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NATIONAL EDUCATION ASSOCIATION · 1201 16th St., N.W., Washington, DC (202 833-4000
DONALD E. MORRISON, President SAM M LAMBERTY, Executive Secretary

January 21,1972

MEMORANDUM

TO: Julian Bond

From: Mary Condon Gereau
National Education Association

Mr. Tony Harrison of the National League of Cities asked that I send you some data on Nixon's record on education. This is for the AASA speech in Atlantic City in mid February.

Inaugural Message -- January 1969 -- he didn't mention education.

January 1970 -- Vetoed HEW appropriation, on television with excuse that funds for education were exorbitant and inflationary. Congress failed to override veto (by vote of 226-191 -- less than required 2/3) but sent forward another bill only slightly less than the first, which the President signed. (He also held a gala reception for the 191 who voted to sustain his veto.)

August 15, 1970 -- Vetoed Education Appropriations, again as being excessive. Both House and Senate overrode veto. Funds appropriated have not all been released to local schools and to colleges -- about 30 million still held up -- along with funds for pollution control, other social purposes.

In the summer of 1970 President asked for funds (75 million) for assisting districts with "desegregation problems." Later investigation by Sen. Mondale's Committee on Equal Educational Opportunity indicates these funds were channelled, in open disregard of HEW staff recommendations, to non deserving districts -- in some cases without even an application from the district. This was a forerunner to the Presiden'ts so-called desgregation bill.

September 1971 -- As a verison of a bill to provide $1.5 billion over a 2 year period to help desegregating school districts was moving through the House the President, following the Charlotte-Mechlenbury ^g decision asked the Congress to specifically prohibit the use of federal funds to achieve racial balance. This came shortly before school opened in 1971 and caused great turmoil, set integration back drastically -- made school districts in an intenable position. The Congress did add the anti-busing amendments to the bill in December 1971.