Timeline of Campaign.

Planks of a Platform

1. Fifth Amendment vs. Housing Authority
2. Education
3. Law Enforcement
4. Environment
5. Abortion
6. Gay Rights
7. Social Profiling
8. Tax Burden
9. DMV & VDOT
10. City, County Cooperation

Mon Apr 21, 2003

As delegate, I would not represent a school board, board of visitors, board of supervisors, or city council.   A delegate represents the residents of his district directly.

Jefferson School - The Charlottesville city school system can expect a series of funding cuts as political pressure to reform.  

• Less Need.   This school year is the first since 1865 that Jefferson is not open as a school.   The city now has 8 schools instead of 9.   Fewer schools to maintain, fewer expenses.   That comes out to an 11% reduction in need from now on.
• Less Merit.   The Charlottesville School Board's handling of the debate over Jefferson and its preschool was a poor example for our children.   Postponement of hearings until interest had diminished and scheduling the hearings for late in the evening when the crowd had thinned out were both intended to exclude voices and ears from the public process.

As your representative, I will tell the General Assembly that city schools have capital needs.   But my constituents believe the school board should not be rewarded for its recent performance.   I will have to hear from my constituents about the state of public education in the county.

Support Teachers.   Teachers should earn enough pay so they can afford to teach.   I believe a good teacher is good regardless of pay.   Teaching is not a job.   It's a calling.   The General Assembly decides the level of funding to a school district.   The school board decides how much to pay teachers.

Trust Teachers.   If a teacher says a disruptive student should be removed from the classroom, that should be the end of it.   A teacher has no interest in picking on a kid.   Removing children from school does not make a teacher look good.   Trust the judgment of our teachers.   Parents who always take the side of their kid undermine respect for authority.

Protect Students. - "If any teacher makes the statement that Joe beat up John, then Joe should not be allowed to return to the same school with his victim.   When Joe runs out of schools to attend, his family will have to move away if they want him to have a pulic education" (at the Education Forum, CHS, Apr. 13, 2000).   Younger children have more chances because there are more elementary schools.

Repeal Compulsory Education.   Making school voluntary would achieve these results.

• Truant officers and social workers would not force violent and diruptive students to attend school.
• Truant officers and social workers would not force good kids to attend a school that is unsafe.
• Truant officers and social workers would be laid off.   The money saved could be used for educational purposes.
• More parental involvement because parents would be responsible for their children's attendance.
• If society continually underfunds education, let the education establishment shrink to a level we are willing to fund.

Out-of-City Tuition.   Since public schools are funded primarily from local real estate tax, it seems reasonable to charge a fee for students who reside outside the jurisdiction.   As it stands now, city schools are free to city residents and the same fee for everyone else.   But Albemarle county pays revenue sharing to the city at around ten percent of the city's annual budget, all of which goes into the general fund and can be used for education.   Because outlying counties do not subsidize the city tax base directly, they should be charged tuition to attend city schools.   Charlottesville schools should be free or discounted to Albemarle residents.

Merit Testing.   Allow people to get jobs by demonstrating skill or knowledge.   Relax educational requirements for those who can't afford college.

Dress Code.   Students and teachers should dress for success.   T-shirts, torn jeans, and unkempt appearance are not appropriate for public school.   Because of taxpayer funding, public school should be held to a higher standard than private school.

College Welfare.   UVa President John Casteen has said that the state continually underfunds the University.   If UVa were short of funds, they would not be building a new athletic arena, parking garage, library, and monuments to benefactors.   They would also not be buying up real estate for future expansion.

UVa Logic for Recipients of Pulic Funds.   What if President Casteen lived in public housing and a social worker came by one day and saw his brand new furniture, TV, computer and appliances?   Social worker: "If you can afford all this, then you don't need public assistance."   Casteen: "That money was specifically earmarked.   I'm not allowed to use it for rent or groceries (or basic education)."

State Pay Raises.   It's easy for state workers, such as public school teachers and university professors, to call for tax increases because they don't pay taxes.   They are paid from taxes.   I would ask government employees to share the sacrifice and draw unemployment if you are laid off.   Meanwhile, we should make policy changes to retain quality teachers.

Related:  

• "Education ought not be through coercion" in Daily Progress Jan 14, 2002.
• History of Jefferson School in The Observer Apr 26, 2000.
• "The Old School" speech Feb 3, 2003, incorporated as flyer to save Jefferson School.

Blair Hawkins
oocities.com/HealingCharlottesville/Campaign2003/2.html