By Susan Stevenot Sullivan

There was standing room only as hearings on the issue of school choice began Oct. 28 in the Legislative Office Building across from the state Capitol before the Senate Education Committee.

Concerned Georgians crowded the aisles and filled every available seat as state Sen. Roy Allen (D-Savannah) delivered pro-voucher remarks in the glare of television lights.

Allen spoke about the irony of using 1961 legislation, intended to provide a way for parents to keep their children out of integrated schools, to provide vouchers for education at private schools better suited to individual needs in 1993.

"There should be no division," said Allen, a black Catholic with three children in parochial school. "There should be, then and now, only one unequivocally stated purpose -- what's best for our children."

Allen asked for a study of the current law and possible amendments by a joint commission of the Senate and House. It is there, he said, such details as funding, voucher value, eligibility for vouchers and eligibility of schools can best be addressed.

"If we agree on the issue," he said, "the methodology will come later."

Agreement on the issue looms as a major challenge. Senators repeatedly questioned the series of pro-school voucher witnesses organized by Atlanta lawyer Glenn Delk about the capacity of private schools to absorb new students. They also questioned the impact on public schools of a possible "mass exodus" to private schools.

Other concerns of the Senate panel included the ability of private schools to be selective of students. There was also skepticism that private schools could continue to educate students at far less than what Atlanta public schools spend if, for example, they enrolled many special needs students.

The president of Georgia Parents for Better Schools, Delk's opening remarks began with the presentation of three lumpy blue bags filled with applications for vouchers.

Delk said when all funding sources are included the Atlanta public school system spends $7,800 per student. He then listed standardized test scores for eighth graders which showed inadequate competency in major subjects.

Opponents often cite concern about "fly by night" private schools popping up if vouchers are implemented, he said.

"Given the scores and funds spent, you tell me who's running a 'fly by night' school system," Delk said. "It's not just here. It's all over the state."

Delk said 80 percent of private schools in the state have tuition under $3,000. He addressed objections to church/state conflict by pointing to the use of state lottery money for vouchers for private schools and state funds disbursed to private religious colleges in Georgia.

Father Terry Young, Secretary for Education for the Archdiocese of Atlanta, opened his testimony by disputing the perception that Catholic education excludes all but the "white, bright and rich."

"One of five students in Catholic schools are minority students," he said. "Parents of many races and social backgrounds send their children because it is a system they have confidence in."

A parent who has the confidence Father Young spoke of was also present to testify. Eltanger Trammell has two children attending Our Lady of Lourdes school in Atlanta. She discussed the transformation she has seen in her children since a grant from the Children's Education Foundation made enrollment possible.

She described her children's increased self-control, eagerness to get to school each day and new-found interest in attending college.

"Our family is trying to survive," Ms. Trammell said. "We don't go out in our neighborhood at night. We wear seatbelts. We don't attend public schools."

Coleman Watley, an eighth grader at Mr. Vernon Baptist Academy, testified about his personal experience leaving the public school system two years ago. He said the smaller class size has contributed to his self-esteem and he has better discipline and self-control.

The resident of Carver Homes public housing said he also appreciates "... a lack of pressure from peers to do things that are wrong."

Dr. Thomas Martin, an education policy analyst based in New York, spoke of the efforts of Michigan residents to construct a voucher system in their state.

"The point is letting all parents in the state have some ability to fit educational resources to the needs of children," Martin said. "There is a system of choice currently. Your child goes to a better school when you decide to live in the school district of that school. The charge is a capital charge. You buy a house or pay rent. High quality school districts have expensive homes. Not all members of society have access to that capital."

Robert Woodson, Sr., founder and president the National Center for Neighborhood Enterprise based in Washington, D.C., spoke of the impact of inadequate education on the workforce and ground troops the country will depend on into the next century.

"Low-income parents are the ones demanding that changes occur," Woodson said. "Ten percent of the American public send their kids to private schools and 20 percent of public school teachers nationally send their kids to private schools. Parents are asking us to give them the opportunity to educate their children like everybody else."

Delk closed the first morning session of the two-day hearing by outlining proposed amendments to the 1961 legislation. They include:

• Allowing parents with incomes under $30,000 a year to receive vouchers for private education in 1994.
• In 1995 allowing any parent, regardless of income to receive a voucher.
• In 1994, allowing any public school principal or faculty to decide to become a public school of choice, deregulated to the level of private schools and able to accept vouchers.
• Using the original formula of the 1961 legislation to determine the amount of money a voucher would be worth.
• Amending the law to satisfy the current education funding formula.