i
Portland Observer
Thursday, June 17, 1976
Page 3
Is your child getting a decent education ?
by Herb L. Cawthorne
Ptuae a moment and auk yourself, “Is
my child getting a decent education?"
If you are the parent you should be, the
question probably comes up again and
again - and the attempt to answer it each
time probably plagues you like a sore
tooth. It's a question that requires your
attention, no matter how busy you may
be.
Ask yourself right now, "Is my child
receiving a respecUbie education?" Then
consider three areas - the schools, the
community and yourself, the parent.
The schools are obligated to serve the
Black community. We all pay taxes. And
our taxes support the schools. We fi­
nance the schools to meet the obligation
to impart important knowledge which
enables our children to better function in
this society. Given the fact that the
problems in education are usually com
pounded and exaggerated in the Black
community, it is necessary to take great
er initiative to define the type of service
the public schools must render. I t is ne
pessary for each of us to get more in­
volved, otherwise we will be hard press
ed to tell whether a child is getting a
respectable education, until it is too late.
We have to be bold and aggressive. It's
not easy to determine whether a child is
progressing well in school. In many ways
the school system is made to protect itself
from our active inquiry. Teachers and
administrators offer excuses which tend
to water down their own commitments. It
is not unusual for school personnel to
blame their failures on the problems in
the Black community. And. of course,
they say our students are unmotivated.
The discipline problem s often make
teachers frightened and the school board
even gives some instructors combat pay
because our children are so aggressive.
Black parents are thought to be hostile to
the process of education, and educators
continually complain that we fail to give
adequate support.
But will we ever know what a decent
education is for our children if we allow
these excuses to justify failure in the
school system? Teachers have to work
hard and achieve under the circu m ­
stances given. Although there is truth in
some of the charges made against the
community, those in the system must
overcome the disadvantages and see to it
that education is productive. This will
not happen unless we make it happen by
demanding the highest quality ar.d let
ting the system know we mesn business.
Visit the school your child sttends. And
visit regularly. In your conversations
with other parents, suggest they make it
a habit also. Go in teams to discuss
education with the principal. Talk to the
teachers. It's wise to tell them what you
expect from your child as well as what
you expect from them. Help teachers
understand that they are working to
serve you, the taxpayer, and that above
all you expect their work to be the best.
Teachers need to know that you are w ill­
ing to help them with discipline problems,
motivation problems and learning prolx
lems - express your willingness to help.
many ugly people who make a living
manipulating our children for profit. A t
some point, if we want our children to get
the quality education which prepares
them for a prejudice world, we are going
to have to call forth the courage to put a
stop to as many of the bad influences as
possible. This means organized com­
munity action -- and we must mean busi­
ness:
Finally, parents must take more initia­
tive. I f a child is left free to roam the
streets of the community, we leave him
subject to those who would influence him
for their own gain. If parents are in­
When you consistently meet with them,
they will begin to understand that you
expect your child to do the best work
possible, ra th e r th a t sim ply slide
through.
Tne community is an inseparable in­
fluence on the kind of educations Black
children receive. I t is time we took a
good, hard look at our community. I t is
time to begin to clean up those elements
which tend to drag the young through the
mud - turning them away from books and
learning. The influences are great. They
cal) the child's kttention like a neon light
at midnight on Broadway. There are too
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Convicted King assassin drops criminal appeals
t
by Peter Morse
pleading guilty to the murder by his
attorney at the time. Percy Foreman of
M E M P H IS , T E N N . (PNS)
James Earl
Bay. denied a retrial last month on his
conviction for the assassination of M artin
Luther King, has scrapped his defense
team of six years and hired a civil attor
ney to sue Time magazine, several auth
ors who have written books about the
case. U.S. District Judge Robert McRae,
and former Tennessee Assistant Attor
ney General Henry Haile.
' A long time "jailhouse lawyer", Ray
has already written and filed a 14 page
complaint with the U.S. Sixth District
Houston.
Ix?ss than 24 hours after his conviction,
Ray attempted without success to
reverse his guilty plea in a letter to the
judge. His attorneys then filed a massive
brief contending he was framed as a part
of a well coordinated conspiracy, citing
testimony from a Memphis law enforce
ment official and a New York ballistics
expert indicating Ray's rifle could not
have been the murder weapon.
SCLC agreed in 1974 that a new trial
should be held, calling Ray a "fall guy" for
wealthy interests.
Court.
Ray denies he "fired" his criminal law
yers -- Bernard Fensterwald. Jr. and
J.H. Lesar, both of Washington. D.C..
and Robert I. Livingston of Memphis.
“Usually when a lawsuit is terminated,”
Ray told PNS, “it's not necessary to fire
counsel as the press usually alleges.”
Ray's statement, plus his hiring of a
civil rather than criminal lawyers, indi­
cates he will probably not appeal his re
quest for a new trial to the Supreme
Court.
This contradicts Ray's earlier
statements that he would, if he lost in
District Court, take his appeal to the U.S.
Supreme Court.
Ray also told a PNS reporter last year,
" If I lose th ere .J 'm going to tell all -
everything I know about people and
events leading us to and after King's
murder in Memphis."
Ray, serving a ninety nine year sen
tence. sought a new trial on the ground
that he was tricked and coerced into
New Tack
But with the criminal side of his case
stalemated, Ray has instructed his new
lawyer, Richard J. Ryan of Memphis, to
pursue civil action.
In excerpts from an upcoming book by
George McMillan printed by Time maga
zine in January. Ray was quoted as mak
ing statements like “I'm gonna kill that
nigger King." Ryan called McMillan s ac­
count a "fantasy story”.
Harold Weisberg. of Frederick. Mary
land, an investigator in the case for the
previous defense team, believes McMillan
was duped. "Jerry Ray, James Earl's
brother, told me he was putting McMillan
on,"Weisberg says. According to Time,
McMillan paid Jerry R a | and other fam
ily members a total of $3,850 “to help
with his research".
"In addition to the Time and McMillan
actions", attorney Ryan says, "Ray will
Caucus attacks Ford stand
Representative Barbara Jordan (D
Texas), in behalf of the Congressional
Black Caucus, responded to statements
made by President Ford encouraging
segregation in private schools.
Mr. Ford’s statements made recently
on Face The Nation (CBS), also drew
sharp criticism from other civil rights
groups and organizations.
The following is the rest of Represent
tative Jordan's remarks:
President Ford's recent statements on
segregated private schools - "That they
should have the right to accept or reject
students as they see fit," contradicts the
Constitution extends encouragement to
non Black citizens who continue th e ir
blatant disrespect for the law, as mani­
fested through outright violence -- and
greatly intensifies all resistance to busing
orders.
I t is this type of statement -- this type
of attitude which serves as the catalytic
force creating such incidents as Black
men being beaten with the American flag
during our Bicentennial year, or fright­
ened little Black school children having to
be escorted by law enforcement officials
past throngs ol violent whites.
M r. Ford's statement is a political sham
- a cheap rhetorical ploy during an elec­
tion year to appeal to the worst instincts
of a certin constituency.
The Congressional Black Caucus finds
Mr. Ford's statement totally unaccept
able, inexcusable, and void of sensitivity
to minorities in this Great American
Society. These statements by M r. Ford
hardly represent the kind of strong moral
leadership needed in a President *
Peggy Joseph
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filed suit against William Bradford Huie
and possibly other writers and publish
era."
Ray has long smouldered about Huie,
author of “He Slew the Dreamer", and his
arrangements with two attorneys Ray
previously fired, A rther Hames, Sr. of
Birmingham and Percy Foreman. Hames
■ and Foreman arranged to share royalties
with Huie for the book about the King
assassination.
Ray's civil suit against U.S. District
Judge Robert McRae, according to Ryan,
will be based on his alleged failure to file
records on a 1974 evidentiary hearing.
Ryan explained Ray's lawsuits against
writers and publishers by saying, "Ray
feeis license regarding public figures iike
himself has gone too far. A rubber band
can be strwteehed along these invaaion-
of privacy lines just to the extent it'll
pop"
Ray's former lawyers had little to
comment on being released.
Bernard
Fensterwald, who was Ray's chief coun­
sel as well as the executive director of the
Committee to Investigate Assassinations
in Washington, said. "The exclusive res
son I got into this case was for the
purpose of criminal appeal. In view of the
(unsuccessful) Memphis hearing and the
unanimous decision in Cincinnati, the
outlook was not very encouraging."
Robert Livingston said, “I think it’s all
over for James Earl. I f Ray is covering up
for somebody, and I feel like he is, he's
going to suffer in silence. Or he will tell
ail he does know and maybe the Gover
nor of Tennessee will consider executive
clemency.
“Otherwise I see no hope for him."
terested in the education of their child­
ren. they should arrange for after school
activity. Get them special tutors and
dancing lessons; take them to special
plays and speeches; invite unique people
from within the community into your
home to talk with your children.
Read and read and read to your child­
ren. Refuse to allow them to turn on the
television until they have read so many
pages or written so many paragraphs.
For education in the Black community to
improve. Black parents will have to take
more initiative. And this is not a choice -
it's a responsibility.
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(Peter Morse is a veteran Memphis
newsman who has followed the James
Earl Ray case since the night M artin
Luther King was assassinated. Formerly
a radio and television newsman and a
daily newspaper reporter, Morse is now a
freelance w riter.)
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Applications are now being accepted
for the first fellowships to be offered to
American Indian students by the U.S.
Office of Education.
The grants will enable the students to
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neering and other professional fields
needed by Indian communities.
A total of $500,000 is available for the
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Fellowships may be awarded under
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D.C. 20202. The telephone number is
(202) 245 7525.
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