Academic Requirements

When C. Berry Carter was named school superintendent in July 1992, we joined Anne Arundel residents in looking forward to a leader who knew that county's school system inside and out. A year later, no one questions Mr. Carter's knowledge. But his leadership during his first full school year proved disappointing.Faced with situations that begged for outrage, sympathetic words or efforts to support parents and students, Mr. Carter has almost always under-reacted. Like others in the Anne Arundel school system of which he is so much a product, he tends to deny problems, as if the denial renders the problems non-existent.

ATHLETIC COACHES play a pivotal role in Howard County's new policy that toughens academic requirements for students participating in extracurricular activities. Some coaches earlier this year disagreed with the policy that prevents children from playing sports or engaging in other activities if they fail to maintain a 2.0 average or fail a course. But, it seems, dissent did not stop most of these leaders from helping their student-athletes meet the new standard.Early reports indicate that only a handful of student-athletes failed to clear the new eligibility threshold, the toughest in the Baltimore metropolitan region.

Drug charges should be dealt with severely I am tired of hearing about so-called sports stars getting off on drug charges. What kind of message does this send to our young people? If the Ravens' Jamal Lewis is guilty, I hope they throw the book him! It is about time star athletes are treated as all other drug criminals. It's also time for the powers that be in pro sports (owners) to send a message to all participants that any kind of drug involvement will not be tolerated and will be punishable by throwing them off the team.

Baltimore schools chief Bonnie S. Copeland is seeking support from the school board to fire suspended Walbrook High Uniform Services Academy principal and former mayoral candidate Andrey Bundley, his attorney said yesterday. The lawyer, Warren A. Brown, said he received a faxed copy of a letter to Bundley from Copeland on Friday outlining the termination request. "The superintendent has asked that he be terminated," Brown said. But, he said, "It's not something that has not been expected."

Andrey Bundley, the former principal of Walbrook High Uniformed Services Academy, said in a statement yesterday that he took full responsibility for problems with student records at that school and that he would not appeal a 45-day suspension without pay. During the summer, school system officials said some Walbrook students had been permitted to graduate or were promoted to the next grade without having met academic requirements. Bundley, who was principal at Walbrook for six years, has been reassigned to a job working with struggling students, according to schools chief Bonnie S. Copeland.

BY ALLOWING John Destry to graduate from Southern High School in Harwood, the Anne Arundel County Board of Education apparently has decided that its "zero tolerance" weapons standard doesn't work.Thank goodness for that. Now that the board has made an exception for Mr. Destry, it has painted itself into a corner with its one-size-fits-all policy. Other suspended students with extenuating circumstances can justifiably demand similar treatment.Last January, Mr. Destry, an honor student with a spotless record, received a long-term suspension for bringing a "weapon" -- a pen knife on his key chain -- to school.

West Virginia running back Steve Slaton is skipping his senior season to enter the NFL draft. "I called the NFL about two weeks ago, and they told me that I was assessed as a second-round selection," Slaton said yesterday in a joint statement with new Mountaineers coach Bill Stewart. In the school-issued statement, Stewart said his conversation with Slaton was "very private and heart-warming" and will remain private. "I believe every student athlete, male or female, should pursue, exhaust and complete their eligibility and academic requirements for graduation at their institution.

When C. Berry Carter was named school superintendent in July 1992, we joined Anne Arundel residents in looking forward to a leader who knew the county's school system inside and out. A year later, no one questions Mr. Carter's knowledge. But his leadership has disappointed.Faced with situations that begged for outrage, sympathetic words or efforts to support parents and students, Mr. Carter has almost always under-reacted. Like others in this school system of which he is so much a product, he tends to deny problems, as if denial renders the problems non-existent.

What planet is school Superintendent C. Berry Carter on? Two-thirds of black male high school students are said to be ineligible to play sports because they can't meet new minimum academic requirements, and he barely seems to care.Anyone who's remotely interested in education ought to be outraged by what was released at last week's school board meeting -- figures showing that 60 percent of black male high school students and 70 percent of freshman black males can't keep the 2.0 average required for sports participation.

Baltimore school officials are threatening more than 100 principals with disciplinary action, including possible termination, if their schools fail to keep adequate and accurate records for each of their students. City schools CEO Charlene Cooper Boston has certainly taken a hard stance, but faulty records should not be tolerated and the buck stops at the principal's office. Records are important to keep track of students and to gauge their progress. Maintaining up-to-date and accurate records, while admittedly a challenge for an urban district with many transient students, is a critical measure of how the system is managing itself.