S
Portland Observer
Thursday, August IStk. 1*1«
Seniority in schools
We see the world
Coplay News Service
through Black eyes
Appointment b order
Dick Davis, Director of the Department of Human
Resources, recently announced that J, N. "Nick
Peet, Administrator of the Public Welfare Division,
will assume the duties os Administrator of the Child
ren's Services Division. We think this is a good
appointment. We know that Children's Services Divi
sion has been beset with numerous problems. We
expect Mr. Peet to bring direction and order to the
Division, which he has very ably done in his previous
position.
We do think, however, that it is time AAr. Davis
made some top appointments of minorities and
women. We urge AAr. Davis to fill the position Peet
has left — Administrator of Public Welfare — with a
minority man or woman.
Housing urgent need
Congratulations to the Emergency Helping Agen
cies Committee of the Tri-County Community Coun
cil. After much discussion, they are embarking on a
long overdue analysis of emergency housing needs
in the greater Portland area.
Helping agencies have long recognized the need
for emergency housing, as well as regular housing,
but have felt powerless to cause the development of
such resources.
We hope that the Committee will not overlook the
large numbers of decayed, dilapidated and deteri
orating houses in which people are forced to live -
in highly unsanitary conditions, faced with rodent
problems and in constant fear for their own safety
and security.
We recommend that particular attention be given
to the Albina community with its high minority
population, high unemployment and low income,
high crime rate and low percentage of clean, decent
housing at reasonable rates.
Committee members, we will be watching your
efforts and stand ready to assist you in your endea
vors.
Get involved now
The Tri-County Local Government Commission, a
group that was formed to study the workings of local
government has made recommendations for chang
es and will be seeking public input.
These changes, if adopted, will drastically effect
not only county and city government, but public
service districts and special boards such as the Co
lumbia Region Association of Governments (CRAG)
and Tri-AAet.
These changes could make many of these boards
elective, could change their functions, or could elim
inate them altogether. Elected membri could serve
geographic districts or be elected at-large.
These reforms are supposed to make government
more coordinated and more responsive to the
people.
This is too important to matter for us to sit back and
allow changes to be made that could effect our lives
for years to come. AAony of the recommendations
made by the Commission, or made by the public,
might be desirable. Others might not. This issue
requires our study and evaluation, and our parti
cipation — in numbers large enough to be seen and
heard.
Let's not sit back and lose what little we have —
then start hollering after the decisions have been
made by others.
Another Potat of View
THE ABORTION DECISION
by Kenyon C. Burke
Guest Editorial
In the midst of the fanfare and Happy Birthday
U.S.A. festivities surrounding the Bicentennial, it was
heartwarming to see the U.S. Supreme Court clarify
and strengthen the rights of women to decide for
themselves whether or not they want to terminate a
pregnancy.
Although the Supreme Court's landmork 1973
abortion decision indicated that termination of a
pregnancy was basically a decision for a woman to
make herself, there were hold-outs amoung us who
wonted to limit and restrict that right by insisting that
husbands or parents of a minor give their consent.
In the abortion cases recently decided, the elimi
nation of a requirement for a husband's consent to
his wife's abortion and the limitation of parental
participation in decisions where minors are involved
are but logical extensions of the original opinion.
The soundness of the principle is indicated by
Justic Blackmun's common sense argument that
when a husband and wife disagree, only one can
prevail and that since the wife "is more directly and
immediately affected" her views should bear more
weight.
Also, the court's extension of the right of decision
to "mature minors" is not simply dictated by the
logic of the 1973 decision, but also by the common
experience that where safe abortions are forbidden
by law or by parental flat, bock alley butchers
flourish.
The price of illegal abortion in the days preceding
the Supreme Court's abortion decision was paid in
the currency of women's dignity, women's health
and women's lives.
Though many paid the price, none paid it more
often and more cruelly than minority groups and the
poor. More than nine out of 10 of those who died at
the hands of incompetent practitioners in the days
before abortion was legal were Black and Spanish
speaking.
While abortion and Its physical and psychological
ramifications are not to be taken lightly, access to
medically supervised abortion does bring about sig
nificant health advantages to individuals and their
families.
Since the 1973 Supreme Court decision game legal
anction to abortion, the maternal death rate and
infant mortality rates have materially declined. Any
attempt to interfere with a women's right to person
ally make a choice on this crucial matter would
reverse that trend and be a step back into our dark
and ignorant past.
One would hope that the court's reaffirmotion of
this most intimate of privocy rights might serve to
defuse much of the heat out of the abortion issue
and free up activists to deal with improving the
quality of life of all people alike and respond
positively to the real gut survival issues we face in
the Bicentennial yeor.
OUR
THE B LA C K PR E SS —
F R E E D O M D E P E N D S ON
Portland Observer
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A L F R E D L. HENDERSON
Editor/PebUsber
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 Partiaad Obesrver.
IT !
Is t Place
ty Service
ONPA 1*73
I t takes a bit of imagination to see bow
discussion of seniority practices in Con
gress can relate to the education that
students receive in schools.
The common bond is the similarity of
seniority practices in Congress and in
education. Traditionally, teachers with
the moat experience have Brat choice of
teaching aaaignmenta Just as members of
the House and Senate with longevity
have, in the past, filled all the top con
grseaional assignments.
In recent years Congress baa reevalu
ated and changed its traditional seniority
patterns. By doing so, it has considerably
improved its responsiveness to public
I t is my opinion that the schools must
do the same. In the inner-city schools are
many dedicated, talented teachers. Year
after year they are able to successfully
challenge youngster and help prepare
them for today's world.
However. If the level of teaching in
these schools b to be uniformly high, then
the balance between inexperienced and
experienced teachers must be equalised.
This can only be done by modification of
teacher seniority practices.
A recent study showed that the num
ber of inexperienced teachers b much
higher in center city than in suburban
schools.
Herrick Editorial Award,
N N A1973
Best Editorial
3rd Place
(Continued from p. 1 col. 6)
Now there are forces that will come out of
Moxambique, out of Angola, and out of
Zaire that will topple the Smith govern
ments.
Brookins said he appreciates the ef
forts of Secretary of State Henry Kbain
ger to at last form a policy on Black
Africa. Kissinger’s policy now is that the
government understands that it can deal
no differently with Black Africa than it
does with white nations that sought free
dom and received aid from the govern
ment to insure majority rule.
Kissinger has asked that Blacks form a
high level committee to consult with him
on how he should deal with Africa. “I t is
the first time in the history of this coun
try when the State Department was even
inclined to respect Blacks enough to re
spect their opinion as it relates to their
own culture and native land.”
Brookins has some advice for the
government:
1. The United States should ask the
U.N. Security Council to send peace keep
ing representatives to South Africa; 2.
The Republican Party and President
Ford should come out publically and de
nounce the tragedy that is going on in
South Africa; 8. The United States should
send Blacks to dialogue with Blacks in
South Africa to find out what b really
happening there, since news reports are
not usually accurate; 4. The United
States should use economic sanctions
against South Africa.
Brookins assesses the Soviet Union's
activities as "playing with Africa." ‘They
attempt to come in on the side of the
freedom fighters to give the impression
that they are friends of Africans. The
future of Africa must be determined ex
clusively by Africans. The reason is that
the white powers have not responded to
Africa for hundreds of years on the basis
of that which is good for Africans. I t b in
the interest of Russia, in the interest of
America, in the interest of France, in the
interest of Germany, in the interest of
Britain and all of the rest of them. I t b for
thia reason that all of those struggling
forty-six nations that now claim indepen
dence have political independence but
still have economic slavery and colonial
ism, and if not colonialism, than neo
colonialism. And of course the end result
is the same. They have a symbol of free
dom but they do not have economic free
dom and until you get economic freedom
it all becomes just a paper job and a
symbolic thing."
“What we have to do is withhold our
self-righteous involvement and self-serv
ing involvement after the fact. We went
into Angola after the fact to try and say
that we were for the Angolans when we
went there only in the interest of Ameri-
A fA 1A M A Í
e W p A pgr
for thia country."
Brookins believes that the United
States will have to respond to the criais in
Africa. "I don't think there will be any
voluntary, moralistic response to Africa's
problems. I think that circumstances will
cause America to reaoood. We are no
longer that world respected power,
where everybody b bowing at the shrine
of our liberty while we are actually deny
ing freedom and opportunity and demo
cracy here in America." What will bring
America to that point ia the realisation
that the Third World eontrob the U.N.
Also, the greatest crisis of the future will
be in the production of food and the only
bnd avaibbb will be in Africa. The 0 8 .
will also be dependent on Africa for oil
and metals. “Africans will use that which
is beneath their feet to determine where
their feet will go."
Another factor is that there are 30
million Blacks in th b country and thia
year Blacks will use votes to make certain
that a stronger, more vbble, more sensi
tive foreign policy relates to our home
bnd; to insure that the administration of
1977 will confront the issue of Black and
white.
“W e do not think it is right tor thb
nation to use one kind of foreign policy for
white nations and another kind for Bbck
nations - it b in thb same sense that
we can no longer allow that administra
tion to apply one kind of equal justice in
thb country to one race over against the
over race. Bbcks are no longer waiting
for handouts - we are no longer waiting
for welfare - we are waiting for the same
job market, tor the same economic advan
tages, and for the same political advan
tage to participate in deebion making
b veb that the rest of America b all
about"
Regarding the upcoming election,
Brookins said President Ford has contin
ued the same 'da nothin” policies for
Bbcks that Richard Nixon did - on all
counts. He expreseed the opinion that
Jimmy Carter b saying the right things -
he has promised to place Blacks at all
b veb of government and to look at the
regubtory agencies - and based on hb
record in Georgia, he offers more hope.
"If we get him in office and he doesn't do
what he says he will do. we'll get him out
of office." He said Carter might be earthy
enough. Southern enough, genuine
enough and naive enough to do the right
thing.
"We know America b going to respond
because we're not going to rest until It
does. We're not going to do It viobntly;
we're going to use the non viobnt. highly
sophbticated economic techniques and
strategies to make th b government more
responsive to what w eaTe all about"
The African Methodbt Episcopal
Church will be in the forefront of thb
renewed drive for Bbck liberation at
home and abroad. “We are going to use
the Bbck Church, the African Methodbt
Episcopal Church b 177 years old. I t b
the liberation church; it b the only church
that b concomitant with the history of
thb nation and we are going to use our
own vehicles to insure, for exampb, In
these 14 Western states that we get from
the political adminbtration that which
these underprivileged and these Bbcks,
particularly are entitled to."
Bbhop Brookins received world-wide
attention when he was declared an “un-
desirable inhabitant of or an undesirable
vbitor to Rhodesb" and barred from
Rhodesb by the Ian Smith government.
Thb followed hb efforts to aid the eco
nomic and socbl development of Bbck
Rhodesbns and hb public pronounce
ments in favor of Bbck majority rule. The
Rhodesbn press credited Brookins with
inbting, in the United States, support for
the 6 ‘/» million Black peopb who are in a
life and death struggle for majority ru b
in Rhodesb.
Brookins served as Bbhop in Central
Africa - Zambb, Rhodesb, M abwi, Mo
xambique, Zaire, Tanxanb and Angob -
from 1972-1976. In June, 1978, be was
appointed to the United State's largest
Episcopal D btrict. the 17 states west of
the Mississippi River.
Brookins b a native of MisaiaaippL He
b a graduate of Wilberforce University
and Payne Theological Seminary (D.D.
1961). He pastored First African Metho
dbt Episcopal Church in Loa Angeles
from 1969-1972. In keeping with hb belief
in the church's involvement In economic
and socbl development First African
(Please turn to p. 8 col. 8)
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cn and we went there in contest with
Russia, with no interest for the Angolans
at all.”
The U.S., he said, became involved in
Angola because we were afraid it would
go communist. “Africans are not inclined
to go communist, or democratic, or facial,
or Naxist. They are trying to get thier
freedom and whichever government
serves that end. they will cooperate with,
at least for the time being. Hungry bellies
know no morals and no more than hungry
people here are concerned about a philo
sophy. hungry people don't go around
looking for philosophies - they go around
looking for bread, and butter, and goods,
and services; and thia is what b going on
in Africa. America will not lose in Africa
if America moves now. We call on the
Secretary of State to give massive eco
nomic aid to Africa on all fronts - parti
cularly in the area of rural development,
of education, in the area of health and
nutrition and that alone will make friends
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opportunity to teach anywhere In the
' dbtrict. the problem of hooping experi
enced teachers in the center city grows
larger.
1
Ws know there are no easy answers.
But we also know that action must bo
taken. I t Is clear that traditional seniority
practices are counterproductive. On the
other hand, the random selection for
teacher transfer or lottery pbn can only
be considered as an interim or expedient
way to face the present problem. The
lottery b the method recently adopted by
the Lao Angeles Board of Education in
response to federal pressure to desegr e
gate its teaching staffs.
Seniority practices must bd modified.
Faculties must be balanced to provide for
a varied and rich learning climate.
To do this, a faculty must be mixed, by
subject interests, race, sex and expert
ence. Only In thia way can children be
prepared to enter the complex world that
awaits them.
Opening a discussion of seniority prac
tices ia like opening a beehive. But those
who take leadership in discussion and in
action should receive courage and inspir
ation from the U.S. Congress. Nowhere
was seniority more ingrained and pro-'
tected than in that august body. And yet.
changes were made.
Or, to put it another way, If Congress
can do it, anyone can do it. The stakes it s
high, the discussion heated and the re
sults, I pray, will make the beat possible
educational climate for children.
AME Bishop demands liberation
Is t Place
Best Ad Results
ONPA 1973
Sth Place
Best Editorial
N N PA 1973
For instance, in Los Angeles schools.
Area B includes the communities of Ver
non, Huntington Park and South Gate
with 43 schools. In these schools, the
students are 83 per cent minority of
which 87.8 par cent are Blacks and 43.8
per cent have Spanish surnames. In this
area, 38.8 per cent of the teachers are
inexperienced, being either probationary
or long-term substitutes.
In contrast. Arsa L. which includes the
communities of Canogs Park. Chatsworth
and Woodland Hills, has 49 schools. The
students are 11.4 per cent minority and
88.6 per cent white. Probationary or long
term substitute teachers make up only
7.8 per cent of the staff.
Why does thia pattern of inexperienced
teachers in the center city prevail?
The answer b not news. Teachers tend
to prefer the middle-income areas. Teach
ing assignments in the inner city are
considered harder, leas rewarding, farth
er from where teachers live and, in some
cases, frightening. Teachers, as they gain
seniority, often move from the center city
into suburban schools.
A t present, the situation in Loo An
gelas is further complicated by the fact
that the city b in danger of losing $100
million in federal funds because its school
teachers have been racially segregated.
In the past. Black teachers have been a
source of capable teachers in the center
city since they were traditionally exclud
ed from predominantly white schools.
If Black teachers now have an equal
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