THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, January 13, 1995 TAG: 9501130504
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A9 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY JON GLASS, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: RICHMOND LENGTH: Medium: 81 lines
The State Board of Education on Thursday came out against several key initiatives in Gov. George F. Allen's plan to reform public schools.
Drop-out prevention: The board voted unanimously against the governor's budget proposal to cut $10.5 million in dropout-prevention funds.
``Those programs are of critical importance,'' board Vice President Darrel L. Mason said.
``It seems to me we need to put money into prevention, and not focus simply on incarceration. That is misguided.''
Family life: Board members also voted to support family life education, opposing Allen's effort to eliminate a state mandate that requires school districts to offer the sex-education program.
Family life education seems to be working, members said. Mason referred to a 1993 study that pointed to reduced rates of teen pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases. The General Assembly voted seven years ago to mandate that schools offer the program.
``It's not an issue out there with the local schools,'' board member Lewis M. Nelson Jr. said. ``We haven't heard any drumbeat or stampede to do anything with family life.''
Only board member Michelle Easton, an Allen appointee, voted to support the governor's position on family life education. Many parents are uneasy about the state mandating instruction on something as personal as sexual activity, she said.
Now, parents can opt to remove their children from the course.
But not many do: Less than 3 percent of children are withdrawn by parents, state figures indicate.
Parental permission: The board also rejected Allen's notion of requiring parental permission before students could participate in ``non-academic'' programs, such as the family life course.
``Charter'' schools: After a long debate about Allen's push for alternative public ``charter'' schools, the board decided to take no position on the complex issue.
Officials said that four charter school bills - and perhaps more - are expected to be introduced during this legislative session, which began Wednesday.
Differences in philosophy between the board and Allen have been evident since the Republican governor took office last year. Only two of the nine members are Allen appointees; the rest were appointed by former Democratic governors.
Three seats are up for reappointment this year, meaning that Allen can place a majority on the board.
In the Democratic-controlled legislature, the board's position on Allen's proposals is expected to carry weight. During a Senate finance education subcommittee meeting Wednesday, Democrats on the panel spoke forcefully against Allen's plan to slash dropout-prevention money.
``It really is beyond me that we would take money I feel we so strongly need, because education is the way to get to the next ladder of society,'' Sen. C.A. Holland, D-Virginia Beach, told state Secretary of Education Beverly Sgro.
The Board of Education voted in support of the funds Thursday after a presentation from a state Department of Correctional Education official who works with programs for youth offenders.
``The dropouts are committing the crimes - that's where the problems are,'' said Walter A. McFarlane, superintendent of the department. ILLUSTRATION: Graphic
PROPOSALS FAVORED BY THE BOARD
A sampling of potential legislation supported by the state Board
of Education
Family life education as now implemented
An ``opt-out'' approach - rather than ``opt-in,'' as Gov. George
F. Allen favors - for non-academic programs
Local control of the school calendar, including opening before
Labor Day
National average teacher salary as the goal in Virginia
Court-enforced parental responsibility in discipline cases
State funding for school construction
Notice to local superintendents of the arrest of students for
serious offenses
by CNB