State School Panel Tightens Controls Over Private Schools

LANSING - Ghosts of the old parochiaid battle hovered around the State Board of Education Wednesday as the Board approved steps to tighten controls over nonpublic schools. A key purpose of the proposed new regulations is to prevent some private schools f r o m becoming what one board member called "escape hatches" f o r parents who don't want their children included in desegregation busing plans. At the same time, however, several board members are strong supporters of nonpublic schools, backed the parochiaió law later killed by the voters, and are reluctant to do anything which might even appear that private education is being threatened. What prompted the Board into action was a report that as many as 500 youngsters ) y - - are unaccounted for" in the Pontiac School District, which is carrying out a court ordered desegregation program. There have been unofficial reports that at least some of those children are attending so-called "freedom schools" set up by disgruntled parents, but only one new private school which might come under that category has formally notified school authorities. The Board is concerned immediately with the Pontiac situation, but also with a possible spread of such problems, what with court-connected desegregation plans also in various stages in Detroit, Grand Rapids and Kalamazoo, with the prospect of more to come. At any rate, the Board directed Supt. John W. Porter and the Department of Education staff to prepare proposed legislation which would fy compulsory school attendance laws and extend the supervisión of nonpublic schools to persons between 6 and 16 regardless of the grade in which they might be enrolled. In addition, the Board adopted the policy that nonpublic schools must provide 180 days and 900 hours of student instruction in the school year, the same as public schools. The instruction must be "comparable" to that offered by the Public School District, although that comparability is left for the local Superintendent of Schools to decide. Specifically regarding Pontiac, Board and Department members reported privately that the Pontiac Public Schools hasn't been able to enforce the compulsory attendance laws, partly because of a fuzziness in the lávs and partly because of alleged harassment of some officials. Two Pontiac school attendance officers quit after they and their families received anonymous phone calls threatening their safety and property, one official said. The Board decided to ask Dr. Dana P. Whitmer, superintendent of the Pontiac schools, to notify Porter by Nov. 23 if he wished state assistance in checking private schools which may not be meeting standards in education, health and safety. Porter acknowledged that it still wasn't clear exactly how much ability the board had to enforce the laws, but that any non-complying schools could be ordered closed. Board Treasurer Thomas J. Brennan, one of the biggest supporters of parochiaid last year, said he fully supported efforts to ensure that all private schools meet state standards, but he expressed hope that the Board wouldn't go too far. "I can remember during the arguments over parochiaid that one point made by some opponents was that any state aid would lead to state control over nonpublic education. Well now it appears that the state already has more control over the nonpublic sector than there is over public schools." However, Miss M a r i 1 y n Jean Kelly, D-Detroit, a vocal opponent of parochiaid last year, said she thought that all the Board members realized then the extent of state regulation of nonpublic schools. What private school proponents had most to fear, she said, was the possible loss of such things as prayers, "which go to the heart of the goals of many of the parochial schools." Board Vice President Michael J. Deeb, D-Detroit, was a supporter of parochiaid, but he said many public school administrators are upset with State Board efforts toward more "accountability" and so "I don't think we can be fairly accused of picking on nonpublic schoolsl