U Law Prof. Carrington Seeks School Board Seat

Paul D. Carrrfigton', 38, a professor of law at the University since 1965, today became the first official candidate in the June 8 Ann Arbor Board of Education election. Carrington, who filed petitions yesterday, will be seeking one of three board seats which will be available in June. Charles H. Good, vice president of the school, board, is the only trustee whose term is expiring who has announced he will seek a second term. Good has not yet filed his candidacy petitions. however. Carrington, a gradúate of the University of Texas and Harvard University Law School, has taught and researched in the fields of civil litigation and public education law. He was director of a project of the American Bar Foundation to study the United States Court of Appeals and is presently chairman of a project of the Association of American Law Schools to study legal education. He has been active in the field of civil rights. He is now a member of the Board of the American Civil Liberties Union of Michigan and chairman of the Schools Committee of the Washtenaw County Branch. Carrington is vice chairman of a committee on civil rights and responsibilities of the American Bar Association and was chairman of that group's subcommittee on students rights and responsibliities, serving as draftsmen of a statement to be published under the auspices of the association which undertakes a definition of legal rights and responsibilities of students. He is also a member of the committee of the American Association of University Professors on state legislation affecting academie freedom. Last fall, he served as chairman of the Civil Liberties Board of the U-M. In announcing his candidacy, Carrington said: "I seek an opportunity to provide support for an excellent educational program for all the children and young people of our district. "The most serious difficulty facing our schools at this time is the national, perhaps international problem of discipline. I favor a firm, but fair, discipline policy. I support the idea of maximum individual freedom in the schools, but I recognize that freedom requires the control of behavior which impinges on the rights of others. At the same time, while we must preserve a reasonably tranquil learning environment for most of our students, our concern for order must be balanced by an awareness of the needs of the restless m i n o r i t y who seem headed toward lives of despair and hostility. "Some parents blame our discipline problems on the teachers, who are said to be unfashionable, boring, or authoritarian. Most of our teachers would be quick to admit that the program is not perfect and could be made more appealing to young people, especially if the teacher-student ratio were reduced, or if they had more time to think about the wealtli of innovative ideas now to be found in the literature. But until the program can be mad- better, we must protect what we have and this requires the use of some authority. The community must give full support to the teachers as long as the disciplinary power is being I used sensibly, for the purpose I of maintaining a satisfactory I learning environment. If 1 ers become afraid of all 1 counters with students and 1 ents, our schools will become I places of uncaring disorder in I which the primary concern of I each individual is survival, not I learning. "The system does n e e d al w i d e r range of possible 1 sponses to disruptive behavior; I excessive reliance on the 1 ty of suspension is not sensible, I b e c a u s e this disturbs the I schools' relations with the I young people whom we most I need to reach with training and encouragement. Simple and harmless disciplinary measures, such as detention or work assignments, can be used quickly and directly and are often effective to control behavior before it reaches a level of disruptive effect justifying the application of a penalty that excludes. For those who must be excluded f rom the regular piogram, special programs should be designed for the purpose of I assisting an early return. 1 isting experimental programs I of this kind should be 1 aged." Carrington, his wife and fourl children live at 3098 Newcastle. I