Maurice Blackmon 2. Our children need a solid foundation in math, science, language arts and social studies. I favor three years' study in each area. I also support foreign languages, music, art, drama and athletics. I want a strong emphasis on academics with enough activities to produce well-rounded individuals who can function as citizens. I don't support fees for activities, as this discourages some students from participating. Return to Question List

Maurice Blackmon 3. I do not favor operating our schools in multi-track year-round schedules. European and Asian schools have more instruction days per year than ours, up to 220 days compared with BVSD's 171 days. In order for our students to be competitive, we need to extend our school year up to international standards. (This will probably have to be done gradually.) The multi-track year-round schedule would preclude extending the school year beyond approximately 185 days. Return to Question List

Maurice Blackmon 4. The first priority is high-quality academics. We also need to produce well-rounded and physically fit individuals. I favor programs that enable all students to achieve these goals and eliminate any programs that are not effective in promoting these goals. Some programs in BVSD have neither been evaluated nor shown to be productive. I would also cut bureaucratic waste and excessive administrative personnel. Return to Question List