Protest Grows Over North Carolina Eye-Exam Policy

It seemed like a good idea when it was signed into law last fall: All North Carolina children must have an eye exam before entering kindergarten.

But with the policy scheduled to go into effect at the beginning of the 2006-07 school year, school officials, doctors, and parents are stepping up their protests against the exams, which they call onerous and expensive for families.

North Carolina Speaker of the House James A. Black, a Democrat and the lead sponsor of the measure, has responded to the critics by announcing that he would seek amendments to the statute when state...