Goals 2000 Panel To Be Disbanded Fox Will Appoint Members Closer To Her Education Philosphy

The state Board of Education has voted to disband the Goals 2000 school reform committee so state schools Superintendent Anne Fox can appoint new members more in line with her philosophy.

Fox, who argued against Goals 2000 reforms during last year’s campaign, urged the board on Friday to help her take charge of the federal money she once pledged to turn away.

“It would allow us to choose new blood and new people closer to the philosophy and direction of the board and accomplish some of the things we want to accomplish,” she told fellow board members.

On Dec. 1, the 32 unpaid volunteers now on the Goals 2000 committee will be replaced by appointees of Fox and Gov. Phil Batt. That transition could mean a significant shift in how $448,714 from the federal government and $1 million in requested reform money from the state will be spent.

Friday’s debate began when committee leader Roberta Fields of New Meadows, a former Board of Education member, drew fire from Dr. Thomas Dillon of Caldwell. He criticized committee spending and chastised Fields for being unclear in her attempts to answer his questions.

“I don’t mean to put you on the spot, but I didn’t understand a single thing you just said,” Dillon said at one point.

Roy Mosman of Moscow later took issue with what he felt was shoddy treatment of Fields.

“For a while there I felt pretty sorry for her. I felt she was under attack,” Mosman said.

But Dillon said he was just looking at the Goals 2000 program critically.

“This is everything that the public resents in government. It is a self-perpetuating $6 million project,” he said. “There are too many personalities, too many philosophical differences. I think the state Board of Education should go on the record disbanding this committee.”

After more debate and several failed motions, Rayburn Barton, the board’s executive director, stepped in to clarify the “practical reality.”

“The different people on that committee have different points of view than our elected superintendent of public education, and things are at a loggerhead and being dumped into your laps,” Barton told board members. “It’s just simply a reflection of changed political circumstances and somehow you’ve got to come down to an agreement.”

Finally, the board voted to disband the committee Dec. 1. The only member not voting for the motion was Carole McWilliam of Pocatello, who abstained.

After the meeting, Fields said the only philosophical problems were the ones Fox had with the committee.

“We just wanted to complete the work, but now the jury is still out on whether or not these projects were successful,” she said. “She (Fox) didn’t want anything to do with Goals 2000. Now she wants complete control.”