Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current, March 21, 1974, Page 2, Image 2

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    P ili.’ 2
Portland/Obeerver
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Thursday, March 21, 1974
Grant High Principal strives for minority representation
Dear M r. Henderson:
As you know. Grant High
School is a subscriber to
your P o rtla n d O b s erver,
which is made available to
members of our staff and to
students through the school
library.
M y a d m in is tra tiv e and
teaching staffs and 1 have
found that through reading
and sharing your publication
we do gain worthwhile in
formation and news about
one part of our community
which enhance our own per
spectives and are helpful to
us in our human relations
work at Grant, where we
have close to 4(H) students
who are Black.
In this context I would lie
remiss were 1 not to call
WE SEE THE WORLD
ALFRED L. HENDERSON
E d ito r/P u b lish e r
THROUGH BLACK EYES
EDITORIAL FOCUS
Make dream a reality
For the first tim e , the Black co m m u n ity has a
vo ice in C ity H all. C om m issio ne r C harles Jordan,
a p p o in te d by th e C ity C ouncil as th e best person in
Portland fo r the job - w ill soon fa ce the voters.
Black voters can — fo r th e firs t tim e — present a
u n ite d fro n t a nd sh ow P ortland th a t w e also b e liv e
C om m issio ne r Jordan is q u a lifie d to serve.
Jo rd an is a m an w h o m a ll e th n ic groups a nd a ll
persons w h o ar in te re te d in justice can support.
There a re o thers w h o have set aside th e ir o w n
p o litic a l a m b itio n s fo r th e tim e b eing , in o rd e r to
p re ve n t th e usual " d iv id e a nd c o n q u e r" tactics.
W e c o m m e n d Ed M itc h e ll and G e orge Rankin fo r
th e ir sa crifice.
N o w the c o m m u n ity must u n ite b e h in d Jordan
a nd h e lp m a ke a re a lity the d re a m that the Black
p e o p le o f P ortland have w o rk e d fo r m any years to
a chieve . W e can present C om m issioner Jordan as
our ca n d id a te w ith pride.
No minority programs
T ele visio n is p ro b a b ly the p rim e e n te rta in m e n t
a nd e d u c a tio n a l m e d ia in the U n ite d States. The
latest fig u re s a v a ila b le show th a t in 1972, 97 p e r­
cent o f A m e rica n hom es h ad at least one
te le v is io n set and the a ve ra g e A m e rica n w a tch e d
te le v is io n 6'/a hours a day.
The te le visio n industry is b ig business.
It has
investm ents that run in to b illio n s a nd it in flu e n c e s
A m e rican s to buy a ll kinds o f th in g s th ey p ro b a b ly
w o u ld not o th e rw is e purchase.
TV helps establish values a n d d e te rm in e how
A m e rican s fe e l a b o u t th e ir society.
TV has the
p o te n tia l fo r ste re o typ in g groups or in d iv id u a ls in
the tra d itio n o f H o lly w o o d , w h ip h d e v e lo p e d a
poor record in its d e p ic tio n o f Blacks, Chicanos,
Indians, O rie n ta ls a n d PThers. M in o ritie s w e re the
subject o f h um or or scorn, a nd w e re n eve r taken
seriously. TV to d a y has the" o p tio n to co n tin u e the
H o lly w o o d stereotpyes or to d e a l re a lis tic a lly w ith
m in o rity cultures.
U n fo rtu n a te ly the Federal C o m m u n ica tio n s C om ­
m ission, the a gency resp on sible fo r m e d ia re g u ­
la tio n , has not consistently m o n ito re d the TV
industry.
The U.S. C ivil Righls C om m ission in
Ja n u a ry o f 1973 fo u n d th a t a lth o u g h FCC p ro h ib its
e m p lo y m e n t d is c rim in a tio n
and
re q u ire s
that
broadcasters be responsive to c o m m u n ity needs, it
does not strictly e n fo rc e th e la w .
The C ivil Rights C om m ission has la u n c h e d a
study o f the p ro b le m s o f m in o ritie s a n d w o m e n
w ith the broadcast m e d ia .
It w ill e x a m in e the
d e c is io n -m a k in g process, e q u a l e co n o m ic o p p o r­
tu n ity rights, e q u a l e m p lo y m e n t o p p o rtu n ity , and
> th e re la tio n o f these factors to th e im a g e -m a k in g
‘ - p o w e r o f the broadcast p ro g ra m m in g .
In P ortland, m in o rity p ro g ra m m in g is a lm ost
n o n -e xiste n t. A lth o u g h the fo u r m a jo r TV stations
o cca sio n a lly touch on m in o ritie s in th e ir re g u la r
p ro g ra m m in g , th e re are fe w p ro g ra m s fo r and
a b o u t m in o ritie s a nd those a re show n at tim es
w h e n the v ie w in g a u d ie n c e is a t a m in im u m .
KGW-TV show s a p ro g ra m a b o u t m in o rite s and
w o m e n ca lle d "G e ttin g It T o g e th e r", p ro d u c e d by
Joan Biggs at 10:30 a .m . on Sundays. KPTV-TV has
"M o d e s to R ios", a im e d a t C hicanos, on Saturday
m o rn in g s at 11:30 a.m .
KATb-TV p la ys "T h ird
W o rld ", p roduced by G e orge Page, on Sunday
n ig h t a fte r the late show . KOIN-TV has no m in o rity
p ro g ra m m in g .
It is e vid e n t that th e m a io rity o f m in o rity p e o p le
cannot see these program s.
Sunday m o rn in g is
c e rta in ly not a tim e w h e n m ost p e o p le are
a v a ila b le to w atch TV.
Page's p ro g ra m , seen
a ro u n d 1:30 a.m ., is a travesty. S urely th e p ow ers
at KATU do not b e lie v e that th e y a re p ro v id in g a
service by p re sen ting "T h ird W o r ld " — a construc­
tive a nd th ou gh t p ro v o k in g p ro g ra m — in the
m id d le o f the n ig ht
This consistent ig n o rin g o f the m in o rity co m ­
m u n itie s is not o n ly im p ro p e r — it is ille g a l.
OEO’s first 10 years:
Success or failure?
Ten years a g o the O ffic e o f Econom ic O p p o r­
tu n ity o p e n e d a n d the W ar on Poverty b egan. In
P o rtlan d, m a n y persons spent lo n g hours d e ­
v e lo p in g pla ns, w ritin g proposals a nd searching to
d e te rm in e w h a t the citizen s n e e d e d a nd w an te d .
Since 1964 w e h ave seen a series o f pro gram s
c o m e a n d go. Som e w e re h ig h ly successful and
o th e rs w e re not. Some p ro gram s c o n tin u e to be
fu n d e d a n d su p e rvise d by OEO, a nd o thers have
b e e n ta k e n in to o th e r a ge ncies a n d g a in e d
p e rm a n e n c y .
T here has b e e n m uch criticism a b o u t these
p ro g ra m s
—
w h ic h w e re d e sig n e d to b rin g
persons liv in g b e lo w p o v e rty le v e l in to the m a in ­
strea m o f A m e ric a n life — la rg e ly because they
w e re in itia lly p ro po sed and o p e ra te d by the poor.
They h a v e b e e n th e w h ip p in g boy o f p o litic ia n s o f
b o th parties. P u b licity g iv e n to pro gram s serving
Black c o m m u n itie s b ro u g h t the
usual
racial
tira d e s . The P resident has a tte m p te d to tear the
a g e n c y lim b fro m lim b .
But those w h o h ave bee n associated w ith OEO
h a v e reason to be pro ud .
M a n y have p ro v id e d
v a lu a b le services to the poor. The Foster G ra n d ­
p a re n t P rogram , H ead Start, job tra in in g program s
a n d Legal A id c o m e im m e d ia te ly to m in d.
M a n y in d iv id u a ls have b e e n p ro v id e d job o p ­
p o rtu n itie s a n d h ave been a b le to m ove up into
re s p o n s ib le p osition s. O thers h ave re c e iv e d e d u ­
c a tio n a l o p p o rtu n itie s a n d h ave been a b le to seek
p rofessions. Parents h ave le a rn e d h o w b etter to
ca re fo r th e ir c h ild re n . W ork has been p ro v id e d
fo r students a n d y o u n g p e o p le . N e w p h ilo so p h ie s
a n d m eth od s fo r the d e liv e ry o f services have
b e e n d e v is e d a n d a n e w a ttitu d e to w a rd the poor
d e v e lo p e d .
But p ro b a b ly th e g reatest success has been the
p o litic a l d e v e lo p m e n t o f citizen s
In d iv id u a ls w ho
c o u ld not discuss th e ir o w n p ro b le m s a nd d id not
k n o w w h e re to tu rn fo r h e lp n o w use so phisticated
p o litic a l m eans to speak fo r th e ir c o m m u n itie s.
N e ig h b o rh o o d s th a t had no p o litic a l or social
id e n tity n o w h ave strength in city h all.
A lth o u g h p o v e rty a nd d is e n fra n c h is e m e n t still
a re ra m p a n t in this n a tio n , th e W ar on Poverty
w o u ld h ave to be ju d g e d a success.
The e m ­
p lo y e rs -- fro m a d m in is tra to rs to train ee s, and
e s p e c ia lly th e v o lu n te e r m em be rs o f co m m itte e s
a n d boards w h o g iv e th e ir tim e a nd e ne rg y
w ith o u t p a y — dese rve our thanks.
Go over Jordan
Brothers and Sisters of the
Community:
An opportunity has come to
all of us to assure a brighter
future in city government lor
all minority people.
This
came in the appointment of
Mr. Charles Jordan to a City
Council seat by Mayor Neil
Goldschmidt. The door has
been cracked. It is up to us to
make sure that it is thrust
wide open.
As usual, when one of us is
honored such as Mr. Jordan
has been. many, or should I
say a few of us, begin to
bicker and fight among our
selves to indicate that he
might not have been chosen
by the people. I would sug
gest that we stop fighting
among ourselves and give
thims man. Mr. Jordan, the
full support and loyalty that
he deserves. The Mayor has
shown faith in him and other
people of the community have
faith in him. 1 would suggest
that we adopt the same kind
of faith for one of our own that
we show for so many of our
other (ample, if 1 may say,
who are white.
This time
those (ample of anglo descent
and other nationalities have
come out to support Mr.
Jordan. It would la’ a shame
if those of us ot ebony would
not give him ths- same sup
port.
Black people have been
crying and praying for cen
turies. "Lord, let us gel over
Jordan," but I think it is time
to change that prayer to
"lavrd, help Jordan get us
over the Willamette into City
Hall to bring about change for
Black people anil all (»eople of
color." 1 hiqa- we can really
come to the realization that
getting over Jordan is in the
past, but helping Jordan get
over is in the present and in
the future, for with Jordan
getting over in the City
Council. City Hall will tune its
ear to our needs. Brothers
and sisters of Blackness, join
together and help Jordan get
over.
Peace and freedom.
Harold C. Williams
Is President Nixon
whistling in the dark?
by Benjamin E. Mays
Nixon must resign
R ep ub lica n Senator Jam es B uckley, the most
c o n s e rv a tiv e o f co n se rva tives, has c a lle d on Presi­
d e n t N ix o n to resign.
He join s his lib e ra l c o l­
le a g u e , S enator Edw ard Brooke, in c h a rg in g that
th e President c a n n o t re g a in th e trust o f the
A m e ric a n p e o p le .
This is in d ic a tiv e o f g ro w in g unrest a m o n g
R e p u b lica n o ffic e holders. A lth o u g h m ost a re not
y e t w illin g to say p u b lic a lly w h a t th e y are co n ­
fid in g to each o th e r, th e y re a liz e th a t th ey w ill
h ave to b ea r th e b urd e n o f W a te rg a te at the polls.
As m o re e v id e n c e com es to lig h t a nd as the
President beco m e s m o re v e h e m e n t in his attacks
on the C on g re ssio n a l in ve stig a to rs, an im p e a c h ­
m e n t tria l seem s in e v ita b le .
As the A m e ric a n
p e o p le p o n d e r th e W a te rg a te , in co m e tax, Ellsberg
tria l, ITT, m ilk fu n d , a nd o th e r ye t u n k n o w n
scandals, a n d as e v id e n c e co n tin u e s to be w ith h e ld
or " d is a p p e a r " , th e President's c re d ib ility must
n o w be b e y o n d re p a ir.
It no lo n g e r m atters w h e th e r the President is
g u ilty o f crim es.
He is th e le a d e r o f th e most
c o rru p t a d m in is tra tio n in th e h istory o f the n atio n .
W ith m ost o f his to p s ta ff m em be rs, a n d a ll o f the
p o lic y m ake rs o f his e le c tio n c a m p a ig n u nd er
c rim in a l in d ic tm e n t or a lre a d y fo u n d g u ilty , it is
re a s o n a b le to assum e th a t the President was
in v o lv e d or he e x h ib its in c o m p e te n c e a t its h eig h t.
If the President, w h o re p e a te d ly states " I refuse
to be a p arty to the destructio n o f the P re sid en cy",
has a n y concern fo r the A m e ric a n p e o p le a nd th e ir
g o v e rn m e n t, he w ill im m e d ia te ly resign.
Published every Thursday by Exie Publishing Company,
2201 North Killingsworth. Portland, Oregon 97217. Mailing
address: P.O. Box 3137, Portland, Oregon 97208. Telephone:
283 2486.
President Nixon said re
cently that he will not resign,
that he will serve out his
second four years, and be­
sides the Republicans will be
in office for eight years
after
--
that is through
1984. Spiro Agnew boasted
a few days before he re­
signed that he would not
resign. The vice president
was whistling in the dark. Is
it possible that this is what
the p resident is doing,
whistling in the dark? If the
president does not resign, he
has confidence that Congress
will not oust him.
I am of the opinion that
the president is right.
I
doubt that Congress will try
the president in the Senate
and get enough votes to put
him out of office. Even if the
data reveals that the presi
dent is guilty, the Senate
would hardly vote him out,
even if the House impeaches
him.
The constitution is not
clear on what offenses are
impeachable.
Treason is
clear, and bribery is clear. If
these ran be proved, the rase
would be won. High crime
and other misdemeanors art
not so clear.
I do wonder why the
president, the vice president,
and his legal advisors keep
saying that the president can
be impeached and tried only
if he is convicted of crime.
Not only laymen, like the
w riter, are confused, but
lawyers seem to be equally
confused. Is the president so
certain that he has done
nothing that is criminal in
nature that he ran insist that
his case rests solely on the
commitment of crime?
Is misconduct in office an
impeachable offense?
Can
the Chief Executive bomb
Cam bodia in secret and
answer to no one?
Is the
president free to sit on
billions of dollars which Con
gress has appropriated for
specific purposes and be
answerable to no one? If it
ran be established that the
president had a hand in the
W atergate coverup, is he
answerable to any on«»? If
perjury is found, then what?
W arren Weaver. Jr. says
in the New York Times
“Virtually all criminal law
authorities agree that the
president is not subject to
legal process while in office,
cannot be compelled to ap
pear in court and is for all
purposes not triable.
Thus
any attempt to indict him
would be doomed from the
start.”
These may be the
reasons the president insists
that he ran be impeached
only on criminal charges,
definitely proved.
This is a serious matter
faring the nation. The White
House lawyers and the presi
dent insist that only charges
of crimes are legitimate rea
sons for impeachment and
ouster from office, while the
J u d ic ia ry C o m m ittee feels
that gross misconduct is rea
sonable grounds for impeach
ment. The best legal minds
are divided. It may be that
when all this is over, the
Congress will have to write
into law stating clearly when
a president is impeachable or
ran be ousted from office.
One thing is clear: if the
courts and the J u d ic ia ry
C o m m ittee reveal enough
evidence that is damaging to
the Republican cause, the
Republicans themselves will
see to it that the president
resigns. If they think that
the president will hurt them
in 1976, they will get M r
Nixon out.
NAACP REGIONAL CONFERENCE BANQUET
April 6th
Subscriptions: $5.25 per year in the T ri County area, $6.00
per year outside Portland.
Beginning at 6:30 p.m.
S H E R A T O N H O TEL
Tickets $10.00
Second Class Postage Paid at Portland, Oregon
The Portland Observer's official position is expressed only
in its Publisher’s column (We See The World Through
Black Eyes). Any other material throughout the paper is the
opinion of the individual w riter or submitter and does not
necessarily reflect the opinion of the Portland Observer.
your attention to an ap
parent oversight in your
fea tu re a rtic le . "P o rtla n d
Public Schools:
Why not
Black men?", of the March
7th issue. In your listing of
high schools with Black male
teachers. Grant was left com
pleteiy out and naturally we
wondered why and felt even
a little slighted, especially in
view of the Black teachers
who serve « h i our staff and
the emphasis 1 have placed
on hiring qualified Blacks to
fill openings as they have
occurred over the past four
years.
Perhaps you would be in
terested in learning that al
though Grant had to reduce
its staff drastically for this
year by about 14 staff mem
bers. we presently have the
following Black staff per
For reservations, call:
Joelette Hargo, 288 5075, or
Francis Walker, 288 8187. Reservations limited
call
before April 1st.
AttociH ion ■ Founded 1895
r
sonnel who have continued to
function moat satisfactorily
as teachers, counselors and
as administrative assistants.
They have also each cot,
tributed much to the sue
cessful progress in human
relations ut this school and
many other programs and
activities which are impor
tant to Grant as a multi
eth n ic and m u lti c u ltu ral
urban school.
The total
Black staff comprises I I men
and women which breaks
down into the following cate
gories:
a. Three are certificated
classroom teachers
one
each in Social Studies, Busi
ness Education anil A rt (two
men and one woman);
b. Two are counselors tone
man and one woman
the
latter having served as a top
notch classroom teacher at
Grant for five years):
r. tine is a community
agent (woman):
d. Two are administrative
assistants tone man anil one
woman);
e. Three are non certifi­
cated aides who counsel and
supervise students in hall
ways and the gym areas
(three women).
Although this represents
10% of our tolul staff and I
will continue to add as open
ings occur and q ualified
Blacks for such openings
apply at the district |x-r
sonnel office, please do not
underestimate in terms of
nunilx-rs the significant im
pact that these fine staff
people have had at Grant. In
many respects we have been
fortunate that foresight anil
sound planning at this school
have included the im,Hirtant
addition of Black men and
women who are giMxl, know
ledgeable and dedicated
"teachers" of youth with faith
in our school goals and trust
in the school's administration
and teaching staff to work
out complex tasks for the
benefit of all of our students.
You are welcome to share
this information with your
readers and I trust you will
view this letter as indicative
of my support of efforts
which will bring more badly
needed qualified Black edu
cators into our public schools.
1 am personally contident
that the opportunities now
exist and perhaps the real
crunch is that the demand
for the kind of teachers we
are seeking. Black or white,
exceed those who are being
prepared for today's urban
school challenges.
I am
hopeful that this gap will
close in the near future as
more young Blacks are en
couraged to prepare them
selves for classroom teaching
and school c o m m u n itie s
recognize th e ir im p o rtan t
contributions as teachers to a
total pluralistic sw iety.
Sincerely,
Gust Kanas
Principal
Grant High School
Will not run
To the Editor:
I feel that I owe many
people an upology, an ex
planation, and a tremendous
vote of thanks.
Through events over the
(last three months. I ilc
velo,ted the opinion that I
might lie the answer to the
Black community's desire as
a candidate for political of
fice.
If conditions had re
maineil as they were prior to
Monday. March 4. 1974. I
would have filed for Frank
Ivancies' City Council seat,
and we would have won.
But the chain of events.
Ivancies' return as the in
cumbent. Lloyd Anderson re
signing, and Charles Jordans'
appointment, caused many
people to regroup. Including
one George Rankins.
I am not sure that I want
to lx* a city councilman or
Of a more serious nature
was the continual hasse| over
lesson plans.
A lthough
Speiginer made specific and
detailed lesson plans, they
were never acceptable.
He
said he asked for assistance
and suggestions, but that the
curriculum vice president of
fered none.
Speiginer had 3 double
periods (or 6 periods) of class
with from 20 to .'15 students
in a class, but had no aide
and no preparation time.
Speiginer had students of
three age groups
Sopho­
mores, Juniors and Seniors
in the same classes. He had
first year automotive stu­
dents and those who had
already had a year of auto­
motive shop
in the same
class, e also had a dispor
portionate number of "pa
tential dropouts".
Speiginer also had prob
lems over his choice of
courses for his career de­
velopment. A t one point he
asked to take Educational
Psychology but was told it
did not apply to his classes,
but later was told to take
general learning psychology.
Speiginer describes a long
series of harassments, ending
i
hold any other political post
tion, but I consented to run
in hopes of helping our com
mumty succeed in "step one"
of its many goals; that is.
getting Black representation
for the first time in a deci
sion making |wid position.
Now, however, I feel with
the appointment of ( harles
Jordan, a gentleman I re­
spect. admire and offer my
100% support in this new
assignment, caused us to
complete "step one in our
community's goals.
Therefore, this correspon
dence is to announce to my
many friends ami supporters
“I will not run for a political
office." I apologize to those I
may have disappointed. and
many, many thanks for their
support and dedication.
Sincerely,
George Rankins
Program trains vets
Dear Editor:
In January of 1972 the de
escalation of the Vietnam
W ar liegan and the (>ost
Vietnam syndrom began. In
light of the growing rate of
inflation and th«- rising rate
of unemployment here in the
United States, the problems
of the Vietnam veteran, abh­
or disabled, were only to be
passified hy the government
here in the United Stales.
The rale of unemployment
and lack of education plagued
m in o rities all over the
c o u n t r y , e s p e c ia lly th e
Blacks. There is a program
at the Mt Hood Community
College Extension Center for
low income minorities who
lark the equivalent of a high
schixil diploma, or for those
who desire to go to college,
but whose high school GPA
was relatively low. The pro
gram entitled the Veterans
Educational Center of Ore
gon was established in June
of 1973 through the co
ordmated efforts of Gerald
Potter, ex captain in the U.S.
Arm y. The program is now
fully staffed by veterans who
have served in the Vietnam
war.
Black turnover
(Continued from pg. 1. col. 61
to get prior approval for
purchases. He had problems
locating the persons who
gave approval ano many
times this delayed the job,
which were the work assign
ments for the students.
Eventually he had the owners
bring their own parts. The
next problem was payment
for the work.
He was not
allow«*d to receive the pay
ment, but often the book
keeper could not be found
and the customer could not
take the car until he paid.
I Editor's note: We apolo
gite lor our error in missing
Grant's two Black male «dass
room teachers.
We com
mend Principal Kanas lor his
sincere efforts on behalf ol
Black students and teachers !
in his refusal to sign an
evaluation he considered to
be incorrect and unfair. In
H rfe m b rr he was removed
from Jefferson and sent to
the area office where he
compiled notebooks and was
under observation. He was
sent to a physician and a (isv
rhialrist. Finally, in January
he was terminated by the
schixil board.
S p eig in er believes his
problems stem from a con
flict between the academic
and career education pro
ponents.
His own thinking
was to train students in a
trade, but also to interest
them in general education.
He tried to teach them how
to study, how to make judge
ments, and how to develop
their skills.
He «Joes not
believe that he was intended
to be successful in this en­
deavor. He believes that the
administration attempted to
force him to resign or to
reart in such a way that they
would have grounds for dis
missal.
Speiginer’s insubordination
charge did not stem from
defiance or refusal to do as
ordered, but from his just
not have some of the the
paperwork completed to the
satisfaction of the adminis
tration.
The main charges
against him appear to be his
inability to w rite satisfactory
lesson plans and the ad
m in is tra tio n 's disagreement
over how much time should
be spent on lectures and how
much on experience. Speigi
ner maintained that more
lecture time was made neces
sary by the mixed rlasses.
but that the students did get
enough “hands on" expert
ence.
The program operates in
two phases: Phase I serves
the G ED training componant
of the program and Phase 2
is incorporated into the col
lege sampling rom|Minent of
the program. Veterans who
enroll in the VECO program
are authorized under guide
lines of the Veterans Ad
ministration Art to receive
up to nine months deficiency
money which will stimulate
any part of their certified
e n title m e n t of e lg ib ility .
lljion enrolling the veteran
will receive a stipend check
from the University of Ore
gon to supplement his income
until his check arrives Upon
completion of the college
sampling rnnqionent of the
VECO program, a veteran
may attend any institution of
higher education in the State
of Oregon, as stated in the
guidelines of the program.
Any veteran who wishes to
contact the VECO program
for more information ran
w rite to VECO. 10100 N.E.
Prescott, Portland, or phone
256 3434 or 256 3430
Jerome Griffin
Other teachers who have
witnessed Speiginer'* strug
gle to stay in the system
have two theories
one,
that Speiginer. like other
Black teachers hired in 1969
to quiet down the Blark stu
dents, was never intended to
attain tenure but that while
Marshall was principal he
determined that Speiginer
would stay;
and two, (hat
Speiginer. who is now 60.
will not be allowed to remain
in the system until he is 65
and ran retire with full
benefits.
This antagonism toward
Speiginer, which lasted over
a 5-year period, is an example
of what many teachers call
differential treatment toward
Black teachers. Whether or
not any of the administra
tion's com plaints against
Speiginer were justified, his
peers believe the matter
could have been settled
equitably in less than 5
years.
Apparently his sue
cess with the students was
not questioned but his man­
nerisms or his attitude t a
ward the administration at
Jefferson were a matter of
contention.
The school district now has
a percentage of 4.7 Black
teachers with a student en
rollment over 10 percent
Blark.
As of January of
1973, with about 3,(MM) certi
fie«| teachers in the Portland
Public Schools, only 137 were
Blark.
Blark teachers and
other Blark staff have been
terminated or resigned dur­
ing the 1973-74 school year
and will continue to leave for
a variety of reasons until
they feel th a t they are
treated with respect. In the
meantime, Portland's Black
children are deprived of their
opportunity for a quality,
integrated education.
f