THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Tuesday, April 30, 1996 TAG: 9604300297
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY ALETA PAYNE, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: VIRGINIA BEACH LENGTH: Medium: 52 lines
Kids First, the conservative education watchdog group that unsuccessfully ran a slate of candidates in the last election, has announced endorsements for three candidates running for School Board.
However, the group, which does not have a verifiable membership count, did not endorse a candidate in the Lynnhaven borough, where its former treasurer is running, or in the two-year at-large race.
In the four-year at-large race, where two seats are available, the group endorsed Vernon H. Fix and George R. Melnyk Jr. In the Princess Anne Borough, Archie Wilber DeBaun Jr. received the nod after Frankland P. Babonis dropped out of the race Monday night. Kids First had earlier endorsed Babonis but made a change after he withdrew his candidacy.
Candidates were screened in a number of ways, according to John T. Early Jr., the group's chairman. Along with a candidates' forum to which 15 of those running were invited, the group conducted interviews with some candidates, reviewed their responses to a questionnaire sent out by the Virginia Beach Republican City Caucus, and studied their responses to media inquiries, among other things.
Early said the group was looking for people qualified to pursue such priorities as fiscal accountability and integrity, ``back-to-basics'' instruction and high standards. He said business and financial management skills were particularly important in making the choice.
Early has described the group as ``the closest you'll get to religious conservatives speaking with one voice in this election.''
The organization has reserved the right to make endorsements in the two-year at-large and the Lynnhaven Borough race and may include those endorsements in sample ballots to be handed out at the polls on May 7.
Ben A. Krause, one of the candidates running in Lynnhaven, served as Kids First's treasurer in the 1994 School Board election. Early said the group thinks highly of Krause but also was considering candidate Miguel J. ``Mike'' Arsuaga. Early said the group didn't want to be rushed in the decision.
Krause said, however, that he had notified the group that he did not want the endorsement because he is not seeking the endorsement of any special-interest groups.
It is unclear how many people Kids First represents. Although Early agreed to permit review of a membership list, he declined to allow any of the members to be called so that their participation in the organization could be verified.
KEYWORDS: ENDORSEMENT VIRGINIA BEACH SCHOOL BOARD RACE by CNB