27TH DISTRICT SENATE SEAT PITS CONSERVATIVE VS. PROFESSOR

Missouri's system of public education is among the key issues for candidates seeking the 27th District Missouri Senate seat.

The seat is held by Republican Peter Kinder of Cape Girardeau.

Rick Althaus, a political science professor at Southeast Missouri State University, is seeking the seat on the Democratic ticket.

Kinder, the incumbent, was elected to the Senate in 1992. This is Althaus's first run for public office.

The district includes Bollinger, Cape Girardeau, Madison, Mississippi, Perry and Scott counties.

Kinder said, "I have spent four years trying to alert Missourians to how our schools are being hijacked and the misguided reforms being rammed down our throat by arrogant bureaucrats in the education department."

Althaus thinks Missouri's system of public education historically has provided access to a good education for all young people. A good system of public education benefits individuals and the economy, he said, by encouraging a broad middle class and a stable society.

Kinder favors a voucher system that would give parents freedom of choice in the schools their children attend.

"I want to empower parents, not bureaucrats," he said. "Our monopoly-financed public school system has to feel the spur of some competition. We have competition and consumer choice in nearly everything else."

In higher education, for example, some government scholarships can be used at public or private schools.

"Why shouldn't we have a GI bill for kids?" Kinder asked. "The money would not go to the institution, but to the parents who make the choice."

Initially, Kinder would like to see a voucher system in the urban school districts of St. Louis and Kansas City.

Althaus opposes vouchers. "Not to take anything away from the very good work that private schools do, but I don't think we should take money from public schools to divert to private schools," he said.

"I would guess the biggest difference between me and my opponent is our attitudes toward the role of government," Althaus said. "I see government as not inherently good or evil but simply a tool that we the people control to try to bring about our mutual goals. My opponent, in his rhetoric anyway, is more along the lines that government is bad and doesn't do anything right and cannot be trusted."

For example, Althaus favors establishment of a separate Department of Aging in state government.

"A fourth of the people in this district are 55 years or older," Althaus said. "That figure will get even larger as the baby boon generation ages. It's important to make plans for that."

Creation of a new state department, Althaus said, is a way to elevate seniors' issues and call attention to them.

Kinder opposes a new Department of Aging. "I went to Jefferson City to shrink government not to build empires," he said.

Kinder and Althaus share similar views against abortion, particularly late-term abortions.

Both Kinder and Althaus will spend the final days of this campaign door-to-door the district, rallying support.

"I think my support lies with traditionally Democratic voters and among independent voters, especially those who are supportive of public education," Althaus said. "I offer common-sense solutions to real-life problems."

Kinder describes himself as a mainstream, common-sense conservative. Kinder thinks his strongest support is among the small business community, those who are pro-life and gun owners.