THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, February 3, 1995 TAG: 9502030607
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY ELIZABETH THIEL, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: VIRGINIA BEACH LENGTH: Medium: 92 lines
After months of silence about criminal charges against School Board member Charles W. Vincent, the city teachers' association is calling for Vincent to step down until his case is settled.
Vincent's attorney said Thursday that his client would not do so.
The Virginia Beach Education Association backed Vincent in last May's elections. On Wednesday night, its board of directors also took the unanimous position that if a judge upholds Vincent's conviction on nine counts of violating a state ethics code, he should resign permanently.
``These problems have drastically reduced his credibility and effectiveness as a school board member,'' the association said in a news release Thursday. ``The school board needs to have as its first concern the education of Virginia Beach's children. Mr. Vincent's troubles preclude this.''
Last month, a jury found Vincent guilty of illegally soliciting campaign contributions from businesses seeking school building contracts with the School Board. A judge is scheduled to rule Feb. 22 on whether the verdict should be set aside because of a legal question. If the conviction is upheld, state law requires Vincent to vacate his seat, although attorneys disagree over whether he would have to step down immediately or could remain on the board during appeals.
Vincent has declined to comment while his case is still pending. But
his attorney, Andrew M. Sacks, released a written statement Thursday on his behalf.
``Charles Vincent has great respect for the views of Virginia Beach's teachers,'' the statement began.
Sacks then went on to state that criminal accusations against his client were not supported by the evidence presented in court and ``have not yet been accepted by the legal system . . . ''
``Until the legal process has spoken with finality on these accusations, therefore, it would be both premature and inappropriate for Charles Vincent to give up his Board position. In the meantime, Charles Vincent will continue to do his very best to serve the parents and children of Virginia Beach,'' Sacks concluded.
The teachers' group joins a growing contingent, including some School Board members, demanding that Vincent give up his seat.
The School Board last month deadlocked on a motion similar to the teachers'.
At least one group, Kids First, a political action committee whose candidates were defeated last May, has drafted a petition to ask the court to remove Vincent and is making plans to begin circulating the petition next week, if the School Board takes no further action at a meeting Tuesday.
``Kids First takes the position that, notwithstanding what the judge does with the case, there's enough evidence on record for us to proceed with a petition seeking his complete removal from the School Board,'' said Kids First Chairman John T. Early Jr.
The teachers' association has been sharply criticized, particularly by Kids First, for not making a statement condemning Vincent sooner.
``They should have called for this a lot sooner,'' Early said.
``I put it in light of what would have occurred with a teacher. Normally, if I understand it, if there's even an allegation of an ethical violation by a teacher, the teacher is suspended until the situation is resolved.''
In another controversy, the association took no position on Vincent's use of the title ``doctor'' based on a degree that California officials have said is not valid. The VBEA news release on Thursday referred to him as ``Mr. Vincent,'' but association president Vickie J. Hendley said that had no significance and the issue was not a factor in the group's decision to ask Vincent to step down.
Hendley said her board did not want to make a premature judgment.
Wednesday evening was the association's first board meeting since the jury's January decision.
``I think teachers have kind of this overwhelming fairness . . . and they have tried to be very careful in not doing anything that supposes his guilt or innocence until the court made those rulings,'' she said.
``But since our last meeting, a jury of his peers did find him guilty. That's one factor.''
Hendley also said it became apparent at the last School Board meeting that Vincent is ``an ineffective board member.''
``He's ineffective in his participation in board meetings.''
Vincent, for example, got no support for a motion to have the school system purchase an electronic voting board to hang in the board room.
``There's a great loss of credibility,'' Hendley said.
School Board members last month admitted for the first time that Vincent's situation was creating divisiveness and distracting them from education issues. Board members argued publicly over whether to ask Vincent to step down. ILLUSTRATION: Graphic
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by CNB