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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (July 14, 1977)
D r. Robert W . Blanchard Superintendent Portland Public School D istrict 1J 63 S NJC. Clackamas Portland, Oregon 97808 Govwoar’s pian Misses the point Governor Bob Straub has asked that the Economic Development Administration waive the requirement that each grant awarded in Oregon contain at least ten percent set-aside for minorities. The motive of the Governor - we ore sure - is a sincere desire to insure that minorities get their ten percent. The Governor would allow political jurisdictions that apply for the grants to designate certain projects or portions of projects for minority business and excuse the prime contractors in other projects from including minorities. For example, a county building ten bridges could set aside one bridge for minorities and the prime contractors in the other nine bridges would not have to include minority sub-contractors. Not only does that smack of segregation, but it leaves the minority company in a position to be cut off by financial institutions or supplies so the job can't be completed satisfactorily. Then we hear the old, "W e told you so.' One of the important by-products of the EDA plan to include minorities in every project is that it will help bring minority construction firms into the mainstream of the industry. The Governor's plan negates that potential. On this basis, we must assume that the EDA Regional Office will deny the Governor's request. Those who wish to do something to assist minorities - like the Governor and the School District - would do well to consult those minority people before they develop their plans. Parents oppose plan Community Developm ent, explained that one of the purposes of federal funding for desegregation is to involve parents and citizens but the school district has not met this objective. The Educational pro cess and outcome of desegregation are (Continued from P .l Col.6) at Jefferson. 4.) T h e recrutm ent of students for magent programs at Jefferson be sup ported and pursued aggressively by school adm inistrative personnel. "The ‘process' of integration must in v o lv e th e e n tir e a d m in is tr a tiv e / academ ic/pa'-m t/student community in order to lx tru ly representative. Thus, we of tbe Jefferson community, non w hite and w hite alike, urge rejection of the current proposal on integration. In its stead, we suggest, urge, that a task-force be selected which would in clude concerned members of tbe Jeffer son community, to plan a comprehensive integration program that w ill involve and be acceptable to federal, state, district, and community representatives. w hat is im portant and they are being questioned. Fuller added. The Black community has not been involved and no documentation of educatioanal results from the existing desegregation program has been offered w ith the plan. The eighth graders coming out of the Jefferson feeder schools are 75 per cent white, yet the school population is only 47 per cent white, indicating that many white students are going to Benson, Monroe and other m ajority w hite high schools. Jefferson school personnel m y that if students living in the area w ere obligated to attend Jefferson, and if those accepted by Benson and Monroe reflected the same percentages accepted from other high schools, the enrollment problem at Jefferson would not exist. Sarah Cogan, speaking for "Schools far the C ity", expressed concern about the impact of the plan on the Boise and King neighborhoods and urged a delay until representative groups from teh Black community have the opportunity to study the plan and give th eir opinions. Mrs. Cogan also angrily advised the board that she was distressed th at this important issue was placed last on the agenda so it would be discussed at midnight and without proper media coverage. Don Fuller, representing the Portland Chapter of the National Association for Blacks organize (Continued from P .l Col.6) Lee Moore, Employment Committee Chairperson, Portland; Razz McClay, Housing Committee Chairperson. E u gene; and H erbert Golliday, Political Action Committee Chairperson, Salem. O A F B A is a statewide, non-profit organization. Any person who is in accordance with the principles and poli cies of the Assembly may become a member of the corporation with the consent of the Board of Directors. Mem bership dues are $12. The annual meeting will be held in December for the election of permanent Vesia Loving, parent form the Boise area, said tbe district has played around with desegregation for tw elve year? and has been using minorities to achieve th eir goals. " It is tim e to look up and recognize that we are fed up. W e arast have a tru ly integrated system and th at means cross busing, not a one-way system.” She pointed out th at when the upper grades are removed from schools, busing is no longer voluntary. Stating that the Black community was not informed about the proposed change, she said, "W e are tired of being the last to know what is happening to us." M ickey H arris, a Jefferson parent, — ¡4 that Black children sent in small numbers to white schools are “racially isolated". Costella McCullough, w ith children and grand children in King, told the board that in effect they are finally ordering Black students good programs and Jef ferson and then taking them away. Jefferson has been involved in a "T u rn about Program " designed to offer better educational programs as well as to build school pride. “I would like to see you pick it apart and come up w ith something the community w ill accept." Bob W rite , speaking for the Committee for Equal Education for A ll Children, asked that no changes be made until the entire community has been involved in planning a comprehensive integration program that is acceptable to the com munity and that the School Board meet with the committee and other interested officers and chairpersons and m em ber ship meetings w ill be held quarterly. O A F B A plans to host a Biack political convention in A p ril of 1978 and w ill work with other Black organizations to finalize plans. The convention w ill discuss ¡sues and develop a platform as well as endorse candidates running for offices throughout the state. "A b etter Oregon for the Black com m unity can only be built if there is better communications, coordination and coop eration among Blacks,” H enry said. "Public officials, w hite and Black, must become more accountable, responsive and productive to the Black community." community groups to develop a Com m unity Involvem ent Program to involve the community in the planning process. Reverend John P arke r stated th at the Albina M inisterial Alliance has endorsed the Committee's proposal for a planning Claudia Fisher, a K ing parent, w hy the district is now using the 18 par cent m inority average to deny Black students admission to some schools. She sees concern for numbers w ithout real regard for w hat it is like for a Black child in a school where he is not wanted. Stating that she would not send her white child to a school w here there w ere only tw o or throe w hites in a e la n , she feels that stipulating th at Blacks be in small numbers is unfair and th at it isolates Newm an replied th a t Wilson and Lin coln w ere selected for K in g and Boise students because integration has the greatest success where “you connect between low-income and middle-upper Gladys McCoy, the only School Board m ember other than Newm an who was allowed to comment, stated that she appreciated the people staying through the long meeting to be heard. “A t this point, I tend to support the proponed plan because it is educationally sound and legally defensible," she said. Stating that she has always opposed one-way busing, she said she believes it is the best option for the present tim e. “You have to consider the options." W arn ing th at delaying the decision could remove federal funds from the district, she said th at the district needs to deal w ith the bad things that are happen ing to Black students who are transferred - these are “crucial issues th at I would expect we would deal w ith at a later date.” T he School Board w ill again address the issue and make its decision on July 25th a t 7:80 p.m. a t tbe administration building, 7th and Clackamas. Receives letters I ’m w ritin g this in regards to an article printed 6-23-77, for myself, L uth er Guss, an Ohio inmate. Thank you very much for helping me while try in g to help myself. L etters have already started to pour in. I decided to show my appreciation and thanks by w ritin g you a le tte r of thanks- for showing your concern. Yours truly, L u th e r Guss #145-538 Is ti »mnauiiity Service O N P A 1973 Published every Thursday by Exie Publishing Company, 2201 North Killingsworth, Portland. Oregon 97217. Mailing address: P .0. Box 3137. Portland. Oregon 97208. Telephone 283-2486. 1st Pince Beat A d Results O N P A 1973 Subscriptions: $7.50 per year in the Tri-County area, $8.00 per year outside Portland. 5th Place Boot Editorial N N P A 1973 S scead Claas 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 writer or submitter and does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the Portland Observer. National Advertising Representative isted Publis New York Mt Mate Oregon Newspaper Publishers Association MEMBER 1 iff W e have received your school diatrict's application for assistance under the Emergency School A id A ct (E S A A ) and have review ed th e diatrict's compliance w ith the eligib ility requirements con tained in the statute and the implement ing regulations. I. On the basis of this review , we have determined that your district does not meet the requirem ents for eligibility for the reasons described below. 45 C F R 186.43(d) of the E S A A regula tions provides in pertinent part: N o educational agency shall be eligible for assistance under the A ct if. a fte r June 28. 1972, it has had or maintained in effect any practice, policy, or procedure which results or has resulted in discrimination against children on the basis of race, color, or national origin, including but not lim ited to: (4) Imposing explusion, suspension, or corporal or other punishment, in a manner which discriminates against m inority group children on the basis of race, color, or national origin. The Seattle Regional Office of the Office far Civil Rights (OCR) conducted an on-site review of your district on A p ril 12-15,1977. A fte r analyzing the inform a tion received during th at review w e have determined th at your diatrict's applica tion of suspension procedures discrim in ates against m inority group children in the following manner. OCR Seattle Regional Office staff w ere advised th at the p rim ary purpose of most suspensions was to effect a conference with the parents of students whose conduct w arranted the suspension. The purpose of the conference is to involve the school, the student, and the student's parents in determ ining ways to correct problems which might prevent the student's success in school year reinstate I t fu rth er appears th at, although con ferences are supposed to be held w ithin five days of the suspension and normally lead to reinstatem ent of the student, if the student's parents or guardian does not appear for a conference the student is often not reinstated for a substantial period o f tim e. Some suspensions have in fact lasted longer than the ordinarily more severe penalty of expulsion which is lim ited in length to the rem ainder of the semester in which the expulsion took place. Those suspensions which last substan tially longer than five days as a result of th e student’s parent or guardian not appearing for a conference (hereinafter long te rm suspensions) apparently occur more frequently both proportionally and absolutely to m inority children. Because of this and because the practice of long term suspensions appears to serve no valid educational purpose and, indeed appears contrary to your district's own policy and intent, it is our conclusion th a t thia practice is probhibited discrimination w ithin the meaning of 46 C F R 186.48 (d)(4). T he request must be received (not m erely sent) w ithin 14 days of the date of this letter. In order to allow sufficient tim e lo r review of applications for waivers p rior to the tim ely comm itm ent of cu rren tly available funds, such an application should be submitted as prom ptly as its full and complete preparation perm its. W e urge that your district file any application for a w aiver, or inform M r. T atel of your intention to do so, w ithin 21 days of the date of this totter. n. Your district may request an opportun ity to show cause w hy the detorm ina ion of ineligibility should be revoked and its application considered for funding. Such a request should he directed to: D r. Herm an R. Goldberg Associate Commissioner Equal Educational O pportunity Program s Room 2001, Federal Office Bldg. #6 400 M aryland Avenue. S.W . IV I t should be emphasised th at this totter relates soley to your district's eligibility for E S A A assistance. The establishment of eligib ility does not, by itself, ensure than an application to funded. Funding decisions, of course, are made on the basis of the quality of applications sub m itted by eligible applicants. Sincerely, Herm an R. Goldberg Associate Commissioner Equal Education Opportunity Programs I f your district requests the opportun ity described above, an informal confer ence w ith representatives of the district w ill be held w ithin 7 days of the receipt of the request. Please understand th at the purpose of such a conference to to provide your district w ith an opportunity to dem onstrate why it should not have been found ineligible; if your district wishes to take corrective action, see P art I I I below concerning an application for a w aiver of ineligibility. IH . Your district may establish its eligibil ity for assistance by applying to the Secretary of H ealth. Education, and W elfare fa r a w aive r of ineligibility pursuant to section 706(d) of the E S A A (20 U .S .C . 1606(d) and section 186.44 of the program regulations (46 186.44). An application for w aiver must include infor motion and aaaurances which show th at any activity resulting in ineligibility has eaaaed to exist and w ill not reoccur afte r the submission of th e w aiver application. (80 U .8 .C . 1606(d)(1); 46 C F R 186.44(b). Specifically, an application for a w aiver of ineligibility based on the findings set out in P a rt I above must contain the m ater iato required by 45 C F R 186.44(f), which provides as follows: A n application for w aiver shall contain evidence th a t this practice, policy, or procedure prohibited by 186.48(4) has ceased to exist or occur and th a t the effect of such practice, policy, or procedure has been rem edied or elim inated. An application for a w aiver of ineligihil ity should be directed to: D evid S. T atel. D ire cto r Office for Civil Rights Office of the Secretary Departm ent of H ealth. Education and W elfare 880 Independence Avenue. S.W . Room 5614 Washington. D .C . 20201 (le tte r dated June 28, 1977) T h e reply of the Assoc/shoo - Foundod fM t H errick Editorial Award N N A 1973 D ear M r. Tatel: Thia to w ritte n in response to the totter dated June 28. 1977 in which it to stated th a t the Portland school district does not meet the eligibility requirem ents for E S A A assistance because our “applica tion of suspension procedures discrimin ates against m inority group children." W hile we hsve not received from your office specific information regarding the 17 schools at which questionable prac tices may have taken place or the specific instances we should ourselves follow up on. we have prepared a plan for communi cating to all of our schools our expecta tions regarding the implementation of D istrict policies related to suspensions. W e are confident th a t th e D istrict regula tions themselves (copy enclosed) are not discrim inatory. Problems identified by Office for Civil Rights officials, therefore, must be associated w ith practices in a lim ited number o f our schools. j The m aterial contained in thia is intended to assure you th at our suspen (Please tu rn to page 4 col. 8) Designed to make a new car more affordable. With today's sticker prices, it make« sense that you want m ore out of a new car. It also m akes sense that you want m ore out of a car loan 2nd Place Best Editorial 3rd Place Community Leadership O N P A 1975 That'« why you'll be glad to know about our 48- m onth FirstLoan for autos, if now's the tim e to replace your present car with a brand new one D epending on the pu r chase price, it gives you more time to pay for the new car, van, camper, wagon or light truck you need The added difficulties created by thia situation contribute to the unw arranted disproportionate impact upon m inority students of long term suspensions. It also can save you money when you borrow With a simple-interest FirstLoan for autos, you're only charged interest on the am ount you actually owe only for as long as you owe it. Example: 4 8 - Month Auto Loan D .nwwoww 41 Monthly Payment* ANNUAL PERCENTAGE RATf Total of $4.650 47 «♦ $119 20 10 55% $5720 59 lat 118 19 tismple bsMd on first psymsnt du« 30 d«yi sffsr loan dste M- M r. D avid St. T atel, D irecto r Office for Civil Rights Office of the Secretary Dept. of H ealth, Education & W elfare 880 Independence Avenue, S .W . Room 6614 Washington, D .C . 20201 B A second discrim inatory practice can also be traced to the existence of long term suspensions as p a rt of your dis trict's disciplinary practices. As a result of your otherwise commendable intent to voluntarily reduce racial isolation in your schools through a system of voluntary transfers, a situation has arisen where the vast m ajority of transfer students are m inority students. Accordingly, a dispro portionate number of parents of m inority students are confronted w ith the problem of tra v e lin r above average distances in order to attend a suspension conference. A second impact of the problems of increased distance to school created for the largely m inority population of trans fe r students under the voluntary transfer plan is the frequent, albeit nonuniform, practice of imposing suspensions based on an accumulation of a fixed number of incidents of being late to school. On some occasions it appears th at one such instance of tardiness may result in suspension should the individual school principal believe such policy to be ap p ro priate. I t appears th a t in applying such an ittendance rule, based on a set number of incidents of tardiness, no consideration of the increased problems of transfer students in getting to school on tim e is taken into consideration. Failure to take into account the problems of transfer students in this regard is a practice which falls disproportionately on m inority children in th at most transfer students D istrict July 6, 1977 To The Editor: Portland O b serv er ALFRED L. HENDERSON Editor/Publisber D ear D r. bianchard: Washington. D .C 20202 __ m inority students. W hile your district is. of course, not barred from discouraging tardiness on the part of students through the use of disciplinary , subjecting transfer students to the w e standards as students who live in the im m ediate neighborhood of the school when transfer students are dispro portionately m inority student* to prohib ited discrimination under 45 C F R 186.43 In addition to 48-month auto financing, First National offers a com plete line of shorter-term First Loan auto plans So, w hen you've got your eye on a new car, we can lend a hand with money to buy it. There’s a 1 st time for everything. F IR S T N A T IO N A L B A N K Or OREGON
