THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, June 23, 1995 TAG: 9506230495
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: ALETA PAYNE, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: VIRGINIA BEACH LENGTH: Medium: 58 lines
An outspoken advocate for the city's poor and homeless people has charged that the school district is cutting the neediest kids out of summer classes by charging tuition to some students who previously could have gone for free.
``This is just more mean-spirited cuts aimed at the poor,'' said Brenda McCormick, executive director of the non-profit organization Mothers Inc. ``You pick on the poor because the poor don't have any clout.''
Summer school begins today at more than 20 Beach schools, but it was not clear Thursday how many children might be excluded for financial reasons.
School officials said the state this year eliminated funding for middle school classes except those for remediation. In addition, Virginia Beach decided this spring to make summer school self-supporting and began charging for most classes for the first time.
The district set aside $15,000 in scholarship money to help defray the cost of classes for those who could not afford them, but that money already has been exhausted. Andthe district is willing to work out payment plans for extreme cases, said Sheila Magula, the Beach's middle school coordinator and chairwoman of the summer school committee.
What remains unclear is whether all School Board members realized the impact of their vote in March to begin charging tuition in an effort to raise an estimated $500,000 for the financially troubled system.
Departing superintendent Sidney L. Faucette had assured the board several times that scholarships would be available to students who qualified for free and reduced lunch or Aid to Families with Dependent Children.
``We're not cutting any kids out of the process because of socioeconomic status,'' Faucette said.
But at a board meeting in May, member Ulysses Van Spiva again questioned whether some of the fees would exclude students from summer classes. He said he did not believe all on the board realized what charges they had approved. Spiva was out of town Thursday and could not be reached for comment.
Board Chairwoman June T. Kernutt declined to comment on the issue, saying she was unfamiliar with some of the specifics raised by McCormick.
Board member Donald F. Bennis said that while the board was told there was scholarship money available, the discussion did not extend to how much money or how many students could be served.
Last year, middle school students attended summer school for free with funding provided by the state, according to Magula. This year, however, the state made it clear that the money should only be used for those in need of remedial classes. Students who had failed a class and wanted to take it over to be promoted to the next grade would have to pay on their own.
``There's no way we can cover everybody out there who needs help,'' Magula said Thursday. ``We'll do what we can with them.''
McCormick countered that school officials were trying to confuse the issue with ``gobbledygook.''
``I don't care which pocket the money comes from. They have to find the money from somewhere.'' by CNB