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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 9, 1978)
PORTLAND OBSER/ER Volum«* 8 No. 7 T h u r« U y , February 9, 1978 10c ,»er copy Democrats announce delegate selection plans The Democratic Party of Oregon has released its Delegate Selection and Affir mative Action Plan for the selection of delegates to the National Party Confer ence to be held in December. Each state party is required to submit an acceptable plan to the Democratic National Com mittee to represent all segments of the party. The Oregon plan basically requires each County Democratic Party to m«*et and to elect delegates to the state conven tion which will be held on August 19th. Each of the four Congressional Districts in the State will have one hundred electors, with any registered Democrat eligible to be an elector. At the State Convention, each of the Congressional Districts will elect two delegates to the National Convention one man and one woman. Then three additional at large delegates will be elected. The electors will be encouraged to consider “under represented" groups (minority, youth, elderly, poor, etc.l in making these selections. Persons who wish to run for positions as delegates to the National Conference can either file prior to the State Conven tion or can be nominated from the floor. The plan will be open to public review and comment until February 25th, and thereafter can be challenged by ten or more Democrats. Fifteen Democrats can challenge the Party’s compliance with the plan. Between now and August 19th, the Party will publicize the selection process. hoping to encourage persons of tradi tionally unrepresented groups to partici pate. Jim Klonoski, State Chairman, explain ed at a Wednesday news conference that the local plan is the result of a national mandate and that minority participation is "not so much of a problem here." He emphasized that Oregon delegations have been representative of the state's popula tion and the state has been a leader in including women. The effort to include representatives of all segments of the Party as delegates is a product of the 1972 McGovern reforms. A fund raiser is planned to assist delegates who would not otherwise be financially able to go to the National Convention in Memphis. Federal food program extended to family care A new U.S. Department of Agriculture program is assisting day care providers to provide more nourishing meals for the young children in their care. The program reimburses providers for part of the cost of meals providing they meet USDA standards. USDA funding has been available to day care centers and schools for years, but only last fall was expanded to include persons who care for children in their homes. With the child care payments averag ing $5 to $6 for the first child, and approximately half that for additional children, day care parents find it difficult to provide meals for the children. Day care homes in North and North east Portland can recieve their subsidy through the Neighborhood Options for Child Care Project. NOCC takes care of the paperwork, makes the payment to the day care parent, and is reimbursed by the government. To qualify, day care parents must be certified by the State Children's Service Division, tnen can apply for the program through NOCC. They are reimbursed a specified amount for each meal served thal meets the USDA nutrition standard. "The day care mother can he reim burned for breakfast, lunch, dinner and two snacks.” Ms. Carol Bryant, NOCC Director explained. "Payment is provid ed if the meal fits the USDA specifics tions. This does not mean that every meal has to meet the standard. If for some reason, a day care mother does not want to prepare a USDA approved meal, that is alright. She just does not receive payment for that meal." USDA requires that the meals meet the child's nutritional needs. For exam pie: a child between three and six years is supposed to receive 'A cup of fruit or vegetables, OR a fruit or vegetable juice, */« cup cereal and ‘/i slice bread, and ’/« cup of milk for breakfast. Lunch must in clude meat or meat alternate (meat, poul try, fish, cheese, egg, dry peas, beans or peanut butter!; two or more kinds of vegetables or fruits; */» slice of bread, and *A cup of milk. Reimbursement for the above meals would be 23.75c for breakfast and 42.25c for lunch. A day care mother can receive 91.37‘A for breakfast, lunch, dinner and two snacks. The average would be from $20 to $25 per month per child. An example of a typical day care parent receiving reimbursement through NOCC is Mrs. Jones who cares for six Black ;tarents gathered to discuss their concerns with staff from Lincoln High School. Lincoln Principal Mike .irogram. Lincoln staff moots Black parents on own ground Administrative staff from Lincoln High School, Black parents and students met last week in what was billed as the first time that a Portland High School staff came to the Black community. The purpose of the meeting was to explain the school's programs and to obtain parent cooperation in the education effort. Ninety-one Black students are a part of the 1,050 member Lincoln student body. Most of these students live in the Albina area and attend Lincoln through admini strative transfer. years. • Black male students have a high drop-out rate. • Students appear to be in the hallway and bathrooms when they should be in class. • Black students are not made aware of special programs. • Black students are not enrolled in the "International Studies" magnet pro gram. • Black students do not participate in student council and other student body organizations. There is no Black student body officer. • There is no opportunity for participa tion in after school and evening social and cultural events because of transportation problems. • Nothing is done by the school to make Black students feel part of Lincoln. • There are no classes in Black studies to teach Black students (and the student body) their heritage and value. • Disciplinary problems are handled more severely when involving Black students. • Racial problems that do exist are not dealt with openly and frankly. Few Black graduates go to college children. Mrs. Jones is on Social Secu rity, based on her husband's death, so feeding six children was difficult and cut deeply into her earnings. Now she not only receives the reimbursement for the six day care children, but for her own elementary school child who has his meals with the day care children. Day care mothers can receive reim- Principal Mike Rumpakis explained ment for two of their own children, that the school has made great progress providing these children are part of the in its race relations and that the staff is day care group and eat their meals with dedicated, but we “want to bring in the the day care children. This insures that parents to help children get the most the cost of providing more nutritious benefit...we want to be partners...we meals for the day care children does not want to ask what should we do.” increase the cost of feeding her own Parents and students expressed ser children. ious concerns about discrimination on the NOCC provides information on nutri part of some faculty members and of tion and schedules nutrition workshops overall neglect of Black students. Some for day care mothers. “An integral part of the problems expressed by students of the program is education -- teaching and parents were: families to provide better meals. I have • Only nine of the nineteen Black learned a lot myself since we have been seniors will graduate in June. Thirteen of monitoring menus and providing infor the seniors have been at Lincoln for four mation on nutrition. I have become more aware of what I am feeding my own child," Mrs. Bryant said. “We also send information in our newsletter to help parents coordinate their own menus with Kv Allison Alliwnn Fvff» «-I . ■ by Fyfe the diet the children are receiving in day Ganter emphasized Nickelberry's in care." volvement with union and craft activities. Claudius Nickelberry recently became “It is so important," he said, “for minority the first Black to complete the Brick folk to participate in union meetings.” layer's Apprenticeship Program. Nickel Completing the Apprenticeship program berry, described by Charles Ganter, and getting a job is not enough. Minority Director of Department of Labor's Ap workers must stay involved with the prenticeship and Training programs, as organizations which affect their liveli doing “an outstanding job" exemplifies hood, he said. the success Ganter hopes will become Ganter specified the individual unions commonplace for minority workers. and the Apprenticeship programs as the organizations where minority workers (60-70 percent of Lincoln’s graduates attend college). • There is a need for recognition of Black students who do excell. One young lady explained to her mother that Black students who are friends at school have no opportunity to socialize at school except in the halls or bathroom. "We go in the bathroom so we can talk about what we want to talk about." These students live in different neighborhoods so cannot get together after school either. Other students gave examples of how they felt a particular teacher had "picked on" them in class. The staff related other concerns: • Many Black students arrive at Lin coin with deficiencies in basic skills and with “learning problems.” • Many Black students have atten dance problems. • Black students lack interest in col lege and do not prepare by taking advanced classes or completing SAT tests. Those present agreed to meet again in an effort to find answers to some of the problems. Nickelberry completes bricklayer apprenticeship a United Way volunteer weighs program expense Kay Sohl believes smaller is better. When she finishes her studies at PSU to become a Certified Public Accountant, she hopes to go into management counsel ing for small businesses. In the meantime, she is keeping her management and budget skills sharp working as a United Way Conference Panel volunteer. She is among the 104 local volunteers who visit agencies, review budgets and programs and make allocation recommen dations. It is their job to see that United Way contributions are spent wisely. Sohl. is serving her third year as a Conference Panel member. From an accountant's perspective, she says, the most important things for her on the budget are personnel costs and the geographic area the agency's services are reaching. Besides her accounting studies, Ms. Sohl works as a technical specialist with Technical Assistance for Community Ser vices. This recently formed agency provides training and some direct assistance to non profit organizations and individuals Rum;mkis explain,, the Lincoln can make changes for their own good. Nickelberry is one who is doing just that, he said. The Bricklayers Apprenticeship pro gram is a four-year work and study effort. Apprentices complete 144 hours of study each year, usually two night sessions of two hours each per week. A pre apprenticeship program is also offer ed. This is an eight week course and prepares apprenticeship hopefuls for the full program. Legal aid plans job discrimination unit Mrs. Kay Sohl. United Way volunteer, visiu day care center to view program first-hand before making funding derisions. who are trying to set up their own business. Ms. Sohl has been associated with United Way for several years. In 1972, she helped prepare the groundwork required to have Day Care Center in north admitted as a member agency Way. She remains on the (Please turn to page 2 col. 4) St. John's Portland of United board of Legal Aid Service made a major policy change recently in deciding to accept cases of discrimination in employment. The decision was made at a Board of Trustees meeting on January 7th, accord ing to J. Richard Forester of I,egal Aid Service. Forester anticipates the ap proved Discrimination Unit will be opera tional in July. Previously Ix*gal Aid had not accepted cases of employment discrimination by race or sex. These cases were referred to private attorneys or to the Civil Rights Division of the Oregon State Bureau of Labor. I^egal Aid, however, has determined that the legal needs of the financially poor are not adequately provided by the private bar or by the Bureau of I^bor. Ih-ivate attorneys, according to Fo rester, are reluctant to accept poor clients. The reason for this, he says, are that discrimination cases are complex and costly to investigate and that the attor ney must invest considerable time and money into the investigation before he can accurately evaluate the case's merits. The Bureau of I,abor. according to Ix*gal Aid Service's findings, does not genuinely represent a client who files a discrimination suit and who is not repre sented by a private attorney. Instead, the Bureau acts as an arbitrator and seeks a settlement. This leaves the Bureau’s client, the complainant, without legal representation while the organiza tion or person against whom the com plaint is made, usually an employer, is represented by its attorney or attorneys. Legal Aid is also critical of the inability of the Bureau of l,abor and the Attorney General's Office to process discrimination complaints in a timely manner. It notes that the average time for the processing of a successful complaint is between four and six years. Currently. Legal Aid is representing clients who have brought a class action complaint against the Bureau of I^bor and the Attorney General's Office. This complaint specifies that the right of due process of law is being denied to persons who charge discrimination in employ ment. Funding for the Discrimination Unit, which initially will consist of four per sons, will be around $70.000 for its first year. According to Forester, this money will come primarily from funds previous ly allocated to the Consumer U w Unit of Legal Aid. The activities of the Con sumer Law Unit, he said, will be lessened considerably. Innovative school proves ghetto children can learn by Pat Roberto OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA - A pace setting private elementary school which has provided first rate educations to some of this city's poorest children and high acclaim to the Black Panther Party which runs it is facing an uncertain future as a result of charges of attempted murder, extortion and fraud brought against party members. The allegations, some believe, may threaten the survival of the Black Panther Party itself. The accusations, including welfare fraud, extortion and two shootings sup posedly connected with the murder trial of Panther leader Huey Newton, have already created a breach between the school and public officials such as Oakland Mayor Lionel Wilson, who recently re signed from the school's board. Yet, while officialdom is maintaining a discreet distance from all Panther activi ties, the school's grassroots support in this predominantly non white city of 328,000 has grown even more loyal. "I go down there and I see for myself the love and concern they have for the children," said one mother. "Why should I care who runs it or what is being said about them?" You read that the Panthers did this or they did that," said another mother whose two daughters attend the school. Then you turn around and see all the good things they do and the progress these children are making." If reading and math scores and a demanding curriculum are indications, the progress of the Oakland Community Sch<x>l s 150 two and a half to 12-year old students is remarkable. Children enrolled in the program from the start consistently score one to two years beyond grade level on the Compre hensive Test of Basic Skills, which the school administers at the beginning and end of each year, Transfer students from the Oakland Public Schools, where stu dents score among the worst in the state and the nation in reading, usually reach grade level in two years' time. The staff, who devised the curriculum and plan to market it, feel the achieve ments of their students are small cause to marvel. This is ordinary everyday stuff," said Carol Granison. language arts director and former staffer for Scholastic maga zine. For a child to learn is as inevitable as breathing. What is extraordinary is the millions of kids who learn nothing sitting in public school classrooms." What is also extraordinary is the number of services and the amount of attention available to students at the school. The staff consists of sixteen full time teachers; fourteen Black and two whites. Class sizes vary from seven to twelve students, as compared to the public school average of 28. The school provides before and after school child rare, three hot meals a day. complete medical and dental treatment and overnight care at a Panther run dormitory when parents request it. All of this is free to parents who cannot afford the $25 a month tuition. And most parents are single mothers who cannot. It costs the school about $30,000 a month to provide the services and pay salaries, with the money coming from a variety of grants, public food programs and private contributions, "We do everything for our children," said Ericka Huggins, director of the school. "We see to it they have their meals, that their noses are wiped and that they are feeling okay." All of this adds up to an exceptionally heavy workload for the teachers, three quarters of whom are credentialed in structors with public school experience. At OCS they earn a flat $800 a month, or an average of $300 a month less than their public school counterparts. Most feel that the chance to work with small classes and the freedom from bureau cracy is ample compensation for the difference in pay. But even with these advantages the work is rigorous. Teachers work eight to ten hours a day, including supervising children before and after school. They rotate breakfast, lunch and dinner duty, often serving the children and eating with them. They must also write brief weekly progress reports on every child they teach. And they are responsible to the other teachers if their homeroom students fail to turn in assignments. At weekly faculty meetings, teachers and staff discuss the behavior and aca demic performance of individual children and plan strategies for improvement. A certain singularity of purpose the welfare of children pervades. "Sure we sympathize with public school teachers who say they need more pay and better working conditions," said OCS curriculum coordinator Dr. Bill Moore "But if you want those things, show us where your children are pro gressing and show us where they ure not shooting up on drugs or drinking alcohol or tricking in the hallways. Because if you are a teacher, these things are your responsibility, too." There is an added dimension to the teaching zeal at the Oakland Community School: The majority of teachers and administrators are members of the Black Panther Party. With their social, politi cal and professional lives largely fix-used on the school, they form the core of a crucial alliance between faculty, parents and community resource people. I hese people are visionaries without any economic motives," said one ob server. "For the sake of that vision they have learned to fit into any structure that exists. I hey know how to organize, to get projects funded. Whatever it takes." Non party members at the school praise the party for its idealism but insist they see little influence emanating from a Panther ideology. "What binds us as a group is our commitments to the same goal, not politics, said mathematics teacher Jackie Nado. "We are working together to educate children so they ran analyze and make choices. There is nothing more exciting." Besides the dedication of teachers, Director Huggins says a crucial element in the school’s success is the heavy involvement of parents, who are asked to work twelve hours a month as classroom aides, cafeteria workers or office person nel at the school in lieu of tuition. Family members are encouraged to participate in Panther run teen projects and adult education courses at the school. In this way, the staff has constant contact with the parents and siblings of their students. "Without prying, we try to know as much as we can about a child's home environment and we don’t hesitate to make suggestions when we feel a change is needed." Huggins said. For example, one four year old girl, labeled autistic by a county psychologist, had seen her parents fighting constantly, at times threatening each other with guns. I hat situation could not be improved. So we explained to the mother how deeply her child was being hurt and urged her to move," said Huggins. “She did, and the girl started to talk and later to read as much as any child." Since ghetto children rarely have any alternative to the local public school, parents whose children go to OCS ex I Please turn to Page 6 Column 11
