Idaho Wilderness Hearings

Statement:

SCHOOLS, LEWISTON, IDAHO Dr. George W. Cassell. I'm George Cassell, superintendent of schools here in Lewiston. I would stress that I am not representing the district but am merely presenting my own point of view as a school administrator. Senator, I would support and encourage the adoption of proposal No. 2 as outlined in your recent newsletter. This provides for the addition of about a half a million acres of wilderness to the current 3.8 million acres of wilderness area. I would also encourage that the balance of the 6.5 million acres of nondesignated roadless areas be managed as multiple-use areas. I feel this would permit the recreational, timber, grazing; and mineral potential of these areas to be maximumly developed for the benefit of all the people of Idaho. I want to emphasize that I strongly support the current wilderness system and want to commend such organizations as the Sierra Club, the Idaho Conservation League, the Idaho Environmental Council for their tireless efforts to perpetuate the wilderness concept. However, as a superintendent of schools, I am concerned about Idaho's children. A recent report by the National Commission on Excellence in Education titled 'A Nation At Risk' indicates that we need significant improvement in America's schools if we are to remain competitive internationally. America must develop its human resources. A 1982 report completed by the Idaho Commission on Excellence in Education concurred in many of the major recommendations for change within public schools. To effectively implement the recommendations of these reports, it will take additional revenue. Of the 50 States of these United States, Idaho currently ranks about 49th in its effort to support education. Also, in Idaho, we are currently about 19 percent below our surrounding States in our level of professional salaries. We are currently losing some of our best staff to other States due to this salary differential. Our supply of teachers nationally is starting to diminish. Within several years it appears we will have a teacher shortage. However, as we face the future, we will not be able to maintain even ourcurrent level of quality much less that demanded by both the National and State Commissions on Excellence if we do not have a significant increase in revenue for public schools. We need this additional revenue if we are going to become competitive in the marketplace for the best teachers available. Though the Lewiston School District does not directly receive any Forest Service funds, the economy of Lewiston is significantly affected by Potlatch Corp., the major employer in this area. Potlatch Corp. is highly dependent on the timber resources of the national forest for its operation. Its welfare significantly affects the amount of revenue available for Lewiston public schools. Also, because we receive a significant amount of our revenue from the State of Idaho, any economic benefit that the State of Idaho would derive from wise and efficient use of an additional 6 million acres of public lands would directly benefit the public schools. 721 Let us retain a sound wilderness system. What is being proposed here would make Idaho second only to Alaska in the amount of land that is set aside for wilderness purposes. However, let us encourage legislation that will permit the use of the remaining approximately 6 million acres of roadless areas in a way that these resources will be used to best serve the people of Idaho including providing additional resources to educate the youth of this State.