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HORIZON INSTITUTE
FOR POLICY SOLUTIONS
201 East Main Street, Suite M * Charlottesville, Virginia
22902
295-0295 * Fax 295-0459 * horizon@mail.horizoninstitute.org
* www.horizoninstitute.org
WATCHDOG COMMITTEE
Your committee has considered a complaint by Delegate Paul Harris
concerning two statements made in an advertisement by candidate Ed Wayland
during the election campaign for the 58th District.
The first charge was that "Mr. Wayland states that I [Paul Harris]
'voted to allow schools to eliminate guidance counselors...'" The issue
involves Mr. Harris vote against house Bill 303 which mandated minimum staffing
requirements for guidance counselors in elementary schools, middle schools
and high schools. While it is true that Mr. Harris voted against this bill,
it is the committee's view that Mr. Wayland's statement mischaracterizes
Mr. Harris vote and the nature of House Bill 303. The choice in voting for
or against the Bill involved a choice between a uniform, state-mandated
system in the employment of guidance counselors or a system allowing school
districts flexibility in making such employment decisions.
The Committee finds this statement by Mr. Wayland to be true in the
sense that the defeat of House Bill 303 would theoretically allow a school
district to eliminate guidance counselors, but the statement is misleading
in characterizing Mr. Harris opposition to the bill as being opposed to
guidance counselors.
The second charge by Mr. Wayland was that Mr. Harris "'voted
to allow schools to eliminate family life education'", which referred
to Mr. Harris opposition to House Bill 478. This bill would have mandated
family life education in grades kindergarten through 12. While it is true
that Mt. Harris voted against this bill, the committee finds it misleading
to characterize that vote as a vote "to allow schools to eliminate
family life education" when it was rather clearly a vote to allow local
schools districts flexibility in introducing family life education as opposed
to a uniform, statewide curriculum.
Thus, for substantially the same reasons, the Committee finds Mr.
Wayland's statement to be literally true, but misleading.
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