William Ayers In School Race

William Ayèrs of ííl6 Felch, ïirectorofan experimental school for children, announeed today that he will be a candidate for the Ann Artaor Board of Education in the June 10 election. Ayers, a city resident forfive years, is director of Children'a Community, a school for children four to eight years of age. He is a gradúate of the University, where he received a degree in American culture. He has had experience in Cleveland as a community organizer and has been active for the past year in Ann Arbor Citizens for New Politics. Ayers, 23, is single. I He is the sixth person to say he will seek a school board seat. Three seats will be available. Other candidates include incumbents Harold J. Lockett and Mrs. Francés M. Felbeck. Others are Richard M. Wood, an attorney; Duane A. R enk en Bendix Aerospace Systems División employé; and Cecil W Warner, a senior engineer-l ng administrator with the 1 ix división. Ayers made the f ollowing I tatement in connection with his I andidacy: "Schools should exist to serve I hildren. Anyone who doean'tl tart with this premise, who 1 phasizes instead questions ofl fiscal responsibility' or 'bond I ssues' or 'building programs' is I an enemy of the kids. The cry- ng need is to libérate the kids I rom the siuffocating regimenta-l ion that passes for education. I We need to begin to build al school structure that offers choices to kids, offers them freedom, allows for unfettered creativity and growth. "The kind of meaningful education envisioned here cannot )e attained without radical changes in the structure of our w h o 1 e soeiety. Nevertheless, there are certain changes that can be made in schools now which would be siteps in the right direction. Among these are the creation of student-faculty committees to evalúate curricula and institute changes, an attempt to abolish the state attendance law, and the inclusión of an adequate study of Black history as part of the general history cirriculum at all levéis. "Another point of importance is the establishment of joint student, teacher and local community control over the school environment. This isi essential if people are to particípate in and control the institutions that affect their lives. High school and community groups have already begun to organize around ! this issue of control. "We hope to involve 1 a r g e Wmbers of students, teachers and community people in ongoing organizations which w i 1 1 press for the ultimate realization of the goals of this camIpaign."