Groups Plead To Keep Resident Teacher, Principal at E.D.

By Alan Richard

Washington

The principal-in-residence and teacher-in-residence positions at the U.S. Department of Education should not be cut, leaders of four major education groups told Secretary of Education Rod Paige in a letter last week.

"These two valuable programs bring outstanding teachers and principals to the nation's capital to provide unique perspectives to the nation's top education officials," the letter says. "If, as we believe, this administration is serious about making education its No. 1 priority, it would be a grave and shortsighted mistake to remove these crucial voices from the dialogue at the national level."

Signed by the leaders of the National Education Association, the American Federation of Teachers, and the national associations of elementary and secondary school principals, the letter asks Mr. Paige to reconsider the decision to eliminate the positions. ( "Lack of Leadership Programs In Bush Budget Bemoaned," ...