THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, December 17, 1995 TAG: 9512150192
SECTION: CHESAPEAKE CLIPPER PAGE: 04 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Letter
LENGTH: Long : 263 lines
Next Tuesday, the people of Chesapeake have an important act of civic responsibility to perform. They will have the opportunity to vote in the first School Board election in our city's history. I urge all of our city's registered voters to carry out this important and truly meaningful duty.
I had the privilege of serving our city as a member of its School Board for nine consecutive years. The last five I was honored to have served as vice chairman and chairman. During all that time, I can tell you that the most important standard we used in making significant educational decisions was how it would affect teaching and learning. The school boards I served on also placed a great deal of emphasis on long-range planning and sound fiscal management.
The fact that the Chesapeake school system has enjoyed a positive reputation for excellence in education for many years, is, I believe, an outcome of this past leadership performed by citizen lay board members. I would urge those men and women who seek election to the Chesapeake School Board to do so with these same goals in mind. I would further challenge them to attempt to achieve this sense of excellence on an even higher plane.
One way for us to ensure that this will happen is to maintain stability and a sense of institutional history on our School Board. We do not need change for the sake of change. We do not need the instability, lack of competence and indecisiveness we have seen in our neighboring city school systems. We need to maintain the current strong leadership in our school administration and School Board in order for our children to continue to benefit and prosper. In Chesapeake for many years our slogan has been ``We Promote Excellence.'' Our new superintendent, Dr. W. Randolph Nichols, has added the phrase ``For all the children of all the people.''
I challenge my fellow citizens to exercise their civic responsibility on Tuesday and guarantee that this philosophy will be continued.
William A. Spradlin
Tyre Neck Road Reject failed leadership
On Tuesday the citizens of Chesapeake will go to the polls to elect members of the School Board for the first time. This is a milestone in the history of our city as it signals a major philosophical change in the way we approach the education of our children and how the city conducts the public's business.
The referendum for an elected School Board and the forthcoming election signifies that the citizens of Chesapeake do not want ``business as usual'' when it comes to the education of our children. The appointed board system has for too long embraced a partisan political agenda, which prevents appointed board members from seriously attacking and resolving long-standing problems associated with our education system.
Therefore, I urge all our citizens to say ``no'' and not vote for the incumbent appointed board members who are running for election to the School Board. To vote for these incumbents circumvents the spirit and intent of an elected board. If we elect these incumbents, all we have really accomplished after all this effort is to change the name of the board from ``appointed'' to ``elected.'' We will still have the same people who embrace the same political philosophy and ``business as usual.''
President Harry S. Truman said, ``The buck stops here.'' In our educational system, that means the buck stops at the School Board. These incumbents, after many years in office, have not been pro-active or successful in resolving the myriad problems associated with our school system.
For your information, here are a few of the major problems in our schools' report card, designed to measure schools' and school systems' performance: (1) our schools' dropout rate for seventh- through 12th-graders went up from 3 to 4 percent last year; (2) compared to its peers and the state average over the past four years, Chesapeake showed far less improvement in the percentage of students earning an advanced studies diploma, (3) although our students have made progress in the number of students who pass the Literacy Passport Test, a measure of reading, writing and math skills, we will rank below the state average. These unresolved problems, plus many more, lie squarely at the doorstep of these incumbent School Board members.
Several of the incumbents have stated that they support an independent audit and reorganization of the School Board, yet none has made a motion at a regular board meeting to effect these initiatives. Many incumbents will undoubtedly tout their experience at candidate forums; however, I submit we do not need this kind of experience. I believe that if we elect qualified, enthusiastic independent candidates to the School Board, they will quickly work through the learning curve and resolve many of the major problems which have plagued our education system.
Say ``no'' at the polls to the following incumbents, who have not gotten the job done for our children: L. Thomas ``Tom'' Bray, Barbara B. Head, James M. Reeves Sr. and Roderic A. Taylor.
Bill Pierce
Creef Lane Kids' future at stake
This letter is not from a member of City Council. It is from a parent whose children attend schools in Great Bridge and from a volunteer who helps coach an Indian River High School athletic team.
After much debate and many delays, Chesapeake's residents can go to the polls Tuesday to vote for the first time for members of our School Board.
Because of its broad impact, the School Board is one of the city's most important policy-setting groups. It gets the lion's share of our tax dollars. I know because I vote on it and worry about how the money's being spent every time I do.
It can contribute to Chesapeake's economic future by graduating bright, competitive students who will contribute to our success or send graduates out into the world who are ill-prepared for the future. Talk to any city's economic development director about how to get new business and you'll instantly understand how critical a factor a school system's success has become.
The School Board can help rid Chesapeake of educational inequities and add to our quality of life in the process or it can turn a blind eye to the issues and maintain the status quo.
Considering the board's role, I think the fact that voters will decide who serves is a healthy thing, because it's going to make the School Board more responsive to community needs and complaints.
I also believe Del. Lionell Spruill was right when he said he wants good people who care about kids and aren't politicians. As a parent first, a volunteer coach second and a politician third, I agree.
The futures of our kids are at stake. It doesn't matter whether they are mine and attend school in Great Bridge, whether they are yours and I help coach them in track at Indian River, or whether they go to school anywhere else in Chesapeake. They deserve the best. I want them to have it.
To that end, I have pledged my vote to Jeff Rowland, and I encourage others to do likewise.
Alan P. Krasnoff
Seabrooke Landing A mother's view
As a mother of four children, I have spent the past 13 years actively involved in the Chesapeake Schools. I have served as room mother, PTA officer, local unit PTA president and have served on many educational committees. I am the immediate past president of the Chesapeake PTA Council, which serves as an umbrella PTA for the 39 local unit PTAs across the city.
Over the years, it has been my pleasure to work with many wonderful educators and parent volunteers who understand that it is the cooperative effort of the Chesapeake community that has made our school system one of the best in Virginia.
One person who has made enormous contributions to our success is Tom Bray. I have watched Tom on the School Board make decisions time and again that were always in the best interest of our children. As a father of three, he shares my goals and dreams for the future of all of the children of Chesapeake.
As a recreation and Little League coach, Tom is always giving his time and talents to the children of Chesapeake. I have also noticed his willingness to listen to parents and educators as, together, we strive to deal with our problems and prepare for the 21st century.
On Dec. 19, the citizens of Chesapeake have been given the opportunity, for the first time, to elect members of the Chesapeake School Board. Please exercise your privilege to vote on Tuesday. I hope you will also join me, my family and friends in supporting Tom Bray for the Chesapeake School Board.
Shirley H. Forbes
Parker Road Friend of education
I am a teacher at the Chesapeake Center for Science and Technology for advanced computer applications and network administration training. I am writing this letter in support of Tommy Bray to continue to represent us on the School Board.
I have had the pleasure to work with Mr. Bray on the Tech Prep Committee, whose purpose is to combine the applications of the academic area with the reality of the vocational area. National studies show that 80 percent of the graduates in the year 2000 will not need a four-year college degree, but will need additional training beyond high school. The Tech Prep movement successfully answers transition to the work force for all students, including those who go to college.
Mr. Bray realizes the need for technology and vocational education to be expanded to all of our students. This need is not limited to the high schools, but in the elementary schools where career education actually begins. His interest is in the students and not in his self-perpetuation. Having graduated from one of our schools and worked for our community in many ways, it is reassuring to see someone give back to the community his time and talents.
I encourage all my fellow educations to vote for Tommy Bray in this upcoming election. He is a friend of education and will continue to represent the total concerns of this community.
Andy Graham
N. Landing Road Excellent forum
I, council watcher Carl Burns, will vote for Mary F. Mazur, Renee Hannas, Michael Woods, Roderic Taylor and Harry Murphy for School Board Tuesday.
I made these decisions after attending the excellent forum at Western Branch Middle School Dec. 13 sponsored by the Western Branch Parent-Teacher Association. The forum was moderated by Al Spradlin, former School Board chairman. The candidates were asked hardball questions submitted by citizens.
The candidates I named support and understand the need for a strict accounting of School Board funds, the importance of basic education such as reading, writing and math, the need to adopt latest technology and computers, the importance of fair enforcement of discipline, especially drug and gun laws. In addition, they are not afraid to speak out.
What a shame this forum was not broadcast by the city's cable television station, channel 23. WCTV chose only to broadcast the set-up forum sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce and teachers union and the secret Republican Student Leadership forum. This was because public information director Mark Cox and station manager Meyer Davis were acting on orders of City Council. Citizens have no say-so.
At the forum you would have heard Tom Bray bellow out, ``We don't need accounting of School Board funds!'' This is the same dude who brags about being on the Parks and Recreation Board but never spoke out about destruction of nine ball fields by school expansion. Doesn't he understand the importance of organized sports in the education and health of our youth?
Tom Bray's campaign signs are illegally posted on telephone poles and public highways at Whitehurst Road and Battlefield Boulevard, where I live. How can we forget the poor Cub Scouts this summer who were embarrassed by the Republican law forbidding signs displayed in this way? Are they making an exception for Tom Bray?
Carl Burns
Whitehurst Road A strong voice
I am writing to voice my support for Tom Bray for Chesapeake School Board. For a long time Bray has been a strong voice for our children and deserves the public's support. He is also someone who promotes traditional ideas and values for our children, such as higher standards of learning.
I am also proud to support both Michael Woods and Harry Murphy. I know, since I graduated from Deep Creek High School in 1987, that the discipline of children has declined in school. Woods and Murphy will stress discipline as an important issue for the future of our children.
The citizens of Chesapeake should be very fortunate to have the opportunity to elect a School Board. It's time now for us to support Tom Bray, Harry Murphy and Mike Woods for Chesapeake School Board.
Alex Chapman
Amherst Court Free admission
I see that the city of Chesapeake is having elections for the School Board, so now the School Board will be more political than ever.
The School Board is supposed to support the schools, but I saw on Saturday just how School Board members support the schools.
Tom Bray used his School Board identification card to gain entry into the state semi-final playoff football game between Indian River and Lake Braddock. This pass was not and is not authorized by the Virginia High School League. Mr. Bray should have paid his way into the ball game and not merely announced that he is a School Board member and walked through the gates.
If Mr. Bray supports the schools in this manner, then he will not get my vote in the Dec. 19 election.
K.W. McLendon
Marble Arch A good man
I know that you have already read in the newspapers of all the wonderful community services that Theodore G. ``Ted'' Nance is involved in with the students at Oscar F. Smith Middle School through sports and as spiritual and character leader at the school's PTA.
I want to tell you what I know about him, too. First, he is an active Christian member of South Norfolk Baptist Church who is there every Lord's Day, who sings in the choir and is a deacon, a property committee member and a Sunday school teacher with children in the middle school-age groups.
We need Christian leaders in all age groups more than ever before, but especially with the middle school-age group, who are at the age of being influenced by the wrong things. You could not find a better man than Ted Nance, who would like to become a member of the School Board. So please get out and vote for him to be on the School Board. You will not be sorry, for he loves and cares for children in church and also in schools
Ted Nance is kind in other ways, too. He doesn't wait to be asked if he sees a need. He does something about it. For example, I've been a widow for 11 years and have a big yard with lots of trees, which means lots of leaves and no one to help me rake them up. Last year Ted Nance came to my house with a church bus loaded with young people who raked and bagged 101 big bags of leaves for me. Now that was the nicest Christmas surprise present I've ever received, since someone would have charged me more than I could afford at that time. So Ted Nance is a good man in many ways, ready to show what it means to be a real Christian.
Dorothy Evans
Hughes Avenue by CNB