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I want to emphasize it at this point be-
cause it may have gone unnoticed.
Amendment No. 8 which we passed, on
the other hand, if you interpret the words
"by law" as used there in the way that
Delegate Wheatley has interpreted them,
would indicate that the local governmental
units, the counties, could in their structures
of government enact laws relating to the
composition of school boards. At least, this
is what I understood Delegate Wheatley
to say.
I think if he does not mean this, then
possibly he should correct the record. In
any event, I hope that Amendment No. 5
passes and that we delete all reference to
the local board in the constitution.
THE CHAIRMAN: Does any other dele-
gate desire to speak in opposition to the
amendment?
Delegate Wheatley.
DELEGATE WHEATLEY: Mr. Chair-
man, ladies and gentlemen of the conven-
tion, in regard to Delegate Moser's and my
statement "by law" as the Committee
adopted it, it referred to everything from
constitutional law to statutory of general
law down to local laws, so each would be
regulated according to the prohibitions or
restrictions that were placed on both.
More specifically, I cannot agree more
with the statement made by Delegate Clag-
ett that we do not want to freeze in a
system, and so for that particular reason
we did not use the words county school
system, but rather used the words local
school system in the lower case, indicating
complete flexibility as the occasion may
arise from time to time.
I am also in agreement with Delegate
Key when she made some comments con-
cerning the desirability of having a flexible
system that could be changed from time to
time. The provision here balances out the
state board which we recognize, and again,
I cannot say that too strongly, creates the
balance between state and local education.
It is a delicate balance and only those who
are familiar with it can appreciate it.
Then, the provisions we have in section
5, as amended, state the structure and al-
low the programs and flexibility that may
be necessary from time to time. I cannot
emphasize too strongly that the local boards
are not something new. The structure has
been there. If we are saying it is bad, let
us get rid of it, let us not play around.
If it has been good, let us acknowledge it.
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Let us not be led down the road of being
too specific and too detailed. I submit that
there are many, many places along the
way where we can make this criticism,
but that is the only allegation we can make
against it.
I would suggest again, and I emphasize
this, that this can be a recognition of a
status that has long existed hammered out
over the years in many, many instances,
and it is a question of putting politics in
the school board. I want the politicians,
and I profess to be one of them, to supply
the money, but I do not want them to make
decisions within the school board. I do not
want the educators in the school systems
to make the policy in the schools. This is
the balance to which I refer on the local
level, a lay school board that makes these
decisions free from political decisions or
educators' decisions.
If we are not willing to stand up for
this principle, then I think we are witness-
ing a battle that could last for another
one hundred years, and with that, Mr.
Chairman, I urge you to defeat this amend-
ment and vote for the Majority Report.
THE CHAIRMAN: Delegate Sollins.
DELEGATE SOLLINS: There is just
one point I want to point out to the
Convention.
THE CHAIRMAN: There is just one
minute left of controlled time.
DELEGATE SOLLINS: I will not be
any longer than that. There is present in
this State a committee charged with study-
ing the public school laws. It is composed
of educators and other interested citizens.
I am aware of no request by this com-
mittee to this Convention or to the General
Provisions Committee to do anything along
the lines suggested by the Majority Report.
It is very obvious that they are content
that this remain in the statue. I urge that
that is where it stay. I urge support of
Amendment No. 5.
THE CHAIRMAN: Are you ready for
the question?
For what purpose does Delegate Lord
rise?
DELEGATE LORD: Could you find me
one minute?
THE CHAIRMAN: Delegate Lord, your
time has expired. I am advised that you
have thirty seconds.
DELEGATE LORD: Thank you, Mr.
Chairman.
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