DATE: Wednesday, October 22, 1997           TAG: 9710220535

SECTION: LOCAL                   PAGE: B5   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY DENISE WATSON, STAFF WRITER 

DATELINE: NORFOLK                           LENGTH:   75 lines

STUDENTS, NOT GIMORE, GRILL BEYER ON ISSUES

Democratic gubernatorial candidate Donald S. Beyer Jr. visited Maury High School Tuesday to hear from students. He heard plenty:

``How will you decrease the number of underage smokers?''

``You've talked a lot about K through 12th-grade education, but how can you help me, a senior, go to college?''

``How will you restore the Chesapeake Bay?''

The few adult questions for the candidate were obvious and quickly answered, but some of the students' inquiries - about things like embargoing Nigerian imports, parental consent and notification laws, and homelessness - stumped Beyer more than once.

The visit came during final two weeks of campaigning before the Nov. 4 election. Beyer and Republican candidate James S. Gilmore III originally were scheduled to visit Norfolk on Tuesday for a debate, but Gilmore canceled that event.

Gilmore was also in the area on Tuesday, shaking hands in Portsmouth with staff at the Hampton Roads General Motors Dealers' Training Center.

Beyer's visit to Maury came through senior Kayce Maisel, who contacted his campaign office looking for a political speaker to visit her government class and garner her extra credit. She learned Friday that Beyer would be the speaker.

``I was speechless for a moment. I thought they were just going to send whomever,'' Maisel said. ``This is exciting. I like Beyer. I'm pro-choice, I like his views on education, crime, the death penalty, and the way he wants to inform people in the community if a sex offender moves there.''

Adults wanted to know if Beyer felt rebuked when former Gov. L. Douglas Wilder announced Monday that he wouldn't endorse a nominee for the governor's seat.

``I'm only mildly disappointed,'' said Beyer, adding that he didn't expect to get the endorsement. ``I can't let Virginia's future be dependent on any one person.''

But the students took the bulk of his time.

Beyer spent 40 minutes talking with about 150 of them in the school's auditorium after giving a five-minute platform speech: promises of smaller classroom sizes, a renewed focus on the environment, higher teacher pay and standards, fighting crime by investing more in education, more pre-kindergarten classes for 3- and 4-year-olds.

The students then had their time. They said they wanted to stay away from the political bickering between Beyer and Gilmore and get answers to issues of concern to them.

Seventeen-year-old Robert Nickel held his arm up for at least 10 minutes to ask Beyer about his plans to reduce the number of people on Virginia's death row.

Beyer said reducing the number of inmates would begin with giving young people resources early, through education and proper health care, to prevent them from resorting to crime.

Nickel was satisfied with the answer.

``It was something I just wanted to ask,'' Nickel said. ``If I were old enough to vote, I'd vote for him.''

Carlye Nabers, Katie Viccellio , and Elizabeth Bryan corralled Beyer after the assembly and grilled him on affirmative action and his opposition to gay marriages.

Beyer was whisked away by his staff when 16-year-old Nabers pointed to another student and said: ``How is that different than telling me I can't marry him, just because he's black?''

Beyer said he was impressed and enlightened by the dialogue at Maury.

``They asked tough questions. They wanted to get deep inside,'' Beyer said.

``It's different to see a parental notification debate on the Senate floor and hear a 16- or 17-year-old who knows a girl who's pregnant talk about it.'' ILLUSTRATION: Photo

VICKI CRONIS\The Virginian-Pilot

Lt. Gov. Donald S. Beyer Jr. speaks to Maury High School students in

Norfolk Tuesday. He fielded questions on a wide range of topics.

Beyer had been slated to face GOP opponent James S. Gilmore III in a

debate, but Gilmore canceled. KEYWORDS: ELECTION CANDIDATE GUBERNATORIAL RACE VIRGINIA

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