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
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