PHCKNIX News
1996 Special Early November Edition Serving the Triad & Surrounding Areas Volume 12 Issue No. 124 PRICELESS
INSIDE THIS EDITION
1996 ELECTIONS
• Justice For All see pg. 3
Attorney E. Clarke Dummit
discusses the importance of all
people taking part in the political
process...
INFORMACION LATINA
• Informacion Latina
Newsletter inside this edition
REAL ESTATE pg. 14
CLASSIFIEDS seepg. 18
100: Automotive
101; Housing/Real Estate
102: PETS/Pet Supplies
103: Employment
104: TraveWacation
105: Produce
106: FOR SALE
(Items for sale in section 106 all
under $1,000.00)
PHOTO Picks of the month
pg- 9
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Phoenix
ROBINSON - BESTS WARD IN DEBATE
by: Roxane Perles
A ernon Robinson,
former Winston-
Salem State University
professor and the first
African-American nominee
for State Superintendent of
Public Instruction bested his
opponent, Mike Ward, a
former Granville County
School Superintendent in the
first ever State Superintendent
candidates’ debate, televised
statewide on North Carolina
Public Television.
Robinson repeatedly
hammered his opponent for
his role in giving out 12th
grade diplomas for 6th grade
work, shattering the lives of
children who were not
prepared for college - and
offering nothing better to the
African-American community
than 3 out of 4 black male 5th
graders failing the 5th grade
end-of-course proficiency
tests.
Mike Ward tried to
make the case that he was the
best candidate for the top
school job, because of his
experience as a coach,
teacher, principal and
superintendent of the year,
and that his experience was at
the university level...teaching
children who were poorly
served by Mr. Ward’s system.
-Paid for by the ('ommittee to elect Vernon Robinson
Patrick Killough, a
retired foreign service officer
from the Asheville are, who
watched the debate, felt that
“Robinson looks tense and
tired at the beginning of the
debate. / think he did succeed
in tying his opponent to the
problems in the system.
Robinson clearly won the
exchange in the middle of the
debate when the candidates
asked each other questions. In
the closing, Robinson finished
strong while Ward stumbled... ”
School choice was
hotly contested. Vernon
Robinson said “the public
schools are not giving parents
what they want because school
personnel cater to funding
sources, politicians,
bureaucrats and special interest
groups.” He added, “The only
way to improve public schools
so that parents get what they
want, safe, effective schools,
consistent with their values that
spend money in the classroom,
is to take power to the parents
so that they can choose a better
school for their child.” Ward
said he wanted greater choices
for parents in public schools,
choices that the local
school board
approve.”
T 0
emphasize his point, Robinson
invited Phyllis Lanier, a mother of
two young boys who is a strong and
loyal Democrat, living in public
housing has decided to support
Robinson because of his work to
give her and other poor people
school choice. Robinson asked his
opponent to explain “given your
system can only prepare 1 of 4 black
boys to successfully finish 5th
grade, can you explain to Ms. Lanier
why you want to prevent her from
saving her two sons by choosing a
better school...why you don’t
support my proposal to give $2,500
per child to the poorest citizens of
our state - to get a better school.
Ward said he opposed vouchers and
tax credits. Then Robinson,
according to Jonathan Jordan, a
recent UNC law school grad,
delivered the best line of the debate.
Until Ms. Lanier and other residents
of public housing can choose a
better school and leave schools
failing their children, the public
school system will never improve.
Bill Clinton should not be the only
resident of public housing who can
choose a better school for his child.
In the closing statements.
Ward reemphasized his experience
in the system and that with more
programs and more training
for public school employees,
a change would come. He
said “we need to improve
public schools rather than
abandon them. Robinson
closed by criticizing Ward
for never having specified
what his programs were;
how they would work or
how much they would cost
tax payers. He said more
spending in the current
failed system would never
improve schools and if
spending could fix the
problem, it would have done
so 3 billion dollars ago. The
bottom line - Robinson’s
opponent believes that he
and his fellow bureaucrats
know what is best for your
child and he wants to be a
passionate advocate for the
system. VOTE VERNON
ROBINSON - He will be an
advocate for YOU!
It actually |
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. So if you're tbipfeifttr of
, •‘..op smoking, drinking 6r
lax-nfc'ilr.jf > C‘;.1 yowr ,Wcb care provider or foe
MarcG offeiaes fSr
1-800-443-4093
March of Dimes
THE 1997 PHOENIX
Community Festival
committee will meet the
1st Wednesday in
February, 1997. All
persons interested in
serving on a committee
should fill out the form
inside this edition, and
mail it to PO Box 4416,
Winston-Salem, NC
27115-4416. Should you
have any questions
regarding the festival,
please do not hesitate to
contact our offices
Monday thru Friday - 8 AM
-5:30PM. -We can be
reached at (910)727-1171.
Anyone in the office
should be able to help you.
AFKICAM
exPKessioMS'
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