Path: bloom-picayune.mit.edu!snorkelwacker.mit.edu!americast.com!americast.com!americast-post Newsgroups: americast.twt.metro From: americast-post@AmeriCast.Com Organization: American Cybercasting Approved: americast-post@AmeriCast.com Subject: Student 'mules' decried Date: Tue, 27 Oct 92 13:27:07 EST Message-ID: \SE B;METROPOLITAN \HD Student 'mules' decried \SH Kids took home political fliers \BY Arlo Wagner \CR THE WASHINGTON TIMES A Montgomery County schools spokesman said yesterday that fliers advertising a Clinton-Gore campaign-sponsored forum on education should probably not have been sent home with students of a county elementary school earlier this month. But spokesman Brian Porter said the campaign being waged by PTAs and county unions against a tax cap on next week's ballot is proper, despite a supporter's claim that students are being used as "mules" to fight the initiative. Bush-Quayle campaign officials complained that literature on a Clinton-Gore "town meeting on national education issues" was sent home with students of at least one elementary school and that high-level school officials participated in the Oct. 11 rally. Republican County Council member Nancy Dacek and Jim Culp, chairman of the Montgomery County Bush-Quayle Campaign, urged Superintendent Paul L. Vance to investigate the incident. "The school system truly does need some sort of policy or task force to do something about this," Mrs. Dacek said. "My concern is that this is widespread in the county," said Mr. Culp, who accused school employees and teachers unions of exerting undue influence for Clinton-Gore. "The fact is, the unions seem to think they have exclusive domain over the students." Mr. Culp learned about the letter from Kathy Winkler, mother of a 9-year-old boy who brought it home Oct. 9 from North Chevy Chase Elementary. "I felt . . . that my children were being used as pawns," said Mrs. Winkler, a Republican who said she ordinarily tries to stay out of political campaigns. "If the Bush campaign were doing the same thing - even though I'm supporting him - I wouldn't go along with this sort of thing." Mr. Porter said the school principal, Delores F. Baden, thought the Clinton-Gore meeting was an interesting event and sent out copies of the announcement. It apparently did not happen at other schools, he said. "This one should not have happened in that manner," Mr. Porter said. Alvin Rivera, who signed the letter with school board member Ana Sol Gutierrez, said it was sent to principals, vice principals, higher education leaders, PTAs and community leaders. "I'm sorry it happened. We didn't intend that it should get into the hands of children," Mr. Rivera said. Mr. Vance spoke at the Oct. 11 meeting, but Mr. Porter said his speech was about education issues and was nonpartisan. He said Mr. Vance spoke in a similarly nonpartisan way at a meeting sponsored by Michele Dyson, GOP candidate for the 4th District seat in Congress. Michael Novelli, co-chairman of the Clinton-Gore campaign in Montgomery County, said school facilities have been rented for meetings, but that the campaign is scrupulously abiding by the policies and rules. "That's not our intention" that campaign literature should be distributed by schoolchildren, he said. When school officials said it "wouldn't be wise" to campaign at back-to-school nights, Mr. Novelli said, "We didn't do it." Robin Ficker, a former state delegate who is pushing the tax-cap initiative, said back-to-school nights at all county schools have been the scene of aggressive campaigning against Question A. He said "schoolchildren were used as mules" to carry home literature and announcements about back-to-school programs opposing Question A. The measure would require the county to reduce property taxes to offset any increase in the "piggyback" income tax above 50 percent of the state income tax. The county this year raised the piggyback tax to 60 percent of the state tax. But Mr. Porter said the campaign, conducted by PTAs and the Montgomery County Education Association, has not violated any school system rules. The teachers union, which is currently negotiating a new contract, has said "every teacher must be active in defeating Question A." If it passes, union leaders say, "It will kill any chance we have of getting a cost-of-living increase." County officials yesterday attacked the initiative in separate news conferences. State and county governments have cut Montgomery College's budget by $5.9 million in the last two years, said Edward Lehman, vice chairman of the college board of trustees. "That will pale if ballot Question A is passed," he said. County school board member Carol Fanconi also said Question A would force cuts that could mean bigger class sizes and fees for extracurricular activities. County Executive Neal Potter and 8th District GOP Rep. Connie Morella yesterday also urged voters to turn down Question A. "I believe if Question A is passed, it would release a powder keg . . . that would have a deleterious effect on Montgomery County," Mrs. Morella said. "It shackles government. We elect people [to use their judgment]. This imprisons them." This article is copyright 1992 The Washington Times. Redistribution to other sites is not permitted except by arrangement with American Cybercasting Corporation. For more information, send-email to usa@AmeriCast.COM