Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, July 2, 1995 TAG: 9507030163
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JOEL TURNER STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
During the past eight years, when discussions on the state Board of Education turned to educational philosophy or bureaucratic red tape, Lewis Nelson would remind board members why they were there.
"It is easy to get caught up in theory and speculation, but he would bring us back to the children," said James Jones, a former state senator from Abingdon who's president of the state board.
"He would make sure we got back on course. He has been invaluable to us."
Nelson, a Roanoke banker, on Friday gave up his seat on the Board of Education, which sets the standards and regulations for the state's school systems. It establishes academic standards, approves the budget for the state Department of Education, determines teacher certification requirements and acts on state Literary Fund loan applications.
He'll be missed, other board members say, and one reason why is his experience on the Roanoke School Board. He served on the Board for 12 years, including two years as chairman.
"Serving on a local board helped him. He has a good background on school issues. That has helped us," said Martha Pennino, a board member from Fairfax County.
She said Nelson is quiet, reserved and scholarly at times.
"He is not there to get accolades," she said. "He doesn't say a lot sometimes, but what he says has great weight.
With his local school board experience, Nelson found it natural - perhaps inevitable - to concentrate on the impact of state board actions on students and daily life in the classrooms.
"My concern has been what is best for Virginia's one million schoolchildren, not necessarily what is best for administrators, teachers and parents," he said.
Nelson, 64, was the senior member of the state board, having been appointed by former Democratic Gov. Gerald Baliles in 1987. He had been vice president of the board for the past year. His eight years on the board were the maximum allowed by state law.
Nelson had become the institutional memory for the nine-member board, serving under three governors and three state superintendents of public instruction.
In recent years, Nelson has served as an unofficial mentor for some younger members when they came on the board.
"He has been my tutor, teacher and leader," said Peter Decker, a lawyer from Norfolk. "It will take someone another eight years to acquire the knowledge he has."
Nelson joined the board about the same time that Baliles appointed the Governor's Commission on Excellence in Education, which recommended a far-reaching series of reforms, most of which were implemented by the board.
They included changes in the college preparation of teachers, a mandated "family life" curriculum, overhaul of teacher certification, literacy testing, more training for school principals and a lower student-teacher ratio.
"It was time consuming, but it was a very interesting period to be there," Nelson said.
Nelson was reappointed by former Gov. Douglas Wilder, whose administration favored outcome-based education and a common core of learning program that came under attack by conservatives.
Conservatives charged that it was a "feel-good" approach that put too little emphasis on high academic standards.
But Nelson said that outcome-based education started people talking about the need for education reform and created higher expectations that have become a focus of Gov. George Allen's administration.
"I feel what is happening now is a continuation of what started during the Wilder administration," he said.
For the past year, the board has been embroiled in controversy over new standards of learning for math, science, English and social studies. The math and science standards were approved with little dissent. But there was prolonged debate over the English and social studies standards.
Some critics charged that the social studies proposals were influenced by the political ideology of Allen and his appointees on the conservative Champion Schools Commission.
Some educators criticized the social studies standards because they required elementary pupils to learn the history and culture of ancient countries. Some revisions were made because of the criticism.
Nelson said some teachers might have opposed them because they are reluctant to change the way they have been teaching. "I think you can teach ancient history, as well as Virginia history, to elementary children," he said.
Nelson agrees with the Allen administration that the standards, which now are only guidelines, should be made mandatory for school systems, so they can be used to evaluate the performance of schools.
But Nelson disagrees with Allen on some other education issues.
Nelson wanted the state to seek $8.5 million from the Goals 2000 program, which was proposed by the Clinton administration to help raise academic standards and improve schools. Every state except Virginia and New Hampshire has sought federal funds under the program.
But Allen said he fears federal intrusion into the state's education system if it accepts the money. Unless Republican leaders in Congress overhaul the program, he said, he won't seek any funds.
"There is a lot of misinformation out there about Goals 2000. Some say the federal government will take over education, and among other things, put condoms in schools," Nelson said. "It is unbelievable what is being said."
He said Goals 2000 has the support of the state chamber of commerce, Virginia Business Council, Virginia School Boards Association and other organizations.
Though he disagrees with Allen on that and several other issues, he does not question the governor's support for education.
"I think the governor is positive on education, but we may differ on issues," he said. "I don't think he is against schools."
Nelson wasn't enthusiastic about the guidelines on religious activities for schools recently adopted by the board. He didn't think religion was an education issue for the board to consider.
But the General Assembly required the board to develop the guidelines, and he hopes they will be helpful, he said.
Nelson said the educational disparity issue still has not been resolved, even though the General Assembly has made a start with additional state funds.
"It is going to take considerable more money, either in direct grants or a revised funding formula," he said. "The formula does not go far enough to help the poorer localities."
Nelson said he was disappointed that a few localities reduced local funds for education after receiving more state aid. If the funding disparity is to be eliminated, he said, school systems must provide their share of the money.
With the departure of Nelson and Malcolm McDonald of Richmond from the board, Allen will appoint two new members, meaning he will have named five members, a majority.
The background of appointees to the state board has been changing in the past decade. When Nelson was appointed, five of the nine members had served on local school boards. Now, Nelson is the only member who has served on a local board.
Nelson said he has enjoyed his eight years on the board, but he has been frustrated by the slow pace of the state's education bureaucracy
"You are hamstrung by regulations and laws," he said. "It takes so long to work through a decision and get something done, even though you know it is best for the children."
Besides leaving the state board, Nelson's life will "change gears" in other ways in the next few weeks.
He will retire as a senior vice president for NationsBank, and his term as president of the Science Museum of Western Virginia also is ending.
Nelson, who grew up in North Wilkesboro, N.C., and graduated from Davidson College, has lived in Roanoke since 1957. He has four children who attended city schools. He served on the Roanoke School Board from 1973 to 1985.
When he quit the Roanoke board, he said, he was satisfied with the direction that the school division had taken under then-Superintendent Frank Tota.
Nelson said he looked forward to his retirement, but he also was exploring the possibility of a part-time job in administrative, educational or financial work.
LEWIS M. NELSON JR.
State School Board member
Age: 64
Hometown: North Wilkesboro, N.C.
Education: Davidson College, bachelor's degree in business administration; University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Stonier Graduate School of Banking at Rutgers University, graduate studies.
Professional: Senior vice president, NationsBank; held a variety of positions during his banking career in Roanoke, which began with the former Mountain Trust Bank.
Community: State Board of Education, 1987-1995; Roanoke School Board, 1973-1985; Science Museum of Western Virginia, president of the board; has been active in the United Way, Chamber of Commerce, Junior Achievement and Family-Service Travelers Aid.
Family: Married, four children, all grown.
Quote: "I'm glad and sad in leaving the state board. It has been a challenging experience. There have been some disappointments. But, by and large, it has been the most enjoyable and worthwhile board I've had the privilege of serving on."
by CNB