
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: FRIDAY, October 13, 1995                   TAG: 9510130065
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: C-5   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Long

WHERE SCHOOL BOARD CANDIDATES STAND ON WEAPONS, DRUGS AND EXPULSIONS

The Roanoke Times mailed a questionnaire this summer to all 74 school board candidates in Western Virginia, asking where they stood on a variety of school issues. Many responded; others did not. Some, contacted later by telephone, said they didn't want to commit themselves on specific issues.

Here's what the candidates had to say on the subject of school safety and discipline for students who bring weapons and drugs to school.

School safety has become an issue in recent years. Do you support the expulsion of students who bring drugs and weapons to school or assault others?

Bedford County

District 1:

Russell "Butch" Wright: "Absolutely. We have to protect the students. ... We have to get tough."

Wesley Gordon Jr.: Did not respond.

District 5:

Eugene Erb: "Any student who is found guilty of bringing drugs or weapons onto school property should be given the most severe punishment allowable, including suspension on the first offense."

Betty Earle: Did not respond.

District 6:

Hunter Hale Jr.: "We must provide a safe environment for our children and teachers. Bedford County has policies and procedures for safe schools, and I would support whatever it takes for safe schools."

Shirley McCabe: Did not respond.

District 7:

Stanley Butler: "Yes."

Benny Shrader: "Yes. Public schools must provide a safe, drug-free environment for all students. To ensure this, expulsion for carrying dangerous weapons is a tough line to be carried out without exception. Programs addressing dropouts are also essential to meet public needs. Alternative education provides opportunities for children rather than have them disrupt the normal school setting or be idle and out of school in the community."

Botetourt County

Valley District:

Michael Beahm: "I support the expulsion of students who bring drugs or weapons or assault others. It is imperative that schools be safe."

Fincastle District:

Sally Eads: "Botetourt County schools already have dealt with this issue by means of expulsion."

David Emeigh: "Yes. We need to spend more time treating the cause of such behavior, and not the symptoms."

L.W. "Jack" Leffel Jr.: "Yes. We have to realize that not every person will be a model student no matter how hard we try. The vast majority should not suffer because of the very few who will always be a disruption."

Blue Ridge District:

James Ruhland: Did not respond.

Craig County:

Alleghany District:

James Cady: Did not respond.

Simmonsville District:

Bonnie Hutchison: Did not respond.

Rodney Williams: Did not respond.

New Castle District:

Thomas Zimmerman: Did not respond.

Two at-large seats:

Patrick Myers: Did not respond.

Brenda Allen: Did not respond.

Robert Knepp: "Yes. Students have no need to bring weapons or drugs to school."

Hettie Farley: Did not respond.

Floyd County

District A:

Clay Link: Did not respond.

District B:

David Sulzen: "Yes, I do support expulsion, but I believe there should be better coordination with the judicial system in the county so that the student does not just end up lost to the system forever. If the judicial system worked closely with the schools, expelled students could be required to perform community service or receive treatment in an appropriate type of medical or correctional institution that would prepare them for readmittance."

Cheryl Whitlock-Allen: Did not respond.

District C:

Howard Cundiff Jr.: Did not respond.

District D:

Marie Mathis: "Yes."

Margaret Hubbard: Did not respond.

District E:

Douglas Phillips: Did not respond.

Louellen Sharp: Did not respond.

Franklin County

Blackwater District:

Shirley Jamison: Did not respond.

Van Flora: "Yes."

Boone District:

Guy Buford: Did not respond.

Snow Creek District:

Terry Lovell: "Yes. But there would have to be alternative forum/setting for students expelled for these offenses."

G.B. Washburn Jr.: "Yes. I also feel that these students should serve six months of community service cleaning school grounds."

Union Hall District:

Perry D. Hambrick: "Yes. Schools need to be a safe haven. Learning cannot take place when the students are in fear for their safety. Teachers cannot give their best effort when they are involved in search and seizure and are in fear."

Rocky Mount District:

Steve Flora: Did not respond.

Gills Creek District:

Jack Newbill: Did not respond.

At-large (one seat):

Amanda Davis: "Yes. There needs to be clear guidelines to students that certain actions will not be tolerated and to protect students who do not engage in said abuses."

William Helm Jr.: Did not respond.

Giles County:

Western District:

J. Lewis Webb: Did not respond.

Central District:

Joseph Gollehon: Did not respond.

Carolyn Linkous: Did not respond.

Mary-Paul "Widget" Shannon: "Yes. The learning process for students should include taking responsibility for one's own actions."

Eastern District:

Jeffrey Wiegand: "Yes, I do support the expulsion of students who bring guns or weapons to schools, because we live in an increasingly violent and less safe society, and need to guarantee safe schools in which to have an optimum learning environment."

Ronald Whitehead: Did not respond.

At large (two seats):

J.B. Buckland: Did not respond.

John Billos: Did not respond.

Phillip Morris: Did not respond.

Montgomery County

District B:

Robert Anderson: "Yes. We need to find out why a student needs to do or bring this stuff to school. Parents need to be held accountable to some extent."

Bernard Jortner: "Yes."

Oscar Williams: "Schools should be safe havens. Students and other school personnel should not be forced to learn or teach in hostile environments. Disruptive students who assault others should be counseled before they are expelled. The length of the expulsion should be tailored to fit the specific violation."

District E:

Jack LeDoux: "Yes. Need to involve and hold parents responsible for their child's misconduct. Extreme behavior needs discipline or suspension. Get rid of the troublemakers so the rest can learn."

Victor Sheppard: Did not respond.

Michael Smith: Did not respond.

District F:

Richard Edwards: "Yes. This should be a clear policy with no exceptions."

James Klagge: "Yes. Children need to feel safe at school. We are blessed by living in a county where this is not a big problem. We need to keep it that way."

District G:

Peggy Arrington: "I personally would support the likely expulsion of students who possess or bring onto school grounds or to school functions: a gun, knife, stunning, razor, slingshot, spring stick, metal knucks, blackjack, nun chuck, throwing star, fireworks, explosives, flammables or any item used as a weapon to threaten or inflict bodily harm. I support our present policy on drugs and simple fights without weapons which allows a range of consequences as determined by the school principal."

Wat Hopkins: "Yes."

Pulaski County

Ingles District:

Ronald Chaffin: "Yes. Our schools must be a safe haven for all our children."

Barbara Chrisley: "Yes, I support the expulsion of students who bring drugs or weapons to school."

Robinson District:

Sybil Atkinson: "Yes. Pulaski County has taken a hard stand on drugs and weapons. ... Our parents and children should continue to feel safe in our schools."

Rhea Saltz: Did not respond.

Massie District:

Jeff Bain: "Yes. Schools are a place of learning and safety where drugs or weapons have no place. I will support expulsion for a full calendar year of any student found guilty of possession on school grounds or school-supported activities of alcohol, controlled substances, drug paraphernalia or a weapon (gun, knife, etc.)."

Nathan Tuck: "Yes."

Draper District:

Lewis Pratt: Did not respond.

Cloyd District:

Beth Nelson: "Yes, I also favor a close, collaborative working relationship among all public agencies (social services, juvenile justice, schools) in dealing with students who make safety an issue in our schools. They must not be permitted to disrupt a classroom or inject fear and hostility into the school environment."

Carolyn Brown: "We are trying to have drug-free and safer schools. Those who disobey the rules should be punished."

Roanoke County

Catawba District:

William "Bill" Brown: "Yes."

John Reed: "Yes. This is a tough issue because of some difficult home environments that exist today. But it should not take 30 days to decide the fate of a student with a loaded gun."

Marion Roark: Did not respond.

Cave Spring District:

William Irvin III: "Yes. An environment with violence and drug activities is not conducive to learning. These students should be dealt with outside the classroom."

Carol White: "Yes."

Vern Jordahl: "Yes, young people who endanger the education and safety of others should be removed from the mainstream schools for the benefit of the greater number. Society and its laws justify restraint to prevent individuals from harming themselves and others. These types of students are a problem, and their numbers are increasing. Positive solutions, such as an alternative education, must be considered for these troubled young people."

Keywords:
POLITICS

by CNB