Gov. Pataki rallies Nevada, Idaho around education reforms

Scott Sonner

Tuesday, Aug. 1, 2000 | 8:56 a.m.

PHILADELPHIA - Delegates from Idaho and Nevada received a pep talk from New York Gov. George Pataki and heard Houston's superintendent of schools praise George W. Bush's education program.

Pataki said GOP governors across the country, including Dirk Kempthorne of Idaho and Kenny Guinn of Nevada, are excited about Bush's focus on local control of education.

"We have positive ideas. We have solutions. Governor Bush is trying to unite people behind those ideas," Pataki told the delegates at a breakfast Monday.

"Unfortunately, our opponents are trying to divide and frighten people because they don't have any new ideas," he said.

Houston Schools Superintendent Rod Paige pointed to an increasing number of students passing the state achievement exam in Texas, particularly black and Hispanic students.

"Coming from the largest school district Texas, you can believe me when I say George Bush is a real governor for education," he said.

Critics "try to discredit the idea that children - especially in inner-city and low-income areas - should be tested or set lofty goals," Paige said.

"I have advice for the whiners and complainers: Give it up and get with it. The Texas story is real," he said.

A former assistant U.S. education secretary in the Bush administration told the Westerners that Bush's "conservative compassion" is more popular than past GOP crusades to abolish the Education Department.

"In past years we came across as sour, negative, slash and burn - abolish this, eliminate that," said Chester Finn, a senior fellow at the conservative Manhattan Institute who worked under former Education Secretary William Bennett.

"Even though our intentions were good, Clinton was able to turn the tables against us. Governor Bush's message is optimistic, energetic and eager, not negative."

Democrats countered that the GOP is trying to make something out of nothing.

"A lot of what they say is rhetoric. Everybody is for local control," said Rory Reid, chairman of the Nevada Democratic Party.

"About 95 percent of the money spent on education in the country is spent at the local level," he said.

Texas Democrats called their own news conference in Philadelphia Monday with U.S. Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson, D-Texas, and others dismissing Bush's record.

"He voted against children's issues. He voted against Head Start," Johnson said.

Texas state Rep. Dora Olivo said the high school drop out rate has worsened under Bush and state Rep. Lon Burnam contended that Bush "doesn't care about working families."

Among other things, Bush favors state testing and wants federal aid for poor students converted to public or private school vouchers. His spending plans are considerably more modest than those of Vice President Al Gore, who wants some $115 billion over 10 years for new teachers and schools.

Finn said the Education Department is an "inept agency" that never should have been created in 1979.

"But the $40 billion in programs would be there whether there is an Education Department or not. It is time to stop focusing on the name over the building," he said.

"Let that one go by. It's too easy to be misconstrued."

State Sen. Sheila Sorensen of Boise, Idaho, agreed, "The way it was portrayed in the past wasn't really working."

"It was kind of vindictive, a little venom," said state Sen. Maurice Washington of Sparks, Nev. "I like the approach, the compassion, the idea that people count and are important no matter what income level, race or gender."

Nevada GOP Chairman Bob Seale said he's glad the party is backing off the call to abolish the Education Department. So is Trent Clark, chairman of the Idaho GOP.

"I've been saying for years that we Republicans think we know what we're saying, but others get it wrong and interpret a harsh, cruel, unfeeling message coming from the Republican Party," Clark said.

"I'm excited about the idea of demanding results from your school and asking how can we make it better for young single mothers in inner city areas."