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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (March 16, 1978)
Page - Portland ttlvM-rvc" Thursday. March hi, 1976 Civil Rights-National Policy We see the world by Yeruon Jordan through Black eyes If you’re Black, stand back. . . There still is m uch co ntrove rsy o ve r th e o ffic ia tin g at the Jeffe rso n-P a rkro se A A A to u rn a m e n t g a m e , in w h ic h an unu sua l n u m b e r o f fo u ls w e re c a lle d on Je ffe rso n , as co m p a re d to those c a lle d a ga in st Parkrose. The sports w rite rs a re p ra is in g th e o ffic ia ls a n d d is c o u n tin g a n y racism in the d is p a rity , but J e ffe rso n coach B o b b ie H arris c a lle d th e o ffic ia tin g "o n e - s id e d " a n d w e h ave to g o a lo n g w ith Harris. It does seem u n b e lie v a b le e v e n in a state w h e re Blacks are syste m a tica lly d e n ie d e m p lo y m e n t a nd o th e r baste rights, th a t racism w o u ld e n te r a h ig h school b a ske tb a ll to u rn a m e n t — th a t a d u lts w o u ld u n fa irly d e n y yo u n g p e o p le th e re w a rd s th ey dese rve But it is easy to b e lie v e w h e n w e re p e a te d ly see in ju s tic e done, e v e n to Little League te am s — w h e re Black ch ild re n not o n ly h ave to fa c e th e ra c ia l slurs o f th e o pp osing p la ye rs, coaches, a n d th e ir fans — b ut h ave to e n d u re h a v in g th e ir g a m e sto len by o b vio u sly u n fa ir re fe ree s. N o w it is n ot h a rd to b e lie v e th a t a re fe re e w o u ld g iv e a w h ite b o y th e b e n e fit o f th e d o u b t or th a t the e n tire sports e s ta b lis h m e n t w o u ld w a tc h a n d refuse to see Support miner’s strike M ost w esterne rs h ave little id e a o f th e co n d itio n s u nd er w h ich e aste rn coal m in e rs m ust w o rk . The c u rre n t strike, n o w passing th e 100 d a y m a rk , is not so m uch th e re s u lt o f lo w w a g e s as it is d a n g e ro u s w o rk in g co n d itio n s. The m in e rs, w h o h a ve refu sed to obey th e Presidents T a ft-H a rtle y in ju n c tio n o rd e r ing th e m back to w o rk fo r a " c o o lin g - o ff " p e rio d , are h o ld in g o u t fo r b e tte r sa fe ty standards, h e a lth b e n e fits a nd pensions. W h a t is n o t k n o w n to m ost o f those w h o w o u ld c riticize the m in e rs is th a t th e y w o rk d e e p in th e e a rth in caverns n o m o re th a n th re e fe e t h ig h . This m eans th a t th e y rea ch th e ir p la c e o f w o rk by rid in g fla t on th e ir stom achs on ra il cars as fa r as fiv e m ile s in to the g ro u n d , th e n w o rk fo r e ig h t hours on th e ir hands a n d knees. N ot o n ly is th is b a c k -b re a k in g w o rk a t its best, b u t th e tu n n e ls in w h ic h th e y w o rk a re o fte n not sa fe because th e m in e o w n e rs chose n ot to cu t in to th e ir p ro fits b y p ro v id in g p ro p e r safety assurances. O f course once a c a v e -in or e x p lo s io n occurs escape is n e a rly im p o s s ib le . A side fro m th e e v e r p re sen t d a n g e r o f cave-ins, e x p lo sio n , or in ju ry in the process o f w o rk , the m en b re a th coal dust a ll d a y, ca using a h ig h p e rc e n ta g e o f d e a th a nd d is a b ility fro m " b la c k lu n g ." The m iners w a n t th e ir h e a lth insu ra n ce p a id fo r b y th e co m p an y a n d th ey w a n t b e tte r p ensions fo r those w h o a re a lre a d y d is a b le d or re tire d . That does not seem to o m uch to ask a n d is no m ore th a n m a n y e m p lo y e e s w ith m uch less h aza rd ou s |obs a lre a d y get. The m in e rs also w a n t th e rig h t to le a v e a n u nsa fe m in e w ith o u t b e in g su b je ct to p u n is h m e n t by th e ir e m p lo ye e s. B e fo re you c ritic iz e th e s trik in g m in ers, th in k a b o u t sp e n d in g e v e ry d a y w o rk in g in a s m a ll, h o t h o le m iles u n d e r th e g ro u n d a n d co n sid e r w h a t k in d o f pay you w o u ld ask. ^MtllM '?<Ml 0^ Vuu Inside classrooms ta ken fro m The O re g o n ia n It's a ra re occasion w h e n a p a re n t can spend som e tim e in s id e a classroom to o bserve h o w P o rtla n d 's c h ild re n a re le a rn in g a n d b e in g ta u g h t. It's n ot th a t the schools d o n 't o ffe r th e o p p o rtu n ity — in fa c t, th ey e n c o u ra g e it — b ut p aren ts a n d o th e r ta xp a ye rs d o n 't have or w o n 't ta k e th e tim e . The O re g o n ia n 's e d u c a tio n w rite r, H u n tly C o llin s, a seasoned re p o rte r w h o a lso h olds te a c h in g cre d e n tia ls , d id ta ke th e tim e a n d ca m e up w ith a se ve n -p a rt senes th a t shared w ith re a de rs th e p rid e and p ro b le m s th e cares a n d concerns o f teachers, a d m in is tra to rs a n d th e students. It w as a d e e p , fa ir a nd a c cu ra te loo k th a t sh o u ld n ot h a v e bee n m issed. R eporter C o llin s lo o k e d a t C reston School p a rtic u la rly, its h a n d lin g o f d is c ip lin e , th e h a n d ic a p p e d , fo re ig n students, s lo w le a rn e rs a n d h ig h a ch ie ve rs, th ro u g h th e eyes o f th e fa c u lty , th e a d m in is tra tio n , the c h ild re n a nd th ro u g h her o w n e x p e rie n c e s . She took th e re a d e r d e e p in to th e le a rn in g e x p e rie n c e o f one P o rtla n d e le m e n ta ry sch oo l, b ut w h a t she re p o rte d te lls m uch o f a ll P o rtlan d schools. There h a v e b e e n rep orts o f som e m id d le -m a n a g e m en t "h a s s lin g " o f som e persons w h o g a v e fra n k a pp ra isals a n d c o m m e n ts a b o u t th e p ro g ra m s a nd w h o w e re q u o te d in th e a rticles. But th e re sh o u ld not be such hassling. The School B oard a n d h ig h e st le v e l o f school d is tric t a d m in is tra tio n is w e ll a w a re o f th e v a lu e o f an honest a p p ra is a l o f schools and» th e ir p ro b le m s . S tiflin g criticism o n ly h ides p ro b le m s that m ig h t be re s o lv e d if discussed o p e n ly . The p u b lic w o u ld n o t s w a llo w a p u ffe d -u p re p o rt on schools. A d m in is tra to rs , teachers, students, parents a n d ta x p a y e rs in g e n e ra l can o n ly b e n e fit fro m a d e e p a nd hon est loo k in sid e the classroom s, such as C o llin s has ta k e n a n d d escrib e d. Recently questions have been raised about the propriety of civil rights leaders taking positions on such issues as energy, tax policy, housing policy, and many others. Some people think Blacks should stick to "pure” civil rights issues and leave the others to those supposedly more capable of dealing with them. That view not only smacks of racism in its patronizing attitude toward Blacks, but it also neglects the disproportionate Black stake in many national issues. And it neglects the fart the civil rights movement of the 60s was just as concern ed about issues like jobs the 1963 March on Washington was for ‘Jobs and Free dom,- though many people prefer to forget that. Once many overtly discriminatory bar riers were lowered, thanks to Black protest that led to civil rights laws, judicial decisions, and executive orders, we could concentrate on the basic goal of achieving Black equality in the realities of American life. And that is why civil rights leaders in the 1970s are so concerned with jobs and urban policies. Some people think that makes Blacks no different from other interest groups. But they're wrong. We are different because we bring a specifi rally Black viewpoint to the issues, a viewpoint all the more needed because ; conventional general answers to national problems would just perpetuate Black disadvantage. The issue of unemployment is a good example of this. Officials and economists are talking as if unemployment is no longer a mayor problem any more. The official overall rate is down to 6.3 percent, a big improvement over the double digit johlessnesss of a couple of years ago But the Black rate isn't getting better at all. In fact, while while unemployment declined in the past year. Black jobless ness actually rose! So while while Americans talk about economic recovery, who but Black leadership should maintain concern about what is a Depression for Black people? Llrban policy is another issue that needs a Black perspective. Most Blacks live in cities. But many urban experts are coming up with plans for revitalizing cities by attracting the while middle class back. And they say not a word about the Black urban poor who would be bulldozed out of their homes. Who but Black leadership talks about revitalizing the cities by revitalizing their economics to help the poor? Taxes are yet another example. There’s plenty of support for the pro posed tax cut but no one, other than Blacks and their allies, seem concerned about the investment tax credit proposal for new plants. There's one item that by itself could wipe out the benefits of any urban policy that's developed because it would give companies a financial incen live to move out of older plants in older cities. In effect, that tax credit proposal would result in a federal subsidy to increase Black unemployment. If Black leadership didn't got involved in such issues traditionally reserved for business and political leaders, we'd he failing our constituents, whose livelihisid depends on federal economic policies to a greater extent than do most whiles. Civil rights doesn't take place in a vacumn. Thai's why Black civil rights agencies and leaders are coming forward to lake positions on a multitude of issues that have a disproportionate impart on Black people. And those current efforts are a logical outcome of the struggles of the 1960s for basic rights. When a hotel nr a restaur ant has a "Mo Blacks" sign, that’s discrimination. And when far more Blacks than whites can't afford to st.iy in the hotel or eat in the restaurant that's also the result of past and present discriminatory policies. So long as Blacks suffer disproportion ate disadvantages due. in part, to policies that affect them negatively, it will be necessary for civil rights groups to make those policies and issues their mayor con cern. A waring on tuition tax credit by R eiresen tative Shirley Chisholm In the past ten years, the coat of higher education has accelerated at an alarming rate. According to the College Entrance Examination Board, the average annual cost of a public university education increased more than 40 percent in the past five years, from $1,782 to $2.906. The cost of attending a private univer sity went up more than 35 percent from $2,793 to $4,811. Today, middle class families find the cost of sending their children to college almost overwhelming. In other words, the middle class is realizing for the first time what has been a fact of life for many poor and minority group's families for generations: Higher education may become the exclusive privilege of the wealthy unless the federal and state governments can pro vide financial assistance for those costs. In the 60s Congress began providing direct grants for higher education for those families who cannot afford the cost of their children's college education. That program, called Basic Educational Oppor tunity Grants, has been tremendously successful in increasing access to higher education. Now. we find that the middle class is pressuring for their own form of higher education financial aid - they have instituted a massive campaign for a tax credit based on higher education. I believe that this tax credit is an ill-advised way to address the admittedly spiraling cost of higher education. Furth ermore. I oppose it as an inappropriate shift of federal attention away from the neediest segments of our society and towards those who are by any measure we can devise, better able to survive and prosper without this kind of federal support. Not only are middle and upper income families by definition more financially secure than the poor, but the Congres sioual Budget Office reported last sum mer that family income has been keeping up with rising school costs. According to the CBO, median family income rose 72.9 percent between 1976 and 1975, com pared to an increase in college costs during that period of only 65 percent. The tuition tax credit proposal would shift to the taxpayers at large, a major expense for higher education assistance of the middle and upper classes. We have more effective and more appropriate means of responding to the financial pressures middle class families experience due to the cost of higher education. For example, we need a national cooperative effort among col leges and universities, governmental en titles and financial institutions to improve the effective operation of federal student loan programs. As part of the Education Amendments of 1976, Congress enacted many improve ments in the Guaranteed Student Ixuin Program, improvements that were lob bied for heavily by the governmental and private agencies that deal with student loans. In addition, the Department of Health, Education and Welfare has announced a policy of vigorous enforcement against student loan defaulters. Therefore, the time is clearly right for a national effort to improve and expand these programs. We must develop partnerships be tween the government, bankers and higher education so that more private loans are made available and families ran defer payment of education expenses until the student is graduated and is earning sufficient income to repay. HEW has stated that it will propose a massive infusion of new funds into the Basic Educational Opportunity Grants (BEOGI program so that more middle income families will be able to participate in that program. While I understand the rationale for such an approach. 1 cannot endorse any proposal that will shift the focus of the BEOG program from the very needy students it was designed to assist. The federal government's grants pro gram should remain targeted on those who, without such assistance, cannot even hope to enroll in any institution of higher education. JLetiM to tko Zdíoi - T US«<J ~fo l o o k Parent defends W o o d law n school -fo r To the Editor: Portland O bserver Published every Thursday by Exie Publishing Company. 2201 North Killingsworth. Portland, Oregon 97217. Mailing address: P .0. Box 3137. Portland, Oregon 97206. Telephone: 283 2486. Subscriptions: $7.50 per year in the Tri-County area. $8.00 per year outside Portland. Second ( lass Postage Paid at Portland Oregon The Portland Observers official position is expressed only in its Publishers column (We See The World Through Black Eyes I. 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 A L F R E D L HENDERSON Editor/Pubbsher National Advertising R eiresen tative Amalgamated Publishers Inc. New York MÉMSÉP Oregon Newspaper Publishers Association MEMBER Attocuhon - Founded 1st Place Community Service ONPA 1973 1st Place Best Ad Results ONPA 1973 As a Woodlawn resident for 23 years and the parent of a Woodlawn student for the last eighteen years. I feel a need to speak up regarding articles and letters in the Observer about our school. We have some "neat" kids of all races going to Woodlawn. Your articles have been most unfair to all of us. Those I read were written with little or no knowledge of our staff attempts to provide a rewarding experience to all students who might attend our school. You imply our children are freaks and we are crazy. It's a shame you jumped to such a conclusion without even visiting us or hearing first hand about our multi-cultural plan. Frustration! I know the feeling well. When a few Woodlawn residents learned of reorganization plans for the Columbia! King, Vernon and Woodlawn areas, we formed a Concerned Citizen's group. We paid for and distributed notices to all the Woodlawn area. When attendance was poor at the first meeting, we insisted on a notice telling of several meetings at different times. Notices were posted in eight neighborhood churches; we contact ed our Neighborhood Association; wrote letters to the Press and Observer, and conducted a random survey. We felt our community should be aware of the facts and have an opportunity to express their 5th Place Best Editorial NNPA 1973 Honorable Mention Herrick Editorial Award NNA 1973 Different view Sincerely, Noreen Hepp | Editor's Note; Our msition against the Woodlawn iro»osal in no way im.ilies that the school s children or staff are freaks or crazy. We sim.ily believe the >ro »vital to be racist and detrimental J $7»S0 in Tri—County Area $8.00 Other Name To the Editor: 2nd Place Best Editorial 3rd Place (ommunity Leadership ONPA 1975 desires. Our school feeds into both the Jeff and Adams areas. One area had a middle school for us. the other didn't. Due to racial balances many of our minorities would be required to bus elsewhere. We tried desperately to get people to speak up before it was too late. Where were they? Certainly not in large numbers at the meetings. The Area II represents tives were there to answer all questions. And we asked them quite pointedly to make sure it was all in the open. Their absence created the situation they now live with. Therefore, they too must shoulder the blame. I walked from one end of our school's boundary to the other many times, day and night. Why did I knock myself out? My middle school would be Columbia Whitaker, with the program they raved about. My concern for all our children kept me going. And they couldn't even attend a meeting! I believe that you are doing an extra ordinarily good job in covering the crucial developments in Portland and the State. The editorials, the "Sports Talk” by Ron Sykes, and the comments in the "Behind the Wall” column help to see Black developments in Oregon in a different light. Francis H. Shaw Corvallis, Oregon _ AND THE NEWBORN THIS «P A C I COMTNieutlO B * THt PUBLISH«* ___ ____ Address C ity ____________ Observer Box 3137 97208 I I
