The Battalion
Friday, May 5,1989
Page 5
itSenate passes bill
it hoping to decrease
read
chool dropout rate
AUSTIN (AP) — Senators voted
hursday to lighten up on a school
attendance law that some said was
adding to the dropout problem.
They also approved a bill to increase
benefits for retired teachers.
The Senate, however, rejected a
Ijeasure to attract industries to
Bnaller communities, with the main
u | ) complaint that the proposal fostered
. : ftcrecy in government.
File l Sen . Haley, an architect of
1984 school reform legislation, said
JPjMgisiation had addressed attendance
“/B a “negative fashion” by disallow
ing credit for a class if a student had
more than live unexcused absences
>atiei
id Pe;
ilainj
ie dii
imira,
imerJ
leed.l
laror
ic. &
for il
in a semester.
I A Haley bill that cleared the Sen
ate on voice vote Thursday would
amend the law to require that a stu
dent attend class for 80 days in an
8<i- or 89-day semester to receive
ledit. The bill makes no distinction
between excused and unexcused ab
sences.
I School districts would be required
to set up attendance committees that
could grant credit to a student who
[attends school for fewer than 80
■ays because of extenuating circum-
i Stances.
I Sen. Steve Can iker, D-Wichita
||alls, complained that he could see a
1‘much more complicated bu
reaucracy developing.”
But Sen. Gonzalo Barrientos,
sponsor of several bills to reduce the
number of school dropouts, sup
ported Haley’s bill. Barrientos, D-
Austin, said witnesses had testified
that the unexcused absence rule had
“caused students to drop out” be
cause they had no incentive to re
turn after receiving five absences.
Haley, D-Center, said, “For it to
work, you’ve got to allow these kids a
way back in, and this is that avenue.”
Sen. Kent Caperton, D-Bryan,
sponsored the proposal that would
allow teachers at 55, with 20 years
service, to retire and receive 90 per
cent of full benefits. A teacher with
30 years service could retire at any
age and receive 80 percent.
Caperton’s bill also would raise
the state’s contribution to the tea
cher retirement system from 7.2
percent to 7.65 percent, with that
rate remaining in place until August
1993.
Sen. Bill Ratliff, R-Mount Pleas
ant, failed in an effort to bring up a
bill he said would allow small cities to
use a half-cent sales tax to create cor
porations to attract industry.
befel
umlx:
isvlit
.C. Penney pursues
olicy of economic
equality to minorities
I WASHINGTON (AP) — Minori-
I ties feel most of the impact of unem-
■loyment and low-paying jobs, in
what a senior J.C. Pennev official de
scribed Thursday as “economic in-
■quality.”
K Speaking to Senate Republicans
[and Hispanic leaders, Robert B. Gill,
Bice chairman of the board for the
■Pallas-based J.G. Penney Companv
. Bnc., said he believes “there are too
Thiany who just aren’t sharing in the
(l [ ' ; promise of America.”
rdei
>f&
alas';
caiisi®
“If the economic pie was divided
evenly and more people were able to
participate in the economic mains
tream, many of the other issues
we’re are concerned about would
° K f\ ! m ply vanish,” Gill told the Senate
^ Republican Conference’s task force
on Hispanic affairs.
|’i Gill said some would argue that
the “opportunity for economic
equality is there for everyone to
grasp.”
But, he said, “the reality is that
when you look at unemployment or
y low-paying jobs, most of the impact
1 is felt by minorities, including a sub-
SPB-
nd til
stantial number of Hispanics. To
date, we simply have not done
enough.”
Eliminating economic inequality is
vital to maintaining a strong Amer
ica, Gill said.
“That’s economic freedom, and
it’s fundamental to our health and
our country’s health,” he told His
panic leaders from around the coun
try, who gathered for a spring meet
ing on the Hispanic work force.
Gill said J.C. Penney has been
committed to minority economic de
velopment for years, establishing a
Hispanic marketing coordinator in
1982 and publishing the first Span
ish language guide in retailing — a
guide to the J.C. Pennev catalog —in
1979.
The company deals with more
than 1,500 minority firms and the
number increases yearly, he said.
In 1987, he said the company con
tributed $1 million to the National
Minority Supplier Development
Council’s business consortium fund,
which provides working capital loans
to minority owned businesses.
\i iieU
ik
Gulf Coast United Way
announces funding cuts
HOUSTON (AP) — Problems at
the city’s largest homeless shelter for
men continue to mount with the
United Way of the T exas Gulf Coast
announcing it plans to cut funding
and place the Star of Hope on pro
bation.
I Lasker Meyer, chairman of the
United Way board of trustees, said
Wednesday the probation, effective
immediately, represents a final
Warning phase that continued
United Way funding is in jeopardy.
jThe agencv said it was slashing
funding by $ 131,000.
| “The United Wav and the Star of
Hope did agree to implement a plan
to improve operations at the men’s
shelter, but continuing concerns re
garding overall management of the
agency’s entire operations, evi-
ienced by its loss of certification of
food stamp redemption, have led to
a crisis in community confidence,”
Meyer said.
| Federal authorities Tuesday
canceled the mission’s authority to
accept and use food stamps saying
the mission was not properly li
censed and was accepting stamps as
tent for upgraded beds in violation
of federal policy.
I Star of Hope President Don John-
sbn said United Way officials noti
ced him of their decisions.
■ “Thev, as a funding agency, have
tj> do what they feel is appropriate. ”
Johnson said.
“We regret the position being
taken by the United Way, especially
at a time when the problems faced
by our city’s homeless are increasing,
not decreasing,” he said in a pre
pared statement.
Johnson denied the mission had
violated federal food stamp policy,
although he did say some men who
signed over their monthly food
stamp allotments of $90 each were
provided with upgraded beds that
normally rent for S3 per night each.
These men received the free meals
provided to all transients, rather
than the upgraded meals that sell for
SI.50 each, Johnson said.
Meyer said putting an agency on
probation is a seldom-used step
taken “after other corrective mea
sures have been ineffective and after
there has been a written warning
enumerating the United Way’s con
cerns and expectations.”
A management and operations re
view of the Star of Hope, expected
to take from four to six weeks, will
determine the length and terms of
probation, he said.
The study will lead to recommen
dations on how to correct problems.
Meyer said. And if Star of Hope is
unable to meet those recommenda
tions or if illegal or unethical prac
tices surface in the review, “defund
ing and disaffiliation will occur,” he
said.
f|> AM/PM Clinics
CLINICS
Our New College Station location
offers
Birth Control Counseling
Women’s Services
Female doctors on duty
Student 10% discount with ID 693-0202
Beat the Heat!
•Coke Classic
•Vanilla Dr. Pepper
•Cherry Vanilla Coke
•Limeade
•Pink Lemonade
•Cherry Limeade
•Vanilla Rootbeer
•Fresh-Brewed
Iced Tea
•Old-Fashioned
Cherry Coke
•Diet Coke
College Station
104 University
696-6427
Bryan
^ 914 S.Texas Ave.
779-1085
FREE FLYING LESSONS
With Purchase of Radio Control Air Plane Set
10% discount on any R/C airplane, car or
helicopter set with this coupon
-Stunt Kites
-Plastic Models
-Balsa & Bass Wood
Hobbies & Crafts
823-0916
-R/C Headquarters I
-Boats & Trains
-Art Supplies
“Tell your friends how
much you saved!”
•Top Dollar for Used Books!
•Cash or 20% more when you trade current
textbooks with Lou!
• One Hour Free Parking at Loupot’s
Bookstore at Redmond Terrace and a
drive-thru at the Southgate store!
•We guarantee books for 3 days after
summer school starts!
•Shop Now and Save Money!
•You can do all of the above in less than 30
minutes at LOUPOT’S in Northgate!
Loupot’s appreciates
your business!
One Last Pop Quiz
Q.
What’s the difference between
a PS/2 bought before graduation
and a PS/2 bought after?
.A.*
A great student discount
Here’s one quiz you’ll definitely want to pass. Because
buying an IBM* Personal System/2* before you graduate means
saving a lot of money. And saving money is a good start foryour
future.
Another good start is the IBM PS/2f It can help you write and
organize your personal notes and letters, produce high-quality
graphics to make all your work look sharper, and lots more.
And there’s a good chance that IBM will be the computer
you’ll work with in your career.
So get an A on this quiz, and youT 1 get an IBM PS/2 for less.
m Ms/A &sy/A mmmmmmzm i
IBM® Personal System/2® Model 50Z
MicroComputerCentrr
Computer Soles and Supplies
Mon.-Fri. 8a.m.-6p.m. Sat. 9a.m.-5p.m.
Memorial Student Center
ASK ABOUT IMMEDIATE DELIVERY
IBM. Personal System/2 and PS/2 are registered trademarks of IBM Corp