School Board Candidates Air Old And New Issues

The June 10 school millage proposition, Huron High School and future building costs, a human relations director for the public schools, the policemancounselor at Pioneer High School, the recently published "underground" newspaper at the high school and racial im-! balance. These were the main topics1 discussed last night by all eight Board of Education candidates at a lively, 2V2-hour Candidates' ■Vight sponsored by Youth for ■Education and Schools (YES), la student group at Ann Arbor iHigh which is campaigning for [the upcoming millage proposal. j Approximately 85 persons ,attended the session held in the Little Theater of Ann Arbor High. The evening consisted of opening and summary speeches by the candidates and questioni aud-answer exchanges. The questions were put to the kandidates by a nine-member YES panel and the audience. In their opening statements, each candidate catalogued his or her main concerns about the Ann Arbor Public Schools. Mrs. Joan C. Adams declared that she was worried about the plight of the "low-income children" in the school system. "I am running (for the school board) so that a segment of the community can be represented which has ... never before been represented: the low-income children," she said. William Ayers, the 23-yearold director of an experimental school in Ann Arbor, commented that "our schools are failing." He emphasized a need for "more child - centered education," a more equitable tax system and higher pay for the teachers. Trustee Harold J. Lockett commented that our educational system must be re-structured ito meet changing needs and changing times. I Duane A. Renken declared Ithat the voters want a limit on leducational spending and would tather see good teachers than txpensive buildings. The Board lof Education must become l"realistic, responsible and reIsponsive," he said. m - - ... .. - Cecil W. Warner indicated that he would advocate hiring a Communications coördinator, mproved business and evaluative techniques by the school board, an investigation of new sources of tax revenues and working for a "competitive" salary settlement for Ann Arbor teachers. Ted Heusel predicted that the June 10 election would bring out "more voters than ever before" because of the millage proposition on the ballot. He added his opinión that the school board "has lost voice with the public." Richard M. Wood told the audience that a committee composed of 12 members of the community have been meeting with him twice a week for the past eight weeks to "systemically examine the problems facing our school system" and help to provide him with the necessary expertise. Trustee Francés M. Felbeci stated that the needs of the chil dren must be served through i quality educational system. Concerning the June 10 mili age proposal of 11.66 milis foi school operations: All of the candidates excep .Heusel declared they woulc support the millage, thougl Ayers and Renken expressec lefinite reservations. Heusel relied to give a "yes" or a "no" Inswer on whether he supportId the millage, saying, "The leople will make up their minds I the polls on June 10. I wil] ■vork f ram there." I Despite requests from the IfES panelists to clarify his polition on the millage, Heusel laid he would stand by his "on ■he fence" statement. "I do not leel that I should try to conlince the people to vote one Ivay or the other," he counlered, a position challenged by landidate Wood. I Ayers explained his position, laying that the millage is merely a temporary "stop-gap" iBeasure until more equitable iax legislation can be passed. br. Lockett agreed that "other liources" of revenue must be lound to finance the school sysLems, but said that presently phe board is limited by laws Itaxing property owners. Trustee Francés Felbeck added that there was a "particular urgenpy" about the millage since it would merely finance a "holdpe-line" budget and provide for prtually no improvements. The costs of Huron High were piscussed, primarily by Mrs. Felbeck and Dr. Lockett, the ïwo inciimbents. Dr. Lockett said that more adequate planning time and more cated cost analyses would hopefully prevent future cost problems such as those associated with Huron High. The status of human relations in the public schools and the presence of Sgt. Chester Carter, the policeman-counselor at Pioneer High School, were discussed simultaneously by most of the candidates. Mrs. Adams and Ayers carne out strongly against the position of policeman - counselor, with Mrs. Adams saying that the job is an "aggravation point" and should be abolished. Ayers agreed that Sgt. Carter "should be fired as soon as possible." "If children are ... let alone, they will learn to live together," Mrs. Adams remarked. Most children are "more mature than you are giving them credit for," she added. Candidate Renken disagreed, saying that a policeman is needed at Pioneer and will possibly be needed at Huron to cope with the "discipline problems" arising at the schools. Mrs. Felbeck pointed out that one function of Sgt. Carter is to "protect" the students from outsiders who might attempt to enter the schools. Heusel said that a human relations director should be hired in place of a policeman, while Warner commented that the joliceman-counselor should be retained at the high school until a human relations director can begin his programs for improving community relations. Dr. Lockett pointed out that the presence of a policeman at the high schools shows the need for better human relations in Ann Arbor. The need for legal counsel at the high school to "protect" the students from interrogation by Sgt. Carter was stated by Mrs. Adafs and seconded by Ayers. Wood, an attorney, agreed that if the policeman-counselor is gathering information for the pólice department on various students, this action should be "terminated." This latter activity was one of the complaints voiced by Dr. Albert H. Wheeler, state head of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, at a school board meeting several weeks ago. The question of censorship and the right of students to express themselves freely touched off comments on the recent "unierground" newspaper published at Pioneer High School. Heusel: "Outside of a few objectionable words, I think the paper was quite good. The students . . . have a right to be heard . . . and it seems that they haven't been in the past." Mrs. Adams: "The students should be allowed to express Ithemselves freely." She also pointed out that the existence of the paper shows that "better relationships" need to be cultivated between the students and administration. Ayers: "Other paper (than the regular school newspaper) have a right to be seen. ... I think many of the complaints stated in the paper were reasonable." Trustee Lockett stated that the existence of the paper emphasizes the need for "better communication" between the students and administrtaion. Renken: "I think the . . . I (underground paper) was I necessary. There is no reason I why "The Optimist" cannot be I used for critical editorials." I Renken also criticized the I guage used in the paper. Wood: "If the students are I willing to sign their names to I the paper . . . and be counted, I I see no reason for not 1 ing underground papers." The need for more programs I and counseling designed to help I non-college bound students was I discussed by the candidates, I as well as the question of racial I imbalance at Mack and other I Ann Arbor schools. Most of the candidates agreed I that there were no simple I lutions to the racial imbalance I problem, and that a housing 1 lution would have to precede anl educational one. I