others did not. Some, contacted later by telephone, said they didn't want to commit themselves on specific issues.

Here's what the candidates had to say on the subject of charter schools.

Do you support Gov. George Allen's proposal for charter schools? If the General Assembly approves charter schools, would you vote to approve a charter school in your county?

Bedford County

District 1:

Russell "Butch" Wright: "No. I would have to examine a charter school application very closely before approval."

Wesley Gordon Jr. : Did not respond.

District 5:

Eugene Erb: "I do not believe charter schools are in the best interests of our children."

Betty Earle: Did not respond.

District 6:

Hunter Hale Jr.: "No, I do not agree with Gov. Allen's proposal for charter schools. I support public schools and always have."

Shirley McCabe: Did not respond.

District 7:

Stanley Butler: "This is a question on which I have mixed feelings. Also, a lot would depend upon the application for the charter ... the diversity of how each application for charter is presented does not allow me to answer this question at this time."

Benny Shrader: "No. Gov. Allen's charter schools sound much like public funds for private schools. If waivers of state mandates makes charter schools better, why apply those benefits to the existing public schools."

Botetourt County

Valley District:

Michael Beahm: "I have a number of reservations about charter schools. I am very concerned that charter schools would spread the education dollar too thin."

Fincastle District:

Sally Eads:"I do not support the charter schools as currently drafted. If the charter schools are strictly public schools similar to magnet schools in Roanoke city, I would look at them more closely."

David Emeigh: "Yes."

L. W. "Jack" Leffel Jr.: Did not respond.

Blue Ridge District:

James Ruhland: Did not respond.

Craig County:

Alleghany District:

James Cady: Did not respond.

Simmonsville District:

Bonnie Hutchison: Did not respond.

A Rodney Williams: Did not respond.

New Castle District:

Thomas Zimmerman: Did not respond.

Two at-large seats:

Patrick Myers: Did not respond.

Brenda Allen: Did not respond.

Robert Knepp: No comment.

Hettie Farley: Did not respond.

Floyd County

District A:

Clay Link: Did not respond.

District B:

David Sulzen: "I personally do not support charter schools, because I believe that the creative teaching techniques proposed for charter schools should be tried in the existing schools. I am also concerned that the reduction in funding for the existing public schools would be very detrimental to the students enrolled in them."

Cheryl Whitlock-Allen: Did not respond.

District C:

Howard Cundiff Jr.: Did not respond.

District D:

Marie Mathis: "No. I believe in equal opportunity for all students."

Margaret Hubbard: Did not respond.

District E:

Douglas Phillips: Did not respond.

Louellen Sharp: Did not respond.

Franklin County

Blackwater District:

Shirley Jamison: Did not respond.

Van Flora: "No."

Boone District:

Guy Buford: Did not respond.

Snow Creek District:

Terry Lovell: "No. Charter schools, as presently presented, would take tax revenue from the public for the benefit of private schools."

G. B. Washburn Jr.: "No. The only way I would favor a charter school is if it is completely open to the public, thereby allowing all students an opportunity to attend."

Union Hall District:

Perry D. Hambrick: "No."

Rocky Mount District:

Steve Flora: Did not respond.

Gills Creek District:

Jack Newbill: Did not respond.

At-large [one seat]:

Amanda Davis: "Yes."

William Helm Jr.: Did not respond.

Giles County:

Western District:

J. Lewis Webb: Did not respond.

Central District:

Joseph Gollehon: Did not respond.

Carolyn Linkous: Did not respond.

Mary-Paul "Widget" Shannon: "No. There is not enough known about the schools yet. I do feel they should meet the same safety and health standards as public schools."

Eastern District:

Jeffery Wiegand: "Although there are many positive aspects regarding the charter school issue, such as greater parental involvement, increased flexibility and creativity ... I do not believe there is enough information from long-term studies to support charter schools at this time."

Ronald Whitehead: Did not respond.

At large (two seats):

J. B. Buckland: Did not respond.

John Billos: Did not respond.

Phillip Morris: Did not respond.

Montgomery County

District B:

Robert Anderson: "Yes; public schools shouldn't be afraid of charter or private schools. They have proven to be very successful. In some parts of the country, vocational technical schools could be considered charter schools and they have been successful also."

Bernard Jortner: Did not respond.

Oscar Williams: Did not respond.

District E:

Jack LeDoux: "Yes. Charter schools have been successful in many parts of the nation without hurting public schools. Why are public school educators afraid of competition?"

Victor Sheppard: Did not respond.

Michael Smith: Did not respond.

District F:

Richard Edwards: "No. The public school system is the best means for educating our youth, period. Charter schools only undermine the effectiveness of education."

James Klagge: "In principle, I am not opposed to the concept of charter schools. I like the idea of trying different approaches to education. However, I would be extremely wary about approving one."

District G:

Peggy Arrington: "Neither Virginia School Boards Association nor I support the proposal for charter schools. ... I believe it is inappropriate to use this idea to have the public fund an essentially 'private' school."

Wat Hopkins: Did not respond.

Pulaski County

Ingles District:

Ronald Chaffin: "No. Why not take some of the concepts being discussed for charter schools and apply to the public school setting."

Barbara Chrisley: "No, I do not favor charter schools."

Robinson District:

Sybil Atkinson: "No, not as proposed. I do not support money being used by special interest groups."

Rhea Saltz: Did not respond.

Massie District:

Jeff Bain: "No. When the governor is slashing funding to higher education and cutting back in most areas of state government, I can see no good reason to take public resources and put those in the hands of the private sector."

Nathan Tuck: "No."

Draper District:

Lewis Pratt: Did not respond.

Cloyd District:

Beth Nelson: "No. Gov. Allen's charter school proposal appeared to be aimed at privatizing public education."

Carolyn Brown: Did not respond.

Roanoke County

Catawba District:

William "Bill" Brown: "The concept of charter schools has a lot of merit. However, I have concerns over how they will be funded and the standards they will be measured by."

John Reed: "I really think this is not a good idea. It may be necessary in some areas where public schools are failing to meet local needs."

Marion Roark: Did not respond.

Cave Spring District:

William Irvin, III: "No. I do not think the charter school proposal, as I understand it, is beneficial to Roanoke County."

Carol White: "No. We should work to improve the current public education system, not start another tier of education which would ultimately require a new state agency to oversee charter schools."

Vern Jordahl: Did not respond.

Keywords:
POLITICS

by CNB