Virginia Beach School Board members endorse candidates

VIRGINIA BEACH

The School Board at-large race heated up Wednesday, with three board members, including Ed Fissinger Sr., making endorsements for the seat he is vacating. Two at-large positions are up for grabs in the Nov. 4 election.

Incumbent at-large member Rita Sweet Bellitto is running again. She joins four political newcomers bidding for the seats: Patrick Salyer, Mavel Velasco, Erika Walker-Cash and Gertrude "Bunny" Waugh.

Board members Bill Brunke and Carolyn Weems have endorsed Salyer, a Navy veteran who works as a trainer at Norfolk Naval Base. They both also support Bellitto.

Fissinger, who is not running for re-election so he can dedicate more time to his family and business, is backing Walker-Cash, a former social worker who is a lawyer with Williams Mullen. He also supports Bellitto's bid for re-election.

"If you look at qualifications, it's clear," Fissinger said, citing Walker-Cash's work experience and educational background. He said she also stood out at candidate forums.

Walker-Cash and Salyer both want to increase teacher salaries. Bellitto and Walker-Cash are stressing the need for more full-day kindergarten classes.

Fissinger said he couldn't support Salyer because of his educational background, which includes a GED and course work toward a bachelor's and master's degree at University of LaVerne in California.

Salyer, 50, said he dropped out of high school during his junior year as his parents divorced and joined the Navy. He earned a high-school equivalency in 1988.

"Although Patrick's service is admirable, not having a high school diploma does not qualify you for serving on a Board of Education," Fissinger said. "You have to hold members to a higher standard."

Brunke is running to retain the Princess Anne seat he was appointed to in June. He said he is endorsing Salyer for an at-large seat because he's a fellow conservative Republican.

Weems, an at-large member since 2002, ran for the state House of Delegates last year as a Republican. She is endorsing Salyer but was out of state Wednesday and unavailable for comment.

Salyer has advocated increasing instructional spending to 65 percent of the total budget. On Tuesday, the board's legislative committee recommended the board oppose state legislation requiring that spending formula.

"While this sounds worthy on its face, it's a one-size-fits-all approach" that could squeeze out critical support services, said Kamala Lannetti, the board's legal counsel.

"I firmly believe the 65 percent solution is a goal we can achieve" over a period of several years, Salyer said. Increasing teacher salaries would be a solution, he said.

Bellitto, who has not sought endorsements from School Board members, said Virginia Beach isn't too far from the 65 percent measure, but she said she believes it would be wrong to skimp on expenses such as new school buses and mechanics to meet such goals. "Safety comes even before academics," she said.

Velasco, whose main campaign issue is reducing class size, said she would need to research the funding issue. Waugh and Walker-Cash could not be reached Wednesday.

Lauren Roth, (757) 222-5133 or lauren.roth@pilotonline.com.