THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, April 28, 1996 TAG: 9604260197
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 07 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Letter
LENGTH: Medium: 98 lines
Political power brought to bear unfairly on board
I am a Filipino-American and a longtime resident of Virginia Beach. I know, before I continue, that some may think that I am biased because Ferdinand Tolentino is my brother. I may be, but I have been there with Ferdinand and Mr. Jackson from the start.
There are a lot more issues involved in this matter than people think and know. Even I get confused on how the City Council and School Board operate in the city of Virginia Beach. In the political realm, there is a hierarchy of power and School Board members are the small dogs on the totem pole. They are the closest voice as citizens in the political arena. (Teachers, councilors, doctors, accountants, financial advisers, lawyers, retired military, etc. and most of all concerned parents!) They are you and me, citizens volunteering their time because they do care.
There are political forces flexing their muscles trying to intimidate Mr. Tolentino and Mr. Jackson to resign. With additional threats of another indictment, Commonwealth's Attorney Robert Humphreys still leaves an option for them to resign. If they resign, he will drop the charges, just as he wanted them to do at the outset. If Mr. Humphreys is passionate that these two did something wrong, along with those who resigned, then it would not have mattered if they resigned or not. I see it as a threat, ``resign or face charges.'' It is the big man picking on the little man, government pushing its authority and beyond.
No one wants to be blamed for mistakes, especially before an election. There is a bigger picture here. What is happening now affects the way our community is going to be run in the future. Before anyone makes any judgment or changes, you have to examine what the present School Board members and future members have to face. It may not be perfect, but with community involvement and awareness, we can find where the problems lie and move forward to a brighter future. Our children deserve no less.
Gabriel Tolentino
April 23
Let's hope we learned from mistakes of 1994
The Virginia Beach Schools' budget debacle has inflicted enormous damage to our children's education. Public confidence in the School Board and its administrative staff has been battered. Our city's bond rating may be downgraded and borrowing costs may increase. Property tax rates and/or assessments will certainly rise. And, unfortunately, looming indictments for malfeasance followed by highly visible trials - financed by taxpayers - promise to further inflame and divide our community.
A large measure of these problems began in May 1994 during the city's first school board election. A shameless assortment of dirty tricks orchestrated by the Virginia Beach Education Association (VBEA) was introduced to our area. Labeling its opponents as ``extremists'' and members of the ``religious right'' armed with a ``hidden agenda,'' the VBEA successfully manipulated and frightened voters to support its endorsed slate of six board candidates.
After the election, the commonwealth's attorney determined that numerous campaign disclosure regulations had been violated by the VBEA, and a nominal financial penalty was imposed. But, the results of the election stood, and some monumental problems for our children and community began.
Of the VBEA-slate, one board member resigned for personal reasons after serving only seven months of his elective term; one member was removed from office by a local court for ethics violations; three members recently resigned to avoid malfeasance prosecution; and one member refuses to resign despite a special grand jury's searing conclusion that he is ``unfit for further service.''
In the meantime, our schools have been in a state of decline. SAT scores have plummeted, teacher morale is low, some instructional materials are scarce and air quality in some school buildings is suspect.
On May 7, the citizens of Virginia Beach can choose a new direction for our public schools, or we can support a union crowd which has brought discord and disgrace to our community.
We can support candidates who possess the skills and experience to manage a sizable budget, eliminate waste, and restore and maintain quality education in the classroom. Or, we can support candidates under the VBEA banner who give priority to their union bosses over the needs of our kids.
Our vision for the future must include the following objectives: a ``back-to-basics'' instructional methodology; enhanced classroom discipline and safety; high academic standards and accountability; uncompromising fiscal integrity; and new technology to prepare our students for future job requirements.
We need to establish a new partnership between our schools and the business community to provide scholarship funds for advanced academic and technical studies. We need to restore full accountability and responsibility from everyone involved in the educational process: students, parents, teachers, administrators and School Board.
The most pivotal election in our city's history is approaching. We can all be part of that historic moment when our public schools system stops its decline and turns once again, toward true greatness.
John T. Early
March 12
Early ran unsuccessfully for the School Board in 1994 and is chairman of Kids First, a Virginia Beach watchdog group concerned about local education issues. by CNB