Nancy Reagan Takes On a DARE at Two Schools

Nancy Reagan said Tuesday that she was never unwilling or reluctant to visit John Muir Junior High School, as charged at a Los Angeles Board of Education meeting, and added that she will appear at the South-Central Los Angeles school to present a $50,000 anti-drug grant.

“Until news reports this morning, I was not aware of the controversy surrounding the location at which the Nancy Reagan Foundation will present a grant to DARE America for use at John Muir Junior High School,” the former First Lady said in a prepared statement.

She said she never received an invitation to visit the school to present the check.

‘Never Any Reluctance’

“There was never any reluctance or unwillingness on my part to visit John Muir Junior High School, nor did the Secret Service object.”

The controversy developed at Monday night’s school board meeting when board member Rita Walters charged that plans for Mrs. Reagan to present the grant at Gates Street Elementary School in East Los Angeles on Sept. 14 was a “slap in the face” to the black community.

Walters admitted Tuesday that when she objected she was unaware that the check presentation at Gates was part of a broader birthday celebration for the Los Angeles Police Department’s anti-drug program, DARE.

‘I’m Satisfied’

“The statement that I made was based on the very best information given me at that moment,” Walters said. “Had I not raised an objection the grant would have been presented at Gates Elementary School, miles away from Muir . . . I’m satisfied.”

Mark Weinberg, a spokesman for Ronald Reagan’s office, said Mrs. Reagan will appear at both John Muir and Gates. Deputy Police Chief Glenn Levant said organizers picked Gates Street Elementary School for the presentation ceremony because the school was the site of last year’s DARE program.

“In Shakespearean terms, this is much ado about nothing,” Levant told United Press International.