Free Lance-Star (Fredericksburg, VA)
June 14, 2011
Headline: Culpeper School Board to file "No Child" request

By Donnie Johnston

The Culpeper County School Board would like to leave No Child Left Behind behind.

The Board voted 6-0 last night to join other boards around the country and send a resolution to the Department of Education to "relieve school districts from the constraints of current statutes" that are part of the federally mandated program developed by the Bush administration.

"I believe this is one of the poorest pieces of legislation to come down the pike," said board member Leanne Malulani. "This has been extremely detrimental to our schools."

Board member Bob Beard said that the concept of the law--to makes sure every child gets a good education--is "laudable" but that the practicality of the statute does more harm than good.

"It subjects our children to an endless barrage of tests and asks [school districts] to meet impossible standards," Beard said.

Board member Bob Houck said he had read that Secretary of Education Arne Duncan is seeking changes in the controversial law.

Division Superintendent Bobbi Johnson said that was because petitions like this one were beginning to reach Duncan's desk.

"This has been a burden to our districts by making us jump through hoops," Malulani added.

Chairman George Dasher also mentioned both the financial and employee burdens imposed by the law.

The resolution, which will be signed by each board member, will be sent both to Duncan and to Culpeper's congressional representatives.

In other action last night the School Board voted to add 5 cents to the price of elementary ($2.05) and secondary ($2.30) school lunches, again to meet a federal mandate from the National School Lunch Program.

Food director Greg Beamer said that the price increase would bring in about $18,000 in additional revenue but added that he expected rising food costs to eat into his budget by $56,000 next year.

The board also accepted a $5,000 check from Dominion Virginia Power for Yowell Elementary School, which won the power company's math and science challenge contest and honored its retiring employees.