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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Nov. 23, 1987)
Editorial Girl wrestler victim of sex discrimination Delena Garrelts will appeal a decision that prohibits her from joining the boys’ wrestling team to the Springfield School Hoard tonight. The decision, made by Tom Houston, the district's director of education, was based on a district policy that prevents girls from competing in contact sports. Because there is no girls’ wrestling team, Garrelts should be able to compete with the boys' team. She is a qualified wrestler; the only reason she is not allowed on the team is because she is female. This is blatent discrimination and should not be tolerated. Unfortunately the argument cannot be this simple. The issue of men and women wrestling together and the possibility of reverse discrimination also must be considered. ('.ranted, the psychological factors involved with boys and girls in a physical sport such as wrestling are strong and can intimidate participants. But Garrelts is willing to place herself in that position to prove her abilities. Her male counterparts should understand this and compete to their fullest abilities. Co-ed wrestling is bound to be awkward, but Garrelts should not be punished for wanting to participate in a sport she is good at. especially on the sole basis of sex. Some, however, may believe this is a decision by excep tion. and an age-old double-standard comes into play. While it is considered appropriate for a female to fight for her right to play on an all-male team, this same courtesy is not extend ed to a man wishing to play on a women’s team. Ideally the same rules should apply — men should be allowed to crossover to women’s teams and women to men's teams. Others argue having a man on a women’s team will make the team more competitive than having a woman on a men’s team because the man is physically stronger. This may be true, and if male domination of a female sport ever becomes an issue, we have no choice other than to resort to the former segregated policy. Aside from this argument is the real economic problem: high schools cannot afford to provide boys' and girls’ teams for all sports. It is unfortunate, but true. High school sports are designed to allow everyone in terested a chance to participate. However. Delena Garrelts is being denied this chance because of the physical differences between men and women. Essentially, she is being punish ed for being female. Ducks earn respect in successful season The Ducks' 44-0 win over the Oregon State Beavers Saturday was a well-deserved end to a successful season. This year's football team has worked hard and it was reflected in their games. There were many highlights that added to the excite ment of the season. Although support faded when our winn ing streak dwindled, it was important the Ducks end on a positive note and prove the the initial success was not just a fluke. Coach Rich Brooks and the football team should be com mended for their hard work and effort to give the Ducks an identity and some respect. Letters Ban drug testing .Some of the finest people I know on this campus are athletes Your Nov 16 article on drug testing made me seeth with anger at the degrading, brutalizing, and insulting pro cedure the Athletic Department wants to inflict upon them I teach at this university. Teaching is a more important activity at a university than playing basketball. Therefore, if I used illegal drugs, it would reflect more negatively on the University than if an athlete did so. But no one has asked me to undergo any kind of drug test, let alone the disgusting pro cedure the Athletic Department has suggested. If someone did ask me to take such a test, without having reasonable grounds for suspicion. I would tell him/her to go to hell. The driving force behind the Athletic Department’s belligerent policy seems to be the pretentiuus Idea held by some department officials that the University is represented primarily by its athletes. These officials, you will recall, are the people who told us a while ago that if the University stopped Oregon Daily Emerald " I’.O. lto» )l», tucenr. Orntun The Oregon Dally Emerald it published Monday through Friday except during e»am week and vacations t>y tha Oregon Oally Emerald Publishing Co . at tha University of Oregon. Eugene. Oregon The Emerald operates independently ol the University with offices on the third floor of the Erb Memonal Union and is a member of the Associated Press The Emerald Is private property The unlawful removal or use ol papers it prosecutable by law Qenerel Staff Advertising Director Production Manager Classified Manager Assistant to the Publisher Susan Thelen Michele Ross Kelli Mason Jean Ownbey Advertising Sales: Rick Marlz/Sales Manager Ten Boring. Gary DeLotsa. Tom Leech. Catherine LH|a. Rick Marty. Laura McKinney. Joann Nelson, Julie Paul. Barbara Rogers Scott Thorkildson. Joan Wildermuth News and Editorial Display Advertising and Business Classified Advertising Letter Perfect Graphics Production Circulation MB 5511 6*63712 666 4343 566 5511 6*6 4361 8*6 5511 Editor Managing Editor News Editor Editorial Page Editors Sports Editor Photo Editor Graphic Design Editor Special Issues Editor Entertainment Sports Segment Editor Night Editor Stanley Nelson Scott Maben Carolyn Lamberson Angela MunizrSleven Hoenlsch Aaron Knox Shu Shlng Chen Lorraine Rath Kelly Kortekaa* H C Hutto Stanley Nelson Associate Editors Community Higher Education. Administration Student Government Activities Features Stephen Maher Michael Drummond Will Hoibert Kelly Kortekaas Reporters Betsy Clayton. Paula Green. Frale de Guzman. Craig Harris, Gary Henley, Andrew LaMar, Jett Morgan, In grid Petersen, Cami Swanson, Kelvin Wee Photographers: Sherlyn B|orkgren. Chrlstophe Chabaudie, Andy Cripe. Clitt Etzel, John Giustma. Bobbie Lo. Gregor Okorn, Andre Raman, Ted Shepler Michael Templeton, Dan Wheeler Production: Sandra Daller l Ad Coordinator Kelly Alexandre. Ronwtn Nicole Ashton. Virginia Banlaga. Laura Carhart. Eva Cohan. Stephanie Drynan, Dolores Fer rero. Shannon Gaither. Lisa Haggerty. Stephanie Holland, Deirdre Kelly. Eliot Knight. Chris Knox. Jung Lee. Bobbie Lo. James Mason. Ross Martin, Angela Muniz. Ted Shepler Linda Sperling. Lisa Svanevik. Ingrid White, Kelly Williams. Serena Williams. X Kang Xie competing in the Pac-10 athletic, conference, our academic reputation would suffer (along with Chicago, MIT, l^al-San Diego, and |ohns Hopkins.) This mistaken notion supposed ly justifies singling out the athletes to be treated like con victed criminals But a universi ty is not represented by its athletes. A university is represented by its graduates Stan VerNooy GTF, Math Explanation There is a logical explanation for the state board's action. All one needs to examine is the question of whom out there is supporting the board in its deci sion to weaken the University. In order for the board to main tain its position in the face of such a strong and unanimous outpouring of praise for Presi dent Olum. there must be con siderable interests somewhere else who are backing it to the hilt. It is no secret that the politics and sentiment of most of Eastern Oregon. Southern Oregon, end much of the coast and valley are more favorable toward Oregon State Universi ty, with its orientation toward agriculture, foresty and engineering. So for decades our school has been the Cinderella of the state university system, making do with less money for facilities, salaries and athletics, while OSU and the other state schools got the bigger share. Under Oium's leadership, this has been turned around. As our advocate, he has fought for and won greater funding as well as increased help from private and business sources Faculty excellence and enrollment are at all time highs. Our recogni tion as a quality institution is growing yearly. We have finally arrived at the ball and our ugly stepsisters have become jealous! OSU's president, for one. tip ped his hat on television Thurs day when he smilingly praised Olum. but declined to support his wish to remain until the job is done. In the competitive world of state funding, the other teams would love to see our pit cher permanently retired. He’s been an ace. The Board's flimsy ‘just because’ rationale is an insult to the entire University communi ty, but its apparent real reason is a far greater insult to itself. Gregory Howard Geography Replace Olum The supporters of University President Paul Glum claim that ”he has made this University what It is today." (ODE, Nov. 13). If this is true then I call for his immediate replacement. For has he not created the atrocious enrollment overcrow ing problem — so acute that a stroll through campus often resembles an afternoon in mid town Manhattan? Is this the man who is respon sible for the hiring of faculty, now including a professor who frequently arrives .no’ riated. another who is con stoutly late, and yet anotl **r a foreign language instru lor. who prefers conversing in his native English? Is it Dr. Olum who has turned the bookstore into one of the largest giftshops in the Willamette Valley? (Hint: to find the books, walk in, turn left, go up the stairs, then turn left again.) Can we thank him too for us ing University funds to rent hotel rooms for the entire foot ball team prior to every home game? If Dr. Olum is indeed respon sible for the current state of the University, then why on earth does he have so many sup porters? The answer I fear is ob vious: He also created an anti intellectual student body. Daniel Monk-Kowalsky Student
