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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 24, 1978)
Page 2 Portland Observer Thursday, August 24, 1978 W e see the world through Black eyes Too much power for one Now that the truth has come to light it is evident that Gladys McCoy has taken the leading role in selecting her replacement on the School Board. Ms. McCoy found a candidate, Evie Crowell, asked the candidate to apply and lined up five of the remaining six Board members to vote for her. All of this was prior to the Board knowing who would apply. The Board then went through the farce of seeking candidates, and interviewing candidates when they knew the selection had already been made. Fifteen persons presented themselves to the Board's selection committee in good faith, believing they would be judged according to their character and abilities and what they could offer to the citizens of the district. Fourteen of those candidates had been ruled out even before they applied. It is a disgrace to all of the people of Portland that the School Board would be so arrogant and self-seeking to treat citizens with so little respect. It is an even greater insult to Black citizens, since the School Board had decided it would select a Black candidate. Of course, considering the mentality of the School Board, that choice would not be the Black person who would be most qualified to speak of Black concerns, but it would be the Black person they believed they could manipulate and use. There would be no quarrel with the idea of naming a Black to the School Board if the intent were to get another viewpoint, another perspec tive. There would be no quarrel if that Black per son had the ability and the desire to speak to the issues of special concern to Black students. There would be no quarrel if that person were strong enough to be an advocate for Black children and parents. There would even be no quarrel if the person had been selected fairly, without a pre arranged deal. Although one Black school administrator said, "I want a Black face on the Board; any Black face," most thinking people want a person who is in tune with the community, who can interpret Black perspectives and will fairly represent the special interests of Blacks as well as those of the white community. But has the white press taken the Board to task? No, they have attacked the Black community i0 "leader" because the School Board decided to select a Black. The white press and the entire population of the School District should put an end to this high handed dealing and insist that the School Board members honestly and fairly select the best candidate. Ms. McCoy should release the other members from their obligation to her candidate and allow them to attempt to use their best judgement in the selection if this is still possible. In some parts of the country one or a few selected Black "leaders" have served as brokers, passing out the few benefits white society has to offer. Those Blacks who needed jobs or other favors had to receive them through these per sons. It appears that Portland has reached the state where one Black person can pick and chose who will succeed and who will not. This is not a system that should be allowed to prevail in Portland, but it will take the efforts of the white community as well as the Black to end it. Whites can no loger have such contempt for Blacks that they will deal with one "leader" at the expense of all other individuals. Fauntroy's victory A bill giving the residents of Washington, D.C. voting representatives in the U.S. Senate and the House has passed both bodies of Congress and now needs the approval of thirty-eight states within seven years. The bill, which will bring the right of represen tation to Washington, D.C. residents, has been opposed for many years because of the District's Black population majority and the inevitability that some if not all of its elected representatives will be Black. The passage of this bill is a tribute to Walter Fauntroy, who has been the District's non-voting member of Congress for the last four years. Fauntroy's untiring efforts and his organization of Black support played a leading role in the victory. Perhaps Fauntroy will become the District's first U.S. Senator. He would serve the nation well. because of absence of jobs, and with a minority youth unemployment rate of forty percent, it seems unfair for the government to subsidize ar tists who often have college training and could find employment. It is unfortunate that everyone cannot always work in their chosen field, but perhaps those who have chosen art as their vocation should get another job for a while and continue to pursue their interests in art. On the other hand, the unskilled person does not have a choice. A CETA job to him is the only way he can support himself and his family other than welfare. With the impending shortage of CETA funds and the possibility of lay-off of CETA employees. we must support the original goals of CETA, to employ and train the unemployed in skills which will enable them to make the transition to per manent jobs. 1st Place Community Service ONPA 1973 PORTLAND OBSERVER Published every Thursday by Exie Publishing Company, 2201 North Killingsworlh, Portland, Oregon 97217 Mailing address: P.O. Box JI37, Portland, Oregon 97208. Telephone 283 2486 Subscriptions $7 50 per year in the Tri-County area, outside Portland MOO per year The Portland Observer's official position is expressed only in its Publisher's column (We See The World Through Black byes) Any other material throughout the paper is the opinion of the individual writer or submitter and does not necessarily reflect the opinion o f the Portland Observer National Advartiaing Representative Amalgamated Publishers. Inc. New York / * 5th Place Best Editorial NNPA 1973 2nd Place Best Editorial 3rd Place Community Leadership ONPA 1975 3rd Place Community Leadership ONPA 1978 by Herb L. Cawthorne Some have ve lamented. They think the Bluek people are fighting again. Others have been moved by the recent controversy over an appoint ment to the Board o f Education. And they have begun to search for answers. I assure you there is more to the dispute over the School Board's screening methods than another frac tional fight within the Black com munity. It's much more than that. In the screening process to select an in d ivid u a l to f ill the vacancy created by Ms. Gladys M cC oy’ s resignation from the Board o f E ducation, a controversy which many may not fully understand has developed. I hope you will allow me a chance to explain it. The core of the issue has to do with a process, a candidate, and an ultimate question. Oregon Newspaper Publishers I Association tcH only three finalists from a total list o f sixteen. The fin a lists were Evie Crowell, Father W illiam Wetzel, and Dean Gisvold. The Committee fo r Responsive Leadership, a m ulti-ra cia l group which spent several weeks in te r viewing po te n tia l candidates, challenged the short-sighted process. How could the Board members have given each person a fa ir and reasonable consideration when it did not take enough time to familiarize itse lf w ith the credentials, q u a lific a tio n s , experience, and com m unity support o f each ap plicant? That's a good question — no matter who you may or may not have supported. The process was faulty. elimination was a factor in the con troversy. The ultimate question is an age- old one for Black people. W ill our community continue to sit back and let a handful o f so-called leaders select those who w ill represent us? The question is at the heart o f the present controversy. Some sources assert that Ms. Evie Crowell w ill be selected to the Board and that the entire process has been slanted toward her candidacy. She is the choice o f Ms. M cC oy. It is frustrating to realistically note that any Black individual supported by Ms. M cC oy w ill lik e ly gain the position, and (hat they w ill also likely serve in the same manner as Ms. McCoy. Nothing could be worse for a community interested in im proving the futures of their children through betterment o f the educa tional system in Portland. The question must be faced. Can we remain silent, as our children are shipped all over the city and our schools remain inadequate and our teachers dwindle, while the Board of Education uses a tilted process to select someone who does not have the capacity to address the issues facing the future o f Black education in this city? The candidate supported by the Committee for Responsive Leader ship was Dr. D arrell M illner, an associate professor at Portland State U n ive rsity. D r. M iln e r was recognized by many as one who would have the fortitude to speak to the aspirations o f the Black com munity while he applied his wide educational knowledge toward im provement o f the Portland Public Schools overall for everyone. He was q u ickly elim inated. His rapid The process is one that should in sult the Thinking members o f the Black com m unity. It smacks o f backdoor politics. The sequence o f events confirms this. August 14th was the deadline for applications for all who wished to be considered fo r the position. On August 15th, a screening committee made up o f three members of the Board narrowed the list down to by V'emon Jordan The President o f the United States operates out o f a goldfish bowl — his every move is subject to public scrutiny and criticism. Because the Executive Branch has responsibility for carrying out the laws and for initiating new programs, the White House becomes a lightning rod for critics o f federal policies. Congress managed to escape that kind o f pressure. It’s easier to focus on the lone figure of the President than one 535 Representatives ai^l Senators. But much of what is wrong with the country today can be traced to Congress’ inaction and to its often ffitlous attitude towards the needs of the poor. In the wake o f Vietnam and Watergate there has been a massive shift o f power from the President to the Congress. The loosening of party ties has increased the numbers o f maverick Congressmen answerable only to themselves. And some nominally liberal Congressmen elect ed from more conservative districts a fte r the backlash against the Watergate scandals have abdicated the responsibility to educate their constituents and instead have turned further to the right. This Congress is relatively inex perienced as well. Obsessed by local concerns, many Representatives lack the breadth o f vision to transcend political expedience and act for the benefit o f the whole nation. And many are overly sensitive to single- issue lobbyists, fearing to act right on issues like abortion, gun control tfl PER The same process is behind amend ments that would end federal af firmative action compliance efforts. Congress stripped from poor women the freeom o f choice affluent women have regarding abortions. Il is trying to weaken the Humphrey-Hawkins lull employment bill, which should have been passed intact weeks ago, with amendments that would render it ineffective. While practically every Congress man gives up lip service to the need fo r fiscal responsibility and e ffic ie n t use o f federal funds, Congress refuses to endorse targeting those funds where they’ ll do the most good. The CETA program o f public job- creation is intended for the benefit of the unemployed economically disad vantaged, but it now is primarily a vehicle fo r helping tem porarily jobless better-educated skilled workers, most o f them white males. The Administration wants to target CETA funds to the poor and many Congressmen are resisting. Instead of pulling the teeth o f the tax revolt by reforms that would make the tax system more equitable, Congress is bent on cutting capital gains taxes fo r the affluent and ramming through a tuition tax credit that w ould help relatively few moderate income families. Congress is supposed to be the voice o f the people but his Congress seems to be the captive voice o f special interests and o f forces deter mined to resist efforts to help poor people and the cities. th f r /h tfM UWWT/ School Board shows contempt To the Editor: Once again the Portland School Board has neglected the wishes and desires o f the Albina community, this time in their hasty action, and procedures used in selecting a Black person fo r replacement o f Ms. Gladys McCoy from the Board. The whole process used was detrimental to the applicants who had failed to be considered for the position on the Board. We feel that it was a rush job, and that the hand picked choice o f Ms. McCoy’s was the only one who was given con sideration. The reason the procedure was rushed was Dr. Millner not only is the best qualified but is supported by a large element o f the Black com munity. Ms McCoy has sat on the School Board for eight years as a visible $7.50 N am e Black symbol but never has been visible in the neighborhood. Last year she came to Jefferson High School when the Newman Plan was being discussed. She came to the meeting w ith a very nasty and negative attitude toward those o f us at the meeting and the community. She also did a good putdown on us when we went to the Board to tell them our feelings. We feel that Ms. McCoy's hand picked person will fit into the same role as she. We feel that with the dropout rate of our children, the un fair busing program, prisons being filled with our young people and others, the stakes are too high to use being Black as the only criteria, to help make decisions for us. We feel Black or white people who are making decisions concerning us and our children must have these in T ri —C o u n ty A r e a qualifications. I. More sensitivity to all children. 2. Better and more effective com munication between the Board and Portland community, both white and Black. 3. Fair and equal treatment for all students. Millner has all o f these essential traits, as well as the education and qualifications to add leadership to a Board that is out o f step with the people, and time. We are tired o f being sold out by people w ith Black faces but who don’ t associate with or respect our opinions. It is up to the Black community to let the School Board know that we won’ t accept this kind o f manipula tion from them. Sincerely, Vesia l oving $8.00 ° ' h er _. A ddress A llocu tion - Fosjrsood t8M and others that arouse emotional voter responses. The result has been that this Congress is a big bust. Unable to produce a substantive record, some o f its leaders ju st go a fte r easy headliners. So Senator Byrd, the M a jo rity Leader o f the Senate, makes pompous statements about giving Andrew Young “ one more chance,” when he should be pleading himself for just one more chance to get needed legislation through the Senate. On both domestic and foreign policy the Congress has dragged its heals. It has failed to deal construc tively with such important issues as w elfare re fo rm , energy, and tax reform, preferring instead to take a piecemeal approach by passing isolated amendments that often sabotage the intent o f progressive legislation. For example, the law authorizing community development bloc grants clearly labels the program as intend ed fo r the benefit o f law and moderate income people. But when HUD tried to enforce the letter and the sp irit o f the law by issuing regulations forcing local governments receiving those bloc grants to spend at least 75 percent o f the money for the benefit o f poor and moderate in come people, Congress reacted. It came up with an amendment that would cancel the regulation, and mounted an e ffo rt to override Cabinet Department regulations. The intent is clearly to remove from the Executive Branch the ability to enforce the laws o f the land. . a / pttfJlA. MlIUiBl mfmkr I 1st Place Best Ad Results ONPA 1973 Honorable Mention Herrick Editorial Award NNA 1973 Second Claaa Pottage Paid at Portland. Oragon ALFRED L HENDERSON E d ito r/P u b lish e r Poor process insults community The case against Congress Direct CETA jobs to the needy In the crunch over funding of CETA jobs it could come to a conflict over whether artists, theater and dance should be supported by CETA funds. Think of all the art, music, and other endeavors lost to humanity because those with talent do not have the education or training to pursue their talents or because they must work long hours and do not have the leisure or the economic security needed to try to make a living in the arts. We have always felt that it might be well to pay talented people to paint, to compose or just to think or philosophize. The world would be better off in the end. But is CETA the proper vehicle to support the arts? Or should CETA be a way to provide training and employment for the hard core unemployed? With thousands of people in Portland unable to find work either because of lack of skills or School Board challenged C i t y ___ PORTLAND OBSERVER P.O. Box 3137 Portland, OR. 87208
