
                         THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
                 Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: TUESDAY, June 28, 1994                    TAG: 9406280336 
SECTION: LOCAL                     PAGE: B3    EDITION: FINAL  
SOURCE: BY JON GLASS, STAFF WRITER 
DATELINE: 940628                                 LENGTH: WILLIAMSBURG

VA. SCHOOLS CHIEF BACKS RETURN TO THE BASICS

{LEAD} Self-esteem and molding attitudes are not on William C. Bosher Jr.'s list of requirements to receive a high school diploma. In the field of education, Bosher, Virginia's chief public schools officer, is a meat-and-potatoes man.

School safety, not self-esteem, and a return to teaching basic academic skills are key to educational reform in Virginia, Bosher told a statewide gathering of middle and high school principals in Williamsburg on Monday.

{REST} Bosher's speech to the Virginia Association of Secondary School Principals marked his first major public pronouncement on where he wants to steer education during the next four years.

In a 45-minute speech, Bosher outlined five priorities:

Ensuring safety in the schools

Establishing one set of rigorous academic standards for all students

Improving planning

Increasing community involvement in the schools

Expanding the use of technology

``I don't want 550 goals and objectives, so many that I can't even remember,'' Bosher said. ``I want three or four or five that come on like harbor lights.''

On school safety, Bosher said the state's children ``have a right to an education without being exposed to incorrigibles.''

He listed two funding priorities: expanding technology in the classroom and creating alternatives to expulsion or suspension for disruptive children. Taken together, Bosher said, they could help solve the same problem.

``Technology is the only way to access information and give students an education wherever they are,'' Bosher said. ``It is the thing that has the potential of equalizing. Our children are in an age of high-tech mentality.''

On academic standards, Bosher decried the ``dumbing down'' of classroom teaching. He said he favors creating a single standard to measure achievement in each subject that can be applied to all students.

``If we don't set one standard initially, we're going to lower them,'' he said.

While it's up to the state to develop and assess academic standards, individual school systems will be free to find the methods to meet them, Bosher said.

Bosher said past emphasis on teaching children self-esteem was misplaced.

``We don't want to teach kids to feel good about living in the projects,'' Bosher said. ``We want to teach kids so they can get out of the projects.''

Bosher's conservative message, in line with Republican Gov. George F. Allen's plans to revamp education after 12 years of Democratic leadership, found favor. Bosher drew applause when he emphasized the importance of school safety and a return to the basics.

``There can be no learning if you don't take care of discipline first,'' said Thomas E. Bailey, principal of Kecoughtan High School in Hampton and president of the association. ``Let us get back to educating.'' by CNB