Mrs Frane«« Schoen-Nenapaper Roos
U n iv e rs ity o f Oregon L ib ra ry
tugene, Oregon 97403
Court recommends against CR suit
PORTLAND
OBSERVER
V
Volume 8 No, 16
Thursday, April IS, 1978
10c par espy
Police to continue prostitution crackdown
The Northeast Precinct Council, head
ed by Bob Phillips, clcoely questioned
police officers Tuesday night regarding
the recent operation against prostitutes.
Officer Verry explained that there had
been many complaints from residents and
business men about the girls on Union
Avenue. Also, women had complained
about the large numbers of men stopping
them assuming they were prostitutes.
The police department. North Precinct,
recently used two female police officers
to catch men. On the first night they
arrested eighteen men and found that all
but two lived in other parts of the city.
On the second "raid" they invited mem
bers of the press along so the identities of
the men would be publicized.
Verry denied that "entrapment" is
being used. He defined entrapment as
"making somebody do something he
wouldn't otherwise do."
He expressed concern that the courts
are lenient with prostitutes. The women
are usually released on bail within a few
hours and are given a small fine and
probation. There is usually no jail time
until the third or fourth arrest.
The decision to arrest the male cus
tomers with publicity was “a partial
solution. There is never a total solution
to prostitution "
Citizens complained that arresting
prostitutes and their customers on Union
Avenue has driven them into the neigh
borhoods. "The girls are standing on
Grand Avenue instead of Union and their
customers are harassing young high
school girls on their way to school."
The police crackdown has also brought
the prostitutes out on the streets from
9:00 a.ra. to 3:00 p.m., they clear the
streets before the 4:00 p.m. patrol begins.
They also have moved South of Fremont
into East Precinct.
Captain McCabe explained that the
problem moves from area to area,
depending on who is having firm law
enforcement.
When the police begin
arresting downtown, prostitutes move to
Albina.
A crackdown on one street
moves them to another. I f the word gets
out that Portland, or Seattle, or San
Francisco is arresting - many move
temporarily to another city.
McCabe's answer is stronger punish
ment. " If we could get them in jail th irty
days on the first time, sixty days the
second time, they would leave. I t you
really want to clean up the streets get the
courts to put them in jail where they
belong and you will take the profit out gf
it."
Suggestions were made that legisla
tion would control prostitution as to the
areas of the city involved and avoid the
harassment of women by men seeking
prostitutes. Other solutions offered were
counseling, job training and other ser
vices to prostitutes, especially young
girls, to encourage them to leave the
profession. McCabe explained that the
cutback of Multnomah County funds for
the juvenile court destroyed the counsel
ing services available to juveniles so that
most teenagers who are picked up for
prostitution receive no services.
The current police plan is to continue
the arrests, particularly of male custom
ers, in an effort to drive them from the
streets.
U.S. Magistrate George Juba haa rec
ommended dismissal of a federal suit filed
by Carol Bryant and Carolyn Smith
against Labor Commissioner Bill Steven
son. Attorney General James Redden,
and Assistant Attorney General Victor
Levy. The suit charged willful neglect of
the officials' duty to investigate and
settle civil rights complaints in a timely
manner.
The recommendation is not binding
unless signed by a federal judge.
The plaintiffs, who are represented by
Legal Aid and the American Civil Liber
ties Union, have been joined by thirteen
others who have filed complaints with the
Civil Rights Bureau and who are dissatis
fied with the lack of response.
Responding to a motion by the defend-
enta for dismissal, Juba found that there
is no due process violation if the state
fails to act. There are three federal acts
allowing deferral of civil rights com
plaints from the federal to the state
agencies, but "there is no statuatory
entitlem ent. . . and, thus, no due process
violation when the state fails to act upon
deferral.”
"Even if the state does nothing, the
plaintiffs cannot claim a due process
violation because no process by the state,
under federal law. was due them." Juba
found that the state law gives the Labor
Commissioner “discretion to attempt set
tlement of civil rights complaints by
concilliation."
The plaintiffs had also charged lack of
equal protection, stating that certain
other cases handled by the Labor Bureau
- wage and hour cases - received more
prompt attention than civil rights cases.
Juba found that for the federal court to
require identical treatm ent of all com
plaints would be "an officious intermed
dling into the state's task of allocating its
limited resources and administering its
agencies the way it sees fit."
Although the 1977 contract between
the federal Equal Employment Oppor
tunity Commission and the Labor Bureau
obligated the state to process complaints,
Juba said the plaintiffs have no cause of
action on that ground because Congress
intended EEOC to terminate contracts
when they were not carried out.
The suit filed last fall is the culmination
of dissatisfaction with the time involved
in the resolution of civil rights cases.
When Stevenson took over the Labor
Stevenson claims that much progress
with a large backlog of civil rights cases.
Stevensons claims that much progress
has been made, that old cases have been
disposed of and investigation of new
cases can begin in about 45 days, but he
considers the two and one-half years or
more involved in concluding a case much
too long.
Some members of the Black community
accuse Stevenson of failing to make civil
rights a high priority and of failing to
bring about proper adminstration of that
department.
In December, following the filing of the
suit, Stevenson and Redden requested
additional funds from the Emergency
Board. Stevenson asked the E Board to
determine the length of time that should
be involved and to fund the agency
accordingly. The E Board selected a *360
day cycle" with a budget of $571,035
rather than the 180 day cycle Stevenson
requested.
Legal Aid has ten days in which to file
an objection to Juba's findings.
School district raises AYOS budget, funds community school
Several hundred spectators crowded
into the Portland Public Schools admini
stration building as the Board addressed
emotional issues.
A large percentage of the crowd were
Benson High School supporters who had
come to protest the transfer of their
principal. Harold Anderson, from the
school and what they predict as the
resulting "deterioration" of the school.
Anderson has been at Benson, reputed to
be one of the nation's finest technical high
schools, for 21 ye a n .
The parent and community charges
were that Anderson, a former journey
man carpenter and contractor, is espe
cially qualified to lead a technical school;
v. that he has set aa atmosphere of disc»
- pHne and education T a c liig - fif o t M f "
Portland High Schools; that the Incoming
principal. Davis Wieoecke of Roosevelt is
unqualified, that the merger of Washing
tan and Monroe, with some exchange
with Benson, arili lower standards at
Benson. Some speakers expressed then-
opinion that Anderson's move was the
result of his lack of enthusiasm over the
funding the Community School which
had been funded in the past but was
cut from the 1977-1978 budget. Superin
tendent Blanchard recommended no
funding.
The school enrolls forty to fifty elemen
tary school children.
Dr. Blanchard
contends that these children could be
served by the public schools and that
school district funding should be restrict
ed to programs for students who cannot
adjust to public high schools.
During the discussion over whether
the Community School students could be
served by school district programs, sev
eral parents told how their children’s
problem in public school were alleviated
after transferring to Community. Ms.
Lenora Secuniar told bow her fourth
grader was withdrawn in public school
but did well in Community.
Mrs. Louise Coleman said her ten year
old child, whom she described as emo
tionally upset, refused to leave the Ockly
Green Elementary School building, the
police handcuffed her, drug her away and
took her to W averly Children's Home.
This child also has been successful at
merger.
The only School Board member to
defend Superintendent Blanchard's deci
sion to move Anderson was W ally Priest
ley. who told the citizens that although
the Board has given D r. Blanchard the
responsibility for staff assignments, any
opposition or antagonism should be di
rected at the Board rather than at
Blanchard.
The Board is ultimately
responsible for the Superintendent's de
cisions.
Another large contingent was in atten
dance in behalf of private alternative
«bools that are partially funded by the
school district. To receive funding these
schools must serve children who cannot
benefit from programs offered by the
public schools.
Superintendent Blanchard had recom
mended $18,350 each for Lents Educa
tional Center and Open Meadow School
and $33,300 for Albina Youth Opportu
nity School. The board voted to increase
these amounts to $19,500 for the first two
schools and $47,300 to Albina Youth
Opportunity School.
The difference of opinion was over
Community School.
Voting to fund the school with $10,000
were Robert Ridgeley, Frank McNamara
mara, W ally Priestley. Opposed were
Jonathan Newman, Beverly York, and
Phylis W einer. Gladys McCoy favored
funding the $10,000, having individual
children tested for eligibility for federal
funds for the emotionally handicapped,
then deducting any funds received from
the $10,000.
When this option was
opposed by Dr. Blanchard and Jonathan
Newman for possible legal complications,
4te voted, for the $10,000 funding.
The Community fihool, now located at
109 N .E . 50th Avenue was founded in the
Albina area ans was for some time
located at Highland United Church ol
Christ.
Spring means high sc k ssl track. Jacqoie WflHama, Madison junior, soars over the
hurdles in an easy win. Jackquie came in first in the 100 hardies at 16.0, the 200
hurdles a t 30.1 and won the long jump w ith a 16-4 leap in the dual moot with Grant.
Seniors ask new sponsor
Nickerson explains program shortcomings, goals
by Den Fuller
The Portland Office Urban League
Acting Director, Nate Nickerson, has
indicated that the day of direct services
program are finished, and the Black poor
must develop creative alternatives that
meet their needs with available resources
of the community.
Referring to the
Senior Service Center on Union Avenue,
Nickerson said that “...It’s nice to advo
cate for more services but the cost is not
figured from available resources.” Ac
cording to Nickerson, the real villains are
inflation and unemployment.
Admitting that the senior program is
not offering the services it did under
Model Cities, the recently appointed
acting head of Urban Leagues’ main office
in Portland added that more bureaucratic
layers have been added under the reve
nue sharing initiated by Nixon, “...but
none of them (state, county or city
governments) wants to be responsible for
the 'nitty g ritty ’ service delivery. They
compete for the funds, and there are
more funds, but inflation and the admini
strative costs involved in 'local control'
mean less money and therefore less
service. I'm not blaming the politicians,"
said Nickerson. " It ’s not (only) their fault.
The public needs to know; the cost of
services is taxes."
Asked about the impact of the federal
programs that initiated many services to
the poor for a few years, and then
* • 7 Srk ns (bis to the w w elected chairman «4 the Urban Leagne el Portland Beard
ef D iraderà.
Schaaiblu leads Urban League
The Urban league of Portland elected
Roy Schnaible 1978 president at their
April 6th annual meeting. He replaced
Geraldine Christian. 1977 president.
Schnaible, Pacific Northwest Bell Port
land division manager, has served on the
Urban league board of directors since
1974, most recently as treasurer.
He is also on the board of directors for
Portland Junior Achievement and the
United Cerebral Patoey Association of
Oregon.
In addition he is associate
director of the Portland Rose Festival
Association and a member of the City of
Portland C E T A Advisory Council.
The Urban League sponsors programs
for minority employment, youth counsel
ing, education and elderly services includ
ing the Albina Senior Services Center. It
is funded by Urban league member
contributions, United Way, various trust
funds and state and federal grants.
Schnaible said the League is currently
looking nationwide for a new director to
replace James Brooks who resigned
earlier this year.
i
abruptly got cut, the League chief be
came more animated. “These programs
(Model Cities) have been raising the
expectations of people and providing
short term relief without the long term
resource planning for efficient develop
ment and transition to local sources
of...private industry.” While refusing to
comment on what he considers “...an
internal personnel m atter.” Nickerson
did say (in reference to the article which
appeared in the Portland Observer on
3/30/78, citing rumors of M r. Ruther
ford's forced retirement) that “the direc
tor of the Union Avenue Senior Service
Center and his (his) board have a right to
say whatever they want,” But that...“He
(M r. Rutherford) has not been forced to
do anything.”
Rutherford, who haa been asked by
Nickerson to resign from directorship of
the Senior Adult Service Center, said hia
termination date is still April 15th. The
Center's Board has written to the City
requesting that it no longer be sponsored
by the Urban League.
Reflecting on his career, Nickerson,
who left Denver, Colorado to attend
school in Texas, has been involved with
the Urban League in this city since 1963.
Asked if the position of Executive Direc
tor had been opened for application,
Nickerson said, “Yes and nationally circu
lated.” Indicating that he intends to
apply for the position, the interim direc
tor outlined the sources and programs of
MHRC forms Mediation Unit
The Metropolitan Human Relations
Commission has received funding for a
Neighborhood Mediation Project - the
first of its kind in this area.
Initially there will be three Mediation
Centers serving North Portland, North
east (186 to 33rd Avenue and Columbia to
Broadway) and far Southeast.
Mediation is defined as “a process by
which disputing parties air grievances in
the presence erf each other in a controlled
manner." The problems to be addressed
include neighbor to neighbor disputes -
simple assault, tresspass, menacing, har
assment. animal problems, and other
conflicts that disrupt neighborhoods. The
object is to settle disputes before law
enforcement officers have to become
involved.
The centers will be staffed by five paid
persons and nine community volunteers.
Staff and volunteers will receive special
training. The general procedure will be
that when a complaint is received, a staff
member will talk with the parties involv
ed. In about half of the cases the problem
can be solved in the first meeting.
In more severe disputes, usually those
of long duration, a hearing might be
required. In that case the community
volunteers would become involved. These
people will be form the community and
will understand how dispute* affect the
community, so hopefully they can bring
about a compromise that will bring
neighbors together.
The project is expected to get under
way in late May.
I
the Urban League as being primarily
United W ay, Area Agency on Aging, The
Department of Labor, and other private
sources. The goals of the programs have
undergone change over the years depend
ing on the guidelines, but population
increases and the other villain, inflation,
have meant that direct services and
salaries were cut. “The present functions
of the Senior Service Center for example,
are presently case planning and informa
tion and referral but not direct services
because we simply don't have the mo
ney."
In the future. Nickerson says that
development for the elderly must encour
age and support the extended family
traditions of the Black community, to
make direct services a family affair.
Suggesting neighborhood concern; tax
incentives to families to provide for their
elders; and family counseling on the
benefits of returning to the traditions
which have their roots in African culture,
Nickerson said that he prefers these to
other “...risky and unproven alterna
tives."
According to Nickerson, the
answer lies in “...more community con
cern, more unity, more humanism and
more collective efforts.”
Nationally there has to be a commit
ment to a decrease in unemployment or
an increase in income security for those
who are willing and able to work. Full
employment is not inflationary. There
should be more protest of that kind of
thinking. “But the issue,” says Nicker
son, “is who is going to be that four and
one half or five or six percent acceptable
for unemployment figures? Even if that
group died or somehow went away, there
would have to be another group or this
system would not be able to work. It's
Black people now and that’s my concern.".
T H E W H IT E HOUSE
W A S H IN G T O N
F A IR H O U S IN G M O N TH . 1978
Discrimination in housing is forbidden by Title V I II of the 1968 Civil Rights Act, the
National Fair Housing Law. Freedom in the choice of housing is a promise deeply
rooted in American history and tradition.
Yet, today, ten years after passage of the National Fair Housing Law, many
Americans still experience discrimination when they attempt to purchase or rent or
finance a home or apartment for themselves or their family. Some of us - whether
through fear or prejudice or superstition or through plain selfishness - still attempt to
limit the freedom of other Americans.
Unless we can overcome these limitations, we will be unable to meet the challenges
we face as a people. The denial of equal housing opportunity is a serious impediment
to the cooperative, harmonious sense of community and brotherhood we need to meet
our problems head on.
Aa we commemorate thia tenth anniversary of the passage of the National Fair
Housing Law, I call upon those in Federal, State and local government - and all who
are directly involved in the housing industry and real estate profession - to intensify
those efforts that promote fair housing. I hope this step will be followed by
like-minded actions on the part of all Americana. The freedoms that we believe in,
enjoy and benefit from cannot be secure unless they are shared by all Americans. As
long as equal opportunity ia denied to one person, the promise of equality for ail will be
unfulfilled.
During this April commemoration of Fair Housing Month, let ua not just celebrate
the passage of a benchmark law, but let us determine to put fully into practice the
principles for which it stands. Let us make ourselves aware of the ways in which this
law applies to us and to our communities. And let us earnestly examine both personal
and professional attitudes that might be a barrier to equal opportunity for others.
Nothing could be more important to the future of our society.
Jimmy Carter
t