Clements wants to rid TDC of service veterans By MIKE BAILEY Item Staff O.JTSOlUE_ (am - . Gubernatorial candidate Bill Clements says he would make drastic changes in the Texas prison system — including a call for he resignation of military veterans, among them the prison director. . Former governor Clements also told a group of Walker , County residents Monday that more money is going to be needed for the Texas prison system in order to ensure that inmates serve out .their sentences. -Clements made his remarks at the Goree Unit as part of an East Texas • campaign swing before a group of about 200 people, which included prison employees and teachers. Clements said he is opposed to retired military working in the prison system. When asked by so- meone in the audience if that meant he would ask for the resignation of current TDC direc- tor 0. L. McCotter 7-- a former Army officer — he said, "Yes." His response was met with ap- plause from the audience. Clements objects to retired military being employed in TDC because the principles of military criminal justice are different from the way Texas wants its prisons run. McCotter, 44, spent 21 years in corrections administration. 1-le served as commandant of the United States Disciplinary Bar- racks at Fort Leavenworth, Kan. and was commander of the military's only maximum security prison. Clements made no comment about McCotter's performance as prison director, a position he has held for almost a year. Replacing members of the Texas Board of Corrections is also Clements' intention if elected, he said. Clements, who lost his to bid for re-election to Democrat Mark White in 1982, also criticized the See CLEMENTS, page 12A Stumping Richard Wong photo Texas Republican gubernatorial candidate Bill Clements ad- dresses a meeting of the Texas Correctional Employees Association and area residents Monday night at the Goree Unit clubhouse. Clements blasts White on prison policies . Continued from ps.ge one present governor for. the early release of Texas prisoners because of overcrowding. "We must build more prisons — the sooner, the better," pro- posed Clements. "We must be sure those sentences are served to the very last day." : Clements — who said while he was governor he put 4,000 prisoners in tents rather than releasing them early — said he would allocate $70,000 million to $et the Texas Department of Cor- rections up to par. He also said he would push for some kind of reclassification of prisoners so that the less dangerous convicts would not be placed in maximum security in- stitutions. • Early release "is putting these offenders back on the streets in Dallas in Houston and they're immediately commiting crimes. Yet, this governor denies any such thing as 'early release,'." Clements said. . Clements, who made his mark In the oil business, also addressed rducation reform — in particular :texas House Bill 72, which was passed by the state Legislature in 1984. "In concept," Clements said, "I'm for House Bill 72. But it needs to fine tuned." The fine tuning he was referr- ing to dealt mainly with the penalty of the "no pass, no play" clause. Clements said he agreed that a student who wishes to par- ticipate in extra curricular ac- tivities should be required to pass all classes, but that the penalty is too harsh. He suggested the six- week penalty be shortened to three weeks. Six weeks is a "disincentive, not an incentive," said the former governor. Clements also 'criticized the manner in which the career lad- der program for teachers was be- ing implemented. He said the local school boards should be making the decisions about who moves up the ladder and not the state. Clements stressed .that in general that the local school boards did not have enough authority. "It needs to be in the hands of the school districts," he said. On the question of the com- petency exam, Clements said he wasn't against teachers taking the test, but felt that experienced teachers were being insulted by having to take the exam. "The competency tests made no provisions for equalty and competency," said Clements, noting that a teacher that had been reviewed well for 10 or 15 years was not given considera- tion. After speaking for about 30 minutes, Clements fielded ques- tions from the audience. The largely supportive crowd broke out in applause on several occa- sions after the Republican nominee answered questions. In one such question, he was asked if he thought it was a con- flict of interest for a TDC at- torney to request a stay for a death row inmate. The former governor respond- ed by asking, "Has that been happening?" The inquirer responded, "Yes, it has." . "I've never heard of that going on," Clements said. "When I was governor, it better not." Of course, Clements didn't leave without taking the usual parting shots at his opponent. "Texas cannot stand another four years of Mark White," he said, noting that White had broken campaign promises made in the 1982 election. "All he (White) has done is talk, talk, talk, and procrastinate and hide."