THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Monday, June 19, 1995 TAG: 9506170004
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A6 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Letter
LENGTH: Medium: 55 lines
Regarding ``Prepare our children for the future'' (Another View, June 5): State Board of Education Chairman James P. Jones presented only half-truths. He failed to mention that the $400 million in federal aid to our public schools in Virginia represents only 6 percent of the total expenditures for operations in the Virginia public schools of its $5,510,612,807 budget for 1993-1994. Of that amount, 44 percent is funded by the state. We must remember that 50 percent of this budget is funded by the local school districts. Any business in the world that owns half of the shares certainly should have a major voice in how the system functions.
Virginia is in a legal battle with the federal government concerning the rules set for the funding of $52,965,591 for a program for the education of children with disabilities. You do indeed accept certain rules and regulations when you accept federal funding.
Mr. Jones is completely aware of this. The Department of Education is writing amendments to change the Code of Virginia to accommodate Goals 2000. The last amendment of this 16-page document of recommendations to be submitted to the General Assembly to become law at the next session proves that our appointed board would like to bypass the governor and local control and force localities to submit to the exclusive authority of the state Board of Education.
The Department of Education would amend the Code of Virginia, Section 22.1-253.13:8 to read: ``The Board of Education shall have authority to seek compliance with the foregoing standards of quality. When the Board determines that a school division has failed or refused and continues to fail or refuse, to comply with any such standards, the Board shall notify the Attorney General. It shall be the duty of the Attorney General to file, in the name of the Board of Education in the Circuit Court having jurisdiction in the school division, a petition for a writ of mandamus directing and requiring compliance with such standards by the appropriate party or parties defendant.''
Chairman Jones is a master of double-speak. He tells us that the state and the federal government want to help us with our very own hard-earned money taken away from us in taxes to return it to us if we conform to rules. He even quotes the act that, ``the responsibility for control of education is reserved to the states and the local school system.'' However, the State Board is reading and considering passing 16 pages of recommendations to amend the Code of Virginia which will virtually take over local control of our schools and our children.
Join me at the next School Board meeting in Richmond in the General Assembly Building, Senate Room B at 9 a.m., June 22, to monitor and speak up for local taxpayer rights.
ELLEN B. BEAMON
Norfolk, June 7, 1995 by CNB