Washington and Hickey seek similar goals, use different tactics

Debra D. Bass

Wednesday, Oct. 30, 1996 | 11:59 a.m.

After a photo finish in the September primary between a two-term incumbent and a newcomer, the contenders for the southwest State Board of Education seat are united in their goals, but divided by their tactics.

Marica Washington and Liliam Hickey, who are vying for the District 2, Subdistrict A seat, stress the need to curb the escalating dropout rate and institute programs to motivate children.

Hickey, who has previously run unopposed, doesn't claim to have all the answers, but she says she knows how to get them.

"My legacy is that I brought everyone to the table to work on a coordination of efforts to do the job," said Hickey, who recently attended a forum with educators and administrators from kindergarten to graduate school.

"I'm not the technical person to deal with the graduation requirements and curriculum, because I'm not a teacher," she said. "But if I can leave a legacy of cooperation, I will be very happy. Getting everyone to the table has been like a soap opera."

Among her other interests are getting business and government representatives in partnerships for planning future schools.

"I strongly believe that growth should pay for growth, but that will be difficult to accomplish," Hickey said.

Aside from being president of the state Board, Hickey is also president of the Latin Chamber of Commerce and the Classroom on Wheels program. A retired supervisor with work programs in the state welfare department after 25 years, Hickey describes her life in three words, "community, community, community."

But Washington, who graduated from school with Hickey's daughter and considers her a friend, said that Hickey's good intentions don't measure up to the problems in the schools.

"I graduated from Valley High School 25 years ago with 18 required credits (compared with the 22 1 /2 required today). But back then you had the basics that you needed to survive," Washington said. "It's unbelievable that we are graduating kids today who can't even read, write and do arithmetic properly."

She talked of graduates who have trouble filling out job applications but can pass competency tests required by the state.

Because the state limits elective courses, students often can't retake classes if they did poorly the first time.

She said the decrease in graduation credits would also give local districts more flexibility in setting standards. Counting cosmetology as a life science or woodworking as math as substitutes for basic courses could be eliminated.

Washington criticized Hickey for approving numerous core substitutions, which she says makes it possible for students to graduate without the basics.

Washington, who has worked as an elementary school office manager with the Clark County School District for 15 years, also believes that parents need to be more involved in motivating students.

"The school system is not a free baby sitter during the day," Washington said. "When my kids would come home from school, I would ask, 'Where's your homework?' and 'What did you do today?"'

She added that she never accepted a shoulder shrug or an inaudible mumble in response.

"I had four kids and a 100 percent graduation rate," she said, "and now I have two grandkids, and I expect the same."

Washington is also frustrated that kids who fail in the lower grades are not held back to repeat a grade since district policy discourages it, because of possible social stigma.

"I feel like, 'So what,' as long as they learn. Kids are a lot stronger than people give them credit for," Washington said.

Only 42 votes separated Hickey and Washington after the final tally in the three-person September primary. Hickey finished ahead with 2,966 votes.