THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, March 29, 1996 TAG: 9603290490
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A13 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: ASSOCIATED PRESS
DATELINE: RICHMOND LENGTH: Medium: 62 lines
A State Board of Education dominated by appointees of Gov. George F. Allen on Thursday urged him to fight legislative efforts to get federal money for school reform in Virginia.
The board voted 7-2 to urge the Republican governor to veto a state budget provision that would require him to apply for the federal Goals 2000 money this summer if two-thirds of the local school boards request it.
All seven supporters of the resolution were appointed by Allen; the two dissenters were named to the board by former Democratic governors. The board had voted to seek the federal funds last May, before Allen appointed his majority.
After the vote, Allen said he likely will ask the General Assembly to amend that part of the 1996-98 budget bill when it reconvenes April 17.
``We don't need the federal government coming in and running our schools,'' he said on his call-in radio show on the Virginia News Network.
Allen has frequently criticized the Goals 2000 program as a federal intrusion into the schools.
The resolution was proposed by board President Michelle Easton, who accompanied Allen to a national education summit in New York this week.
``I'm very concerned about the intrusive nature of the program,'' Easton said.
``The board should go on record opposing the goals.''
Dissenters said the board had no business telling the governor to veto legislation.
``How dare we tell the governor what he should veto,'' said board member Peter G. Decker Jr. ``If we want to be legislators, why don't we run for office?''
Supporters of the resolution countered that the board's role is to advise the governor on education policies.
Virginia is among a few states that have refused Goals 2000 funding.
The state's share this year is about $6.6 million to be used for teacher training, curriculum development and new materials.
So far, school boards in Norfolk and the city of Franklin have voted to seek the money, said Superintendent of Public Instruction William C. Bosher Jr.
Democratic Lt. Gov. Donald S. Beyer Jr. wrote to local superintendents and school board chairmen this week urging them to support the funding.
``Taking advantage of the program will not subject Virginia to excessive new federal education guidelines,'' Beyer wrote. ``If we do not seek our share of the funding, then money earmarked for our children will be spent on children in other states.''
In other action, the education board received a first draft of proposed guidelines on school uniforms.
The draft suggests that school districts considering uniforms involve parents in the planning; let each school decide whether to require uniforms, try a voluntary program first; begin the policy in elementary schools and include shoes as part of the uniform. by CNB