Hampton District

Hampton District

The field of Hampton District candidates is crowded, with four men running for the seat being vacated by current board member Michael Massie. All four attended the education forum last week, and sounded off on issues ranging from finance to band class.

• Jim Oyster won the “most original” idea award for his suggestion that the county school system could raise money (and get “attention around the world”) by starting a local, privately-funded education radio station and broadcasting on the internet.

Besides voicing strong support for technology education and the internet, Oyster also said that as a parent of five school-age children he knows that “not every wish, every desire, every monetary demand can be met.”

• Bryant Lee, a current member of the county School Board, showed off his familiarity with school issues and problems, returning repeatedly to the upcoming burdens that will be placed on the system by the state-mandated Standards Of Learning.

Lee also said that athletic programs in the elementary schools should be extended, and the Board of Supervisors and the School Board need to work more closely together.

• William “Yogi” Bear, a former airline captain, said that school resources were limited, and he felt there was too much spending by the current board. Bear stressed the importance of using volunteer and parent groups to help raise school funds.

• Chris Bird explained what his main agenda items would be as a Supervisor paember, namely, improving the teacher/student ration in primary school, more emphasis in vocation and technical education and increased effort for college preparatory classes.

Bird also suggested seeking more money from the state for school needs. “The job at hand is to get the surplus in Rappahannock back to the communities,” he said.

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