Newcomers looking at school safety, board’s power

Terry Webster

Thursday, Oct. 19, 2000 | 11:42 a.m.

Two Clark County School District employees -- an administrator and a teacher -- are squaring off in the general election for the District 2, Sub-district D seat on the state Board of Education.

Edward Goldman, 49, the assistant superintendent of administrative services, and John Hawk, 26, a Green Valley High School teacher, were the victors in a primary race that led to the elimination of candidate John E. Scott II, district director of the Small Business Administration in Las Vegas.

Goldman and Hawk are competing for the seat held by Doris Femenella, who did not seek re-election.

An advanced placement and honors mathematics teacher since 1996, Hawk says his key issues are school safety, accountability and growth.

A discipline committee chairman, Hawk says he wants to pursue lawful ways of keeping weapons and alcohol off of school grounds.

He also supports fair and consistent measurements for student performance and the expansion of new and existing programs to address overcrowded schools.

Hawk said he respects the state Board of Education's push to increase standards, but called it "top down management" because students are not being prepared for all of the items contained on the High School Proficiency Exam.

Hawk is currently working toward his doctorate in educational leadership at UNLV, which centers on different funding sources relating to national educational technology standards.

With a total of 29 years of experience in education as both a teacher and an administrator, Goldman's general platform is "improving the quality of Nevada graduates."

Goldman, who holds a doctorate in education and is secretary of the Jewish Community Day School and a former board member for Jewish Family Services, says he wants to see power restored to the state Board of Education.

The state Legislature has moved to diffuse that power, with a failed attempt to abolish the board. Then the Legislature went on to delegate education-related responsibilities to committees relating to education reforms and standards for what students should know at certain grade levels.

Additionally, Goldman says he opposes both unfunded mandates and allowing the teachers union to determine who can be licensed.