THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, May 2, 1996 TAG: 9605020006
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A16 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Editorial
LENGTH: Medium: 68 lines
Much needs doing in Portsmouth schools. Many buildings sorely need maintenance. Standardized-test scores are too low. Vocational and technical training remains far short of adequate. Teacher salaries are too low, enabling other cities to recruit excellent teachers from Portsmouth.
The city needs a School Board that can work with council to win more funding, stretch the dollars it gets and give wise guidance to school administrators.
Fortunately, the city is blessed with strong candidates for the board. It's as though central casting found the right people for crucial roles.
Sixteen candidates are competing for five spots.
We recommend Lawrence W. I'Anson Jr. and Louise G. ``Sis'' Walden, both incumbents, and also Elizabeth Daniels, Victor W. ``Vic'' Goodman, and David I. Joyner.
Joyner, 59, is an Old Dominion University professor of education and former Cradock High School teacher, with 38 years of experience in education. At ODU he trains and evaluates teachers. His first priority as a board member would be hiring the good teachers. About half of Joyner's education career has been in vocational-technical education. The board can use someone who knows how to prepare high-school students for good jobs. Joyner would also seek cooperative programs with businesses and industries to provide on-the-job training in practical job skills.
Daniels, 57, is a dentist, a former teacher, and a former associate dean for academic affairs at a Nashville, Tenn., dental school, where she was immediate supervisor of the teaching faculty. She is experienced with budgets and curricula. She has taught at middle, high and professional schools, as well as at a university. Her priorities are getting up-to-date textbooks in adequate numbers, making schools safe and increasing faculty and staff salaries. She has had her own Portsmouth dental practice since September 1990.
Goodman, 57, is running on the slogan, ``A bureaucrat to watch the bureaucrats.'' Now retired, he's a former administrator of the Portsmouth Health Department and of the Eastern Region of the Virginia Department of Health. He has 20 years of experience with state and local budgets and says, ``I will know the right questions to ask.'' His knowledge of bureaucracies should also be helpful when the board seeks more school money from City Council.
I'Anson, 59, has demonstrated an ability on the board to size up budgets quickly and to ask key questions about them. He is a retired Navy captain serving as president of the Beazley Foundation, a large charitable organization. As president of the foundation, he oversees investments of about $50 million. He favors a regional vocational-education school. One of his priorities is increased preventive maintenance on schools.
Walden, 53, is owner of a Portsmouth flower shop and has served on the School Board since 1993. She's known as a team player, but not one to be steam-rolled. She has actively sought funds for the schools from public and private sources. As a business owner with strong ties to the business community, Walden would be useful as the school system seeks vocational-technical training partnerships with local businesses and industries. She has been outspoken about the need for Portsmouth blacks and whites to get past their differences and move forward together.
The board will be well served if I'Anson, Walden, Daniels, Goodman and Joyner are elected on May 7.
KEYWORDS: PORTSMOUTH SCHOOL BOARD RACE ENDORSEMENTS by CNB