BOARD TO SUPPORT STATEWIDE MEASURE

Cape Girardeau Public Schools the Board of Education, administration and teachers agree that Proposition B is probably the state's best hope for increased funds for education.

While the educators admit it's not a perfect measure, they pledge to support it.

The school board endorsed a resolution in support of the measure at its meeting Tuesday. Teachers, through the Community Teachers Association, have also endorsed the measure.

Proposition B, if approved by taxpayers Nov. 5, will generate an additional $385 million for Missouri education. Under the measure, $190 million is earmarked for higher education; $190 million is budgeted for public schools; and $5 million would go for job development.

Superintendent Neyland Clark said, "We've talked about the pros and cons of Proposition B. But when you weigh it, and considering the current state budget situations, I believe this board and its administration should come out strongly in support of Proposition B."

The president of the Community Teachers Association, Jo Peukert, said, "This is the only game in town, and it will be awhile before we could get something else like this before voters."

The preliminary work for Proposition B was done last year when educators marched on the capitol and asked for action.

"And we asked for action, and we got action," Peukert said. "Now we're being called on again for more action."

"Teachers see education across the country is in a crisis," Peukert said. "Neighboring schools are already in the red. If it can happen to them, it can happen to us."

CTA executive committee member Mary Wilhite said, "For too long, teachers sat back and felt they did not need to be politically active. We stuck our heads in a textbook. But today, I think teachers are more community conscious.

Peukert said activism is apparent in Cape Girardeau. "We have more people this year who want to be on committees. And we are encouraging people to call their state representatives."

Peukert said, "I think you will see the Cape Girardeau CTA take some action. We will be talking to people, trying to educate the public about Proposition B and the needs of education."

Proposition B is not the solution to education's troubles in Missouri. It is just the first step, Peukert said. Proposition B will be followed by a constitutional amendment, likely on the April ballot, to require four-sevenths approval of voters to raise a school levy over $3.75. Now, 66 2/3 percent of voters must say yes in order for school districts to raise such levies.

And a proposed constitutional amendment is expected to be placed on the ballot in 1992 to guarantee that 33 1/3 of the state's general revenue goes to education.

But the first step is passage of Proposition B.

Wilhite said, "We are trying to talk positively about the programs it does fund," Wilhite said. "We realize it does not cure all the ills of education, but many of the things it does fund are positive and will benefit certain groups of students."

In particular, the teachers cited smaller class size, additional money for Parents as Teachers, and increased funding for vocational education.

"When people say money doesn't solve problems, they are wrong. Money does solve some problems," Peukert said.

On the surface, Proposition B seems to benefit higher education more than public schools, they said. But the teachers added that the measure is good for education and that's what counts.

"We have to look past the needs of just our school district and look at the whole state," Wilhite said. "I think for too long we have looked at whether it would benefit just us."

Peukert said, "A lot of the money goes to higher education. But I feel we have to look at what it costs to educate our kids. If it's not affordable for them to go to college, how realistic is it for us to prepare them for a college career?"