2
Tuesday, February 8, 2000
Board Ponders School Day Extension
By Kellie Dixon
Staff Writer
Students attending area public
schools might be in class a little longer
each day if a proposal passes through
the Chapel Hill-Carrboro Board of
Education on Thursday.
Board members recently discovered
that some students were not meeting
statewide requirements for time spent in
class each year.
Kim Hoke, public relations director
for the school system, said students were
missing class for several reasons, includ
ing athletics and extracurricular activi
ties, prompting the school board to con
sider adding class time.
“Teachers are requesting more time
so they can teach the core classes, such
as English,’' Hoke said.
While extracurricular activities could
be responsible for middle and high
school students missing class, all ele
mentary school students are also falling
short of the required 1,000 hours of class
Lime the state sets per year. They cur
rently spend about 6 hours and .50 min
utes in class per day.
The school board is considering three
options to expand the school day by 15
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at (919) 962-7001, send an email to abroad@unc.edu, or consult
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minutes to 20 minutes at all local
schools to compensate for the shortage.
Board member Roger Waldon said
the board had been in contact with the
public to gain perspective on what
would be the best option. “We talked
about the possible choices last year, but
several constituents came to us and
asked that we not make any changes
quite yet," he said. “We delayed it so we
could get more public input."
The difference among the three
options is found in when schools will
open and close.
Hoke said the board was searching
for the option that caused as little dis
ruption to students’ schedules as possi
ble. “The least amount of change is pre
ferred among most of the schools," she
said. “Change is difficult.”
While many school board members
said they wanted to research the issue
more, freshman board member Gloria
Faley said she was opposed to options
that kept elementary' school students in
class later in the day. “One thing is clear
to me - elementary kids should start
(class) first because research shows ele
mentary school kids learn best early in
the morning,” she said. “Adolescents
learn better in the afternoon."
Extending the School Day?
Students in Chapel Hif-Carrboro City Schools are failing to meet the state-mandated
requirements for time spent in the classroom, in part because of extracurricular activities.
Classroom Attendance Facts:
■ Elementary school students need at least 1 5 minutes more class time each day .to meet the
minimum state hours.
■ Area middle schools have expressed interest in additional time for their school day.
■ High schools in the system have complained about the late ending time for classes. The
result is missed class time for student athletes due to game schedules. __
r
■ The two high schools in the system estifnatSlfiat6l4 students lose more than 7,400
classes annually.
■ The last change to school hours was in 1993.
Proposed School HoofTfianges:
■ Option A: Middle school, 7:45-2:50; high school, 8:25-3:20; elementary school, 8:45-3:45
■ Option B: Middle school, 7:45-2:50; high school, 8:15-3:10; elementary school, 8:45-3:45
■ Option C: Middle school, 7:50-2:35; high school, 8:20-3:15; elementary school, 8:45-3:45
SOURCE: CHAPEL HILL-CARRBORO CITY SCHOOLS
Faley said she had anew proposal
that she would present to the board
Thursday, but she did not w'ant to pub
licize it before the meeting.
Dale Minge, principal at Estes Hills
Elementary School, said he supported
Campus Calendar
Today
2 p.m. - The next blood drive in the
Rivals’ Fight for Life competition
will be held in Upendo Lounge of
Chase Hall.
The public is invited.
7 p.m. - The Out-of-State Students
Association will hold a general meet
ing in 431 Greenlaw Hall to discuss par
ticipation in the Dance Marathon.
All out-of-state students are invited to
attend.
9:30 p.m. - The Disney College
Program Alumni Association will
hold a general information session in
Union 224.
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UNC Men’s Tennis vs. Furman
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Students who wish to experience Mexican life, culture, and academics on a rural
estate in a colonial city can study in Taxco, Mexico for a summer. This program
is offered by UNC- CH through the Centro de Ensenanza para Extranjeros
(CEPE) of the Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico (UNAM).
Eligibility:
Sophomores, juniors, and seniors are eligible for the program, which is open to
both UNC-CH and non-UNC students with a 2.5 CPA or better. There is no
language prerequisite, but at least two semesters of college-level Spanish or the
equivalent is recommended.
Summer 2000 students will be accompanied by Amy McNichols, a Ph D. candi
date in Latin-American literature from the UNC-CH Department of Romance
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dents, as well as serve as the Resident Coordinator in Taxco during the program.
A group flight will be available, and the orientation will take place in Mexico
City prior to the beginning of courses in Taxco.
The dates:
The summer 2000 program runs from |une 16 to August 4, 2000.
The cost:
Total billed cost $1,451.
Please contact the Study Abroad Office in 12 Caldwell Hall, or the program
leader, Amy McNichols, in 114 Dey Hall, or our web site at http://study
abroad.unc.edu. ,
APPLICATIONS ARE DUE February IS, 2000.
NO LATE APPLICATIONS WILL BE ACCEPTED.
News
adding time to the school day and that
the system should implement the new
hours this school year.
The City Editor can be reached
at citydesk@unc.edu.
All students looking for a summer or
fall internship with the Disney College
Program are encouraged to attend.
Wednesday
4 p.m. - An information session for
the APPLES Entrepreneurship
Program will be held in Union 211.
The public is welcome.
For more information, call Joanna at
1)14-7131.
For the Record
The Feb. 2 article “GPSF Fears Lack of
Financial Aid," should have stated that
Lee Conner said, “S2OO is a lot better
than $ 1,500 as long as you assume S2OO
is the end of it."
The Daily Tar Heel regrets the error.
Tobacco Tax Draws
Criticism
President Clinton recently
proposed a 25-cent tax on
cigarettes if youth smoking
is not cut in half by 2004.
By Alex Kaplun
Staff Writer
President Clinton’s recent proposal
to raise taxes on tobacco products faces
strong opposition from several N.C. offi
cials.
The proposal, which calls for a 25-
cent excise tax
on each pack of
cigarettes sold,
was included in
Clinton’s bud
get proposal to
Congress on
Monday.
Clinton Sends
Budget Request
To Congress
See Page 4
The plan also states that if the num
ber of underage smokers is not cut in
half by 2004, a fine of $3,000 per year,
per underage smoker would be placed
on cigarette manufacturers. The fine
would cost the tobacco industry an esti
mated $6.5 billion in 2004 alone.
William Upchurch, a representative
for tobacco affairs with the Department
of Agriculture, said
Clinton’s proposal
would only serve
to hurt consumers
and tobacco farm
ers.
Upchurch said
the plan could be
the final blow to
many tobacco
farmers who were
barely surviving
“If any of these (proposals)
go through, it would be
very difficult on
our farmers. ”
William Upchlrch
U.S. Department of Agriculture Spokesman
the disastrous flooding caused by hurri
cane Floyd. “If any of these (proposals)
go through, it would be very difficult on
our farmers,” Upchurch said.
He also said he did not see how
tobacco sales to underage smokers
could be monitored.
Upchurch also said he did not know
if tobacco companies could lower
teenage smoking so companies would
avoid paying the heavy fine.
"I have a difficulty seeing how much
more (tobacco) companies can do to
limit teenage smoking," he said.
Upchurch said the blame for teenage
smoking could be spread to others
besides just the tobacco industry.
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“When you produce a product meant
for adults, it will entice young people to
try that product,” he said.
Upchurch also said he did not believe
Congress would approve this proposal.
The Associated Press reported that
Sen. John Edwards, D-N.C., was also
opposed to this proposal.
But Ahron Leichtman, executive
director of Citizens for a Tobacco-Free
Society, said Clinton’s proposal was the
most ambitious move a U.S. president
had ever made against the tobacco
industry. He said most public health
organizations supported the proposal,
and he was confident Congress would
approve the plan.
Leichtman said many advancements
were being made to curb underage
smoking, and these developments
showed the American society would no
longer tolerate underage smoking.
He said farmers were given an oppor
tunity and encouraged to move from the
tobacco industry to the cultivation of
other products, but few had chosen to
do so.
“The farmers of North Carolina must
come to grips with the fact that ciga
rettes are not safe, but old,” he said.
But Jimmy Pate, a tobacco farmer
from Rowland, said it was unfair to pun-
ish tobacco farm
ers.
Pate said his
quota for tobacco
has been cut in
half in the last
three years. He
said his profits
would continue to
decrease if
Clinton’s proposal
were passed.
“It’s ridiculous, cigarettes are over
taxed already and 25 cents more is
ridiculous,” Pate said.
But Leichtman said the dangers of
cigarettes outweighed the economic
considerations farmers faced.
He said cigarette smoke was detri
mental to the health of Americans, and
the only reason the tobacco industry
opposed such legislation was money.
“This issue can be described as health
versus greed - the health of the
American people versus the greed of the
tobacco companies.”
The State & National Editor can be
reached at stntdesk@unc.edu.