In your opinion,
what is the best way to adequately
fund our public schools?
What issues are most pressing in
your district, and how would you
address those issues?
Is there a place for prayer
in the public schools?
I think on balance the new school financing system in Michigan
would be a good idea if it didn't give so much authority to the state.
Balancing funding between property taxes and sales taxes seems
to have worked well. But for districts like Birmingham, state con-
trols and constraints are neither welcomed nor warranted.
Birmingham is an outstanding district of which we are justifiably
proud. But it will not stay that way unless the district continues to
improve programs, staff and facilities, and does so with a constrained
budget. The district has successfully completed part of program im-
provements and renovation plans emanating from its strategic plan.
Much more is planned. The district has successfully financed im-
provements thus far by reallocating its budget. Finding ways to fi-
nance future improvements will be a major challenge.
I triggered the district's review of religion in the schools that even-
tually led to the current well-respected policy based upon current
constitutional law. I believe that a moment of silent meditation
would be consistent with that policy, but I do not think it essen-
tial that there be such a moment.
I support quality public education for all children in the state and
nation. In the past, I didn't support Proposal A as it limited each
district's funding mechanism and took away local control. I do
not believe that some school districts should be jeopardized fi-
nancially to restore funding to other districts. As a result of Pro-
posal A, the Birmingham Public School District is faced with limited
financial resources and future budget deficits. Although there has
recently been consolidation of space to cut costs, I will encour-
age and support the board and administration's challenge to find
ways to supplement the budget through alternative funding pro-
grams. Since the school district competes with 16 private and
parochial schools, a detailed plan needs to be developed to pro-
mote and market each of its schools. Academically, the curricu-
lum needs to move forward to challenge students and prepare
them for the work force of the 21st century.
Besides future budget deficits, our district is faced with aging build-
ings, although some of them were renovated prior to consolidation.
The condition of these facilities needs to be reviewed and assessed.
Having participated on numerous committees and as PTSA presi-
dent, it is apparent that there is a need for increased communica-
tion with the parents on individual school and district policies. There
are a number of networks in place such as cable TV and automat-
ed phone message service which can be used more efficiently. I be-
lieve everyone needs to work harder. The community as well as the
board of education and administration need to improve on two-way
dialogue and allow time for reaction before a policy or decision is
enacted. There is currently a concern in the parent community with
curriculum and facility inequities. Those concerns need to be iden-
tified soon and then addressed adequately.
No, I do not believe there is a place for public prayer in the pub-
lic school.
I favor a combination of a state-financed foundation grant and a
local option which allows the citizens of a district to supplement
state funds. Equity in school finance is important. But, over the
years, one of the things that has made the Birmingham school dis-
trict attractive is the quality of its schools. Birmingham school dis-
trict residents have been willing to support a first class educational
system. Our children have had access to exciting educational pro-
grams, sports, vocational education, the arts and many extracur-
ricular activities. These programs produce better learners and more
productive adults. The present systern of school finance, if left un
altered, will eventually make it impossible for school districts like
Birmingham to offer a complete educational program, even if the
citizens want to pay for it. We should have the choice to provide
the best education to our children.
The new school finance system restricts the Birmingham Public
Schools' revenue growth but does nothing to control its costs. The
district will find it increasingly difficult to sustain its educational pro-
grams. Any deterioration in Birmingham's excellent education will
impact our children's future and the quality of life in our communi-
ty. Declining schools can mean declining property values. It is im-
perative that we find (1) new sources of non-tax revenue and (2)
more innovative, efficient ways to deliver instruction to students. The
school district must get more businesslike in the way it assesses
needs and provides services. I will be unstinting in my efforts to eval-
uate the schools' operations. There are opportunities for new sources
of revenue, like pre-school and after-school programs. We can and
must do a better job of operating and marketing the public schools.
Yes, but not as a school sponsored activity. Because of the eth-
nic and religious diversity in the public schools and because of the
need for all of us to respect one another, that place is intensely per-
sonal and private. Each student should be free to pray silently in
school, in the way which meets his or her religious and spiritual
needs. Prayer should not, however, be a school-sponsored activ-
ity or one which distracts other students from their studies. As a
state agency, the public schools must not;promote any religion.
We can best respect one another by having communal religious
activity take place in the home, the church, the mosque, the syn-
agogue or the temple.
The allocation of funds is the issue. Generous funds are available.
Over the past six years, our district has received and spent 40 per-
cent more money in yearly expenditures while enrollments have
declined. Our district spends over $12,000 per student and still
over 25 percent of the children in the district go to private schools
where the parents pay a similar amount, and receive a superior
education. Our education dollars are being spent unwisely. A free
society using the free marketplace will get the most value from
education dollars. A technique that allows parents to pick their
school of choice, take public money with them and vote with their
feet, this will provide the best use of funds. Charter schools are
important too, because along with funds, there must be a good
selection of schools. Change is necessary because without it, we
are headed for big troubles.
Maintaining the quality of our academic programs is the primary is-
sue. There are strong forces working against the retention of tradi-
tional academic excellence in our classrooms. Our focus must be
clear on it. These negative influences are many and include the ac-
creditation process that insists on setting de facto standards, site
based management, lack of accountability for academic content and
using our school system as a place to experiment with theoretical
approaches. The need to focus on academic excellence is systemic
to our situation because our board and administration have for so
long emphasized implementation of theoretical ideas to the point
where traditional approaches and values are treated as hostile to
progress. The model high school followed by an international high
school laced with terminology designed to confuse and hide true
meaning and intent, designed without definition and the ability to
measure their accomplishments are good examples of the problem.
We have in our century and in our lifetimes seen the results of un-
godly governments and leaders. Nazi Germany killed over 6 mil-
lion people. Soviet Russia over 16 million and other despots around
the world millions and millions of people. The bloodiest century
of the world is ours to contemplate. Stalin, Mao, Hitler, all these
atrocious men that embarrass and humiliate us with their godless
activities share this common viewpoint. They did not or do not be-
lieve in God. That is, the God of the Bible, whether it be the Jew
ish, Christian or Moslem Bible, had no message for them. I am
thankful for those that pray to God. They are the backbone of
our ethical and virtuous society. Without tern no democratic or
republican form of government can survive. I'm sure they would
all agree that prayer is appropriate while involuntary prayer is not
In my opinion, the most desirable way to adequately fund the pub-
lic school system in Michigan is to use a combination of sales and
property taxes. While the property tax cut provided after the pas-
sage of Proposal A was a welcome relief to many, it was accom-
panied by an increase in the sales tax. The result has been an
almost equal amount of taxation faced by those who are active
purchasers of taxable goods, and with less to deduct from income
taxes as well. Further, the sales tax is not as dependable a base
as property taxes. In times of slower growth and recession, the
financing of public education may suffer. The Bursley formula,
used for many years in Michigan prior to Proposal A, was ade-
quate. It would not have needed replacing if the state had prop-
erly funded the public education budget.
The most pressing issues center around the maintenance of a com-
prehensive curriculum, growth and stability within the financial pa-
rameters imposed by Proposal A. Though our financial base is solid,
our growth is limited to 1.5 percent per year, less than the current
rate of inflation. There will be many difficult decisions made in future
years regarding the development of new programs and the main-
tenance of our many successful programs, such as low class sizes,
K-8 foreign language infusion, outstanding visual and performing
arts classes and opportunities, to name just a few examples. Since
school districts are labor-intensive, we must get the most possible
out of the time staff members and students spend at school together.
A restructuring of the school day at the high school level, where costs
are higher than at any other level, is being studied now.
111A word, no. I have a firm belief in the separation of church and
state. I do not subscribe to organized prayer in the public schools.
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