THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT 
              Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: Sunday, February 19, 1995              TAG: 9502170205
SECTION: PORTSMOUTH CURRENTS      PAGE: 06   EDITION: FINAL 
TYPE: Editorial 
                                             LENGTH: Short :   26 lines

SCHOOL BOARD VOTE MOVE A BIT RASH

A School Board vote to trash all proposals that would change the structure of elementary schools, such as privatization and charters, seems a little rash.

Because something must be done - not only in Portsmouth but across the country - to improve the public schools, no legitimate proposals should be dismissed hastily and arbitrarily.

Obviously, the move to return to community schools is about all the local board and school employees can handle this year. But that does not erase the possibility that other changes could be useful in the future.

Instead of throwing away the suggestions from the superintendent, the board could have put them on the back burner and considered them at another time. by CNB