Nation digest 02/25/04

Teacher union asks Bush to sack education chief

WASHINGTON -- The National Education Association asked President Bush on Tuesday to fire Education Secretary Rod Paige for calling the union a "terrorist organization." The White House said Paige's job was safe. Paige, who made his comment in a private meeting with governors Monday, later apologized for his choice of words but maintained the union uses "obstructionist scare tactics" in its fight over the nation's education law.

PTA: Most parents raise, spend money for schools

WASHINGTON -- The Capitol Hill Cluster School needed it all: paper, paint, ink cartridges, locker parts and those little metal glides to fix wobbly chairs. Who raised the money? Parents, mainly. Most of the $105,000 raised by the school's PTA this school year is going for classroom basics, a trend playing out nationwide, according to a poll of public school parents commissioned by the 6.2-million member National PTA. Beyond fund-raising, the poll found, many parents are spending their money for teacher salaries, sports equipment, art supplies and other items schools used to cover.

Divers work to move Mississippi shipwreck

NEW ORLEANS -- Salvage divers worked Tuesday to move a shipwreck that has obstructed the lower Mississippi River since the weekend and bottled up scores of freighters and cruise ships. The 178-foot supply boat sank in the river's main shipping channel on Saturday after colliding with a container ship in the fog. Three crew members were killed and two others were missing. Salvage divers worked to pump air into the vessel and attach straps as part of a plan to either lift the wreck or pull it out of the way. But there was no definite timetable for reopening the Southwest Pass.

Screener sends self through X-ray machine

DENVER -- A security screener at the Denver airport has been disciplined for sending himself through an X-ray machine. Mike Fierberg, spokesman for the Transportation Security Administration, would not release the screener's name or detail the punishment, nor could he say why the screener did such a thing. While the act did not jeopardize safety, he said, "it was clearly behavior that is not acceptable."

Sixth-grader suspended over SI swimsuit issue

BELPRE, Ohio -- A sixth-grader started serving a three-day suspension Tuesday because he refused a lesser punishment for bringing the Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue to school. Justin Reyes was cited Feb. 18 for violating Belpre Middle School's policy on nonverbal harassment and possession of lewd or suggestive material, superintendent Tim Swarr said. The 12-year-old boy was ordered to spend two days at an alternative school. But his mother, Nicole Reyes, said that was too harsh a punishment and refused to accept it.

Rover drills into rock in search for water evidence

LOS ANGELES -- NASA's Opportunity rover drilled into a rocky outcrop on Mars Tuesday as scientists prepared to examine the stone to learn whether it was formed under watery conditions that may have been favorable to life. The wheeled robot used its rock-abrasion tool to grind 0.16 inch into the surface of a rock dubbed "El Capitan." The rover then began to inspect the hole with other instruments. Mission scientists expect the results to take several days to reach Earth.

New Columbine report to be released Thursday

LITTLETON, Colo. -- Nearly five years after the Columbine High massacre, officials will release a new report and thousands of pieces of evidence Thursday that may explain why authorities, parents and friends missed so many warning signs from the teenage killers. Colorado Attorney General Ken Salazar led the investigation into contacts before the attack between the gunmen and sheriff's investigators. Eric Harris, 18, and Dylan Klebold, 17, killed 12 classmates and a teacher on April 20, 1999.

-- From wire reports