Parents lay out wishes to Bedford County school board

Christa Desrets / Lynchburg News & Advance
Published: January 10, 2008

Parents of students in Bedford County Schools want better pay for teachers and less crowded schools.

Those were two key points that parents said again and again during the school board's public hearing on the 2008-09 school budget Thursday night.

Vanessa Gable, who has children at Stewartsville Elementary and Staunton River High schools, asked the school board to consider raising teacher salaries by 5 percent over the next three years. That would bring teacher salaries closer to surrounding areas, which would help retention rates, she said.

Linnis Harris, the PTA president at Big Island Elementary School, said that overcrowding was another main issue for Bedford schools. She asked school board members - to the standing ovation of audience members - to stand firm with the budget they submit to the Board of Supervisors.

Parents also asked for construction projects, including a gym at Bedford Primary School and athletic fields at Staunton River middle and high schools.

Alvin Gable, a parent and member of Stewartsville Rescue, asked the board to fund the purchase of a $200,000 driving simulator for student driving courses.

Later in the meeting, newly appointed School Board Vice Chair Debbie Hoback said she appreciated the support of parents who wanted to support students in the school system.

Gary Hostutler, who was elected the new chair of the board Thursday, said the board would have challenges but he hoped parents would continue to show support.

"I think we're going to have a good year ahead of us," he said.

The school board is scheduled to hold its first budget work session of the year today from 2 to 5 p.m. in the conference room at the school board administration building, located at 310 South Bridge St. in Bedford.

In other business at Thursday's meeting:

• The board unanimously approved recommended changes to the county's book-challenge policy.

A committee of 15 library media specialists recommended the changes at a December meeting after two incidents that ended with the removal of library books from Bedford County schools.

The group recommended the addition of an informal first step to the challenge process that would allow the school's library media specialist, the principal and the complainant to decide whether the challenged material was inappropriate.

School board member David Black, whose niece discovered one of the books that was later removed, said he hopes libraries additionally will review their book selections and choose books based on more than a recommendation.

Victor Gosnell, director of technology and media for the district, said that library media specialists had agreed to a closer scrutiny of books and a screening before they place books on shelves.

• In the public comment section of the meeting, parents of students in the district's Liberty zone asked the board to consider reorganizing the band and arts programs.

The way the programs currently are organized, they said, students in those schools receive far fewer hours of electives than in other schools. Students in the Liberty zone also must miss core classes if they wish to attend electives, they said.

• The board approved a policy creating a 14-member student advisory committee for which they hope to accept applications later in the year.