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The INDEPENDENT, April 12,1995
»INDEPENDENT
Serving the upper Nehalem River valley. Published
twice monthly on the second and fourth Wednesdays of
each month, by Public Opinion Laboratory Ltd., 1206
S tate A venue, V ernonia, OR 97064, as a free
new spaper. E ditors and P ublishers, Dirk & Noni
Andersen, (503) 429-9410.
rtRCfivf»
It’s been interesting,
hopefully, it’s over
A six-year controversy, under litigation for four
years, is, hopefully, coming to an end. The U.S.
Supreme Court can now decide the fate of Vernonia
School District’s mandatory drug-testing policy.
Like Don Dailey, chair of the district’s Board of Di
rectors (See Letters), we are pleased to see that the
system works, that a question of national importance
can go before our highest court without regard to the
origins of the question. No matter how the court rules,
the same question will arise again some time in the
future but, with luck, it won’t be here.
There are many projects that can use more energy
and attention, among them the Community Center
Project, Jamboree, Spring Spirit Day, the school dis
trict’s facilities study, and numerous City endeavors.
One project that seems to have been orphaned is the
annual fireworks show. Is there a group around town
that can raise several thousand dollars by mid-June
for fireworks?
With all our desire to move on to something else,
one thought makes us pause . . . what if the court
doesn’t rule on the constitutionality of the policy?
What if they remand the question back to a lower
court???? For today, that possibility will be ignored.
Hwy. 47 realignment may
actually go out for bids
The long-awaited realignment of Highway 47 be
tween Beaver Creek and the Nehalem River finally
has a bid date—April 27, 1995. Unfortunately, the fact
that a date is set is no guarantee the Oregon Depart
ment of Transportation will follow through.
It isn t as though ODOT has been in a rush to cor
rect the problem they created. It has been about 35
years since they built a “new” bridge across the Ne
halem River, with the promise to realign the road and
eliminate the worst of the curves created by changing
the angle where the highway and bridge join.
9 ^ O T st’N re^ers t0
realignment as a “modern
ization” project, rather than a safety project, in spite of
the documentation they have received—several
times—confirming the accident toll their “new” bridge
helped cause.
The situation has become further complicated, too,
with paving for the Banks-Vernonia Linear Park tied
to the highway realignment project. If ODOT doesn’t
put the job out for work this summer, there is still the
possibility of losing the money intended for paving the
park. ODOT insists the money won’t be lost, but how
many times have they said the highway would be re
aligned “next year?
Words are cheap (with ODOT, too often totally
worthless) but projects cost money and ODOT contin
ually approves cost overruns on other projects while
saying there’s not enough money for the Hwy. 47 pro
ject.
Let’s all keep an eye out on that April 27th date.
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TH& ovsh
THE
MAN
The JosiReport
By Rep. TimJosi
Oregon Representative, District 2
(Two of Rep. Josi’s columns have been combined
for this commentary on education reform legislation.
Ed.)
There is an old adage that says ignorance
is bliss. For some that may be true but for
most individuals, and for society as a whole,
ignorance is a grave danger. We have become
aware over the last decade that many of our
society’s problems are created or exacerbated
by ig n o ra n c e . G en era lly, we look to our
schools as the primary vehicle for dispelling ig
norance, but today too many of our children
are graduating from high school without the
ability to w rite or speak proper English, to
read, compute simple math problems, think
critically, or understand their part in the history
of mankind and the universe.
In an attempt to develop educated citizens
who are capable of not only surviving, but
thriving in the new world economy and as the
leaders of world democracies, President Bush
and the nation’s governors created Goals
2000, a list of reforms they felt would improve
the nation’s educational standards and results.
Since 1989 the federal government has been
encouraging states to create their own educa
tional reforms to achieve these goals. The
Oregon Educational Act for the 21st Century,
also known as HB 3665 or the Katz bill, was
born of this process in 1991. Oregon’s schools
are now in the midst of putting the reforms into
practice.
During this process concerns have arisen
regarding some of the Act's provisions. Some
people see Goals 2000 as a federal conspira
cy to control the minds and attitudes of the na
tion’s children. Others are concerned that the
reforms are too nebulous and will not achieve
the goal of better educated citizens. Some
people would be happy to see the entire re
form scrapped, others believe that fine-tuning
is all that is required. The House of Represen
ta tiv e s o p te d last w eek to fin e -tu n e . HB
2991,addresses many of the concerns about
the Act that have surfaced since its passage in
1991, including clarification of some of its lan
guage.
Modifications proposed in the House legis
lation fall into four categories: state responsi-
bilities, local options, local responsibilities, and
academic requirements. The state will allow a
timeline extension for local compliance; pro
vide statewide tests at grades 3,5,8, and 10;
eliminate specific dates for lengthening the
school year; and require rigorous academic
standards throughout the state that are contin
uously reviewed and raised when necessary.
School districts will be required to issue
Certificates of Accomplishment rather than
Certificates of Initial Mastery in grades 3, 5, 8,
and 10 based on the state tests and class
work; certificates may also be granted in other
school years. Grades will also be issued, as
will a diploma upon graduation. If a student
fails to meet the goals of the Certificate of Ac
complishment then the school must provide an
individualized instruction plan and/or alterna
tive programs. School-to-work programs must
provide at least 2 years study/work experience
and shall include career endorsements. Dis-
tricts are also required to develop and imple
ment discipline plans to be reported on annu
ally to the State Board of Education.
Locally, the schools may determ ine the
composition of site councils or eliminate them
if they choose; however, the state encourages
parental involvement. The schools are able to
select their teaching methodologies, including
developing public school choice schools. The
bill also stresses that all social services avail
able to children and families at school sites
are optional.
Academically, the primary grades will con
centrate on reading, w riting, science and
math. These subjects will be supplemented
with language arts, health, geography, history,
civics, art, music, P.E., foreign languages,
computer technology and humanities. By the
year 2002, graduating students w ill be re
quired to have completed two years of lan
guage study.
I believe these changes make the original
bill much stronger and give us more direction
in our effort to change the course of our edu
cational system.
•...VAM
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