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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 21, 1978)
We see the world through Black eyes A Christmas Message Good advice Congratulations to Commission« Chartes Jor dan, the first elected official to publicly support the Community Coalition for School Integration position. In his statement to the School Board (ably delivered by Ms. Anna Street) Jordan said the real issue is how do we integrate our schools while insuring, as the Coalition report states, equity, Quality education, interracial understand ing and acc e p ta n ce , and neighborhood in tegrity?" He advised the Board to act quickly, before factions become too intrenched. He recommen ded that the School Board instruct Supennten- dent Blanchard to "return to the drawing board and develop a plan that will achieve the objec tives of the Coalition's report . . . Granted there may be some logistical problems with the Coali tion s strategies. If so, let Dr. Blanchard, given his knowledge of what is and isn’t practical or possible, return to you a plan that is solid in ail respects." There are other elected offcials who support equity in desegregation. Let them step forward now. The Christmas season has arrived once again and it brings to mind Christ s teachings that all men are brothers - that all people are neighbors. This is something that we must remember as we face the year ahead - a year that is certain to be one of stuggle, of conflict of anger. Urgent issues win be decided - desegregation of the Portland schools, the use of federal funds as it relates to minorities. A new administration will take over state government. The legislature will deal with taxes again. There will be a school board election. Unemployment and inflation will further exacerbate the situation. W e must remember that honest and sincere people can disagree, that opponents don't have to be vicious. But we must be firm in our com mitments and oppose racism where we find it. W e know that in the end the truth will be known and justice will prevail. The Challenge of the Eighties (Continued from page 1 col. 6) no grade levels exist in their com munities. Based on careful calcula tions, conservatively compiled, the Coalition estimates this figure to be no less than 700 students and perhaps as high as 821. Furthermore, w ith the extensive recruitm ent program which entices Black students to transfer by convincing them and their parents that their local schools are inferior, it is quite likely that many Black children would never have left their neighborhood schools w ith o ut aggressive proding from school personnel. No wonder achievement in Albina schools is low; upper grades have been eliminated and students have been transported out; and the best o f those who rem ain are actively recruited under the official conten tion th a t they w ill get a better education elsewhere. In his response to the Coalition's recommendations. Dr Blanchard at tempted to soothe the souls of those in the C o a litio n by saying, "Regretably, equity, like justice, is a virtue seldom found in pure fo rm ." W e regret, as D r. Blanchard does, that equity does not exist in pure form, but the question should not be “ pure" form or no form at all. We feel absolutely certain that equity can be achieved in its lesser forms, and it can be motivated in that direction by a true sense o f fairness, a sense o f sharing the o blig atio ns o f com munity living, and by a will to seek “ pure eq uity,” though it may be elusive. W h at, therefore, does the Coalition propose? The Virtu«« of School Pairing We recommend that the Board of Education implement by September 1980 a plan o f school pairing. School pairing involves the combination of one school, which is predominately m inority, with one or two schools which are p re d o m in a te ly w hite. Having studied the problem, arguing heatedly o ver every issue, the Coalition believes now that school pairing best meets the principles which it has established as most i m p o rta n t. The principles to which pairing satisfactorily responds are: 1. T hat desegregation is the law; 2. That desegregation must be e q u ita b le ; 3. That P o rtla n d desegregation is not equitable; 4 . That school integration promotes equal opportunity. W e p a in s ta k in g ly worked our way to the conclusion that school pairing is ap p ro p riate and beneficial fo r Portland, as we became increasingly aware that a voluntary system would not work. It had not worked before 1970 in Portland.And since 1970, it has not been voluntary for increasing num bers o f B lack c h ild re n . W'e found no national example sufficient to convince us that an all-voluntary approach was a viable possibility. School pairing is equitable. It promotes quality education by forc ing the school ad m in is tra tio n to create model schools with integrated students and staff and parents. It fosters interracial understanding and acceptance. A n d m o re than any o th er technique o f e ffe c tiv e desegregation, school pairing allows the maintenance o f neighborhood in tegrity. Therefore, having labored its way to this conclusion, the C o a litio n recom m ended to the Board o f Education on November 27th that it implement a pairing plan which; 1. Transfers enough whites and minority students to bring its schools into compliance with state guidelines; 2. Involves both white and m inority students in an equitable tw o-way transfer program that keeps neigh borhood classmates together; 3. Eliminates the current scattering and isolation o f minority students. After listening very carefully and quite respectfully to D r. Blanchard’ s reactions to the pairing recommen dation. the Coalition met last Wed nesday evening at the King Facility in Northeast Portland. A fter analyzing his contention that there may be “ unsolvable" problems, I can assure you that we are confident in the quality o f our recommendations. W'e think pairing will work. W e think it is advantageous educationally. We th in k th e “ lo g is tic a l'* problem s related to such a change can be sur mounted, if there is a will on the pan o f the Board o f E d u c a tio n to establish an e q u ita b le , tw o -w a y desegregation program in Portland. As Friends of Education It is with great confidence that 1 say, “ I am a frie n d o f p u b lic education." I have spent a good deal o f tim e and energy speaking and writing as to my understanding of the requirem ents fo r p ro p e rly preparing this generation o f youth for a world rapidly changing. There is no system more important to the health o f a free society than education. As a citizen devoted to improved education, I speak with authority in asserting th a t the Board o f Education has no better friends than those who have committed them selves to the Coalition's purposes. It is im portant, therefore, to realize th a t, w h ile our analysis has generated sharp criticism , we are fully m indful o f the difficult task which faces the members o f the School Board. The essence o f o ur thrust fo r change has never been intended as an attack on the integrity o f the Board o f E du catio n. R ather, our m o ti vation to w ork tow ard equitable change in desegregation is drawn from an appreciation for the spirit o f public education in America. As the scholar, D ia n e R a v itc h , puts it. * Because education is so bound up with the interest and values o f the public, and because these interests and values continually shift over time, educational policy can never be static. It is forever in the process o f becom ing, fo rever a subject o f proper concern, forever in need o f reform ation." This is the spirit in which we have made our recommendations, and this is the spirit o f which we are most proud. PORTLAND OBSERVER C om m u nity Servie» O N P A 1973 PubliiheO every Thurwlav by E u e Publnhins Cofnpanj. 2201 North KiUin*>»orth. Portland. Oregon 97217. Maihn« addreu P O Bo» J1J7, Portland. Oregon 9 7 2 « Telephone 2»J-24M Subscriptions J7.J® per year in the Tri-County area. M 00 per year NNPAWn outside Portland. Second O nes P o a ta p . Paid at Portland Oregon Al A kF R E u L HENDERSON Editor/Publish«? The Portland Otaerver's o fftaal position is rxprissed only id iu Publisher s column (We See The World Through Black fcyesi Any other material throughout the paper is the opinion o f the individual writer or submitter and does ixx necessarily reflect the opinion ot -he Porbend Observer N ational A dvnrtw m g Papraaantativa A m a lg a m ated Pubhahars. tne N aw Vorti N e & íp A p ER . Eowndnd Ig M I Merrick Editorial A w ard N N A tc r a 2nd Placa Saat Editorial > d Placa Reflectfoa or a Christmas Eve by N . Fungai Kumbula I am sitting her« today, daydream ing about a Christmas dinner. I can see the turkey — big. plump, juicy, s c ru m p tio u s -lo o k in g , and the dressing — mouth-watering. But I also have this nightmare thai 1 am unable to eat the sumptious feast because I can see a lot o f hungry children the length and breadth o f this miserable world. I am asking myself: W hy is this world so unfair? Why is it that these children never get a chance? Why do some people have so much money they feed their dogs, cats and iguanas better than some families can feed their children? 1 am just now reading about the plight o f the refugees in M o zam bique. Botswana and Zambia. There are almost 300.000 o f these displaced people, most o f them women and children They have been dislodged by the fighting in Rhodesia and the upheavals in South A frica. In ad dition to them, there are also the 500,000 that are forced to live in concentration camps in Rhodesia called “ p rotected v illa g e s .” For them too, life is a hell on earth. I hear the Christinas jingles every where now : “ Peace on E a rth . Goodwill to all People” and I ask myself: “ W hat peace? what good w ill?" A ll the suffering I am looking at now is caused by self-proclaimed good, honest Christians, some o f whom attend church regularly. Some o f them are even “ men o f the d o th .” A fter they have come home from preaching the gospel “ love thy neighbor.'* they sit down and pass death sentences on th e ir fe llo w human beings who only demand the same type o f treatment that is accord ed their lighter skinned brethren. Every time 1 think about it, I get so discouraged because the w orld is such a mess. Someday, I too shall take a wife and when I do, I look forward to bringing one or two more souls into this world. But, I can also hear a voice asking me: " W h y , when the world is such a mess?” How can I explain to them the difference be tween love and hate? They will be coming into a world that preaches love but practices hate. How can-1 explain why some people discrimi nate against others? W hy they can not go to this or that school, get this or that job? The more 1 look at it, the less I like this world, but what can I do? 1 can not run away from these problems. The one thing 1 can do is do my share to clean up the mess. No price is too high, no sacrifice too much if it will bring a smile o f joy. a ray o f hope to those innocent little ones. They deserve a better chance then we get. Let’s give them a break. Sometimes 1 think 1 am nothing but a dreamer. 1 keep dreaming o f a utopia where we can all get an even break. However, 1 think there is no harm in dreaming. A fter all, if the ancient Egyptians had not dreamed past all "obstacles," we would never have had the great pyramids or the treasures o f “ brother” King T ut. Were it not for a dream, Mrs. Rosa Parks would not have given up her seat and M artin Luther King never would have picked up the civil rights call. Much o f present-day indepen dent A fric a w ould still be languishing in colonial shackles. The list goes on. Maybe we can give those children some belated presents a fte r a ll. M a y b e i t ’ s a th ro w b ack to my childhood, but I always think o f Christmas, Kwanza and New Year's as having special significance for children. A fter the 2nd o f January I will be initiating a clothing drive; th at is co llectin g used, but s till durable clothing for the refugees in Southern Africa. Because o f the way in which most o f (hem fled the war zones, the only clothes they have are those on their backs. So, if you have some used jean s, sh irts, shoes (preferably boots), blankets, dresses that you no longer need, you might consider d o n a tin g them to the "Southern Africa Refugee Clothing D rive.” U ntil 1 can set up alternative arrangements, inquiries can be for warded to me either through the Port la n d O bserver o r T h e A m erican Friends Service Committee. Medical supplies such as disposable syringes would also be most welcome. This is what 1 have always believed the holiday season to mean: the one occasion in the year when we pause to th in k o f fa m ily and frien d s, neighbors and kin. That old pair o f jeans that has been taking up space in the house or the garage for the past two years will probably make a very meaningful present for one not so fortunate kid. It w ill keep him smiling for a year because, first, it will keep him decently covered and second, it may be the only piece o f clothing he will have this year. This would only be the humble beginnings o f this magnanimous dream to bring a smile to the face o f every child on the face o f the earth. There may be hope yet for humanity. A n d , on this ch e e rfu l n ote, w hether you w ill be celebrating Kwanza. Christmas, New Year’s, or nothing at all: "H a p p y Holidays." I, for one am thankful for all the friends 1 have met and made through this column. For all o f us, may 1979 be a revolutionary year in all walks o f Bfe. Through the eyes o f Mr. W. by H aro ld C. Williams For the last five years A ffirm ative Action in the State o f Oregon has been the gateway for hope for many disadvantaged people. Opportunities were realized for some who never imagined that they would nse to such levels. How ever, there were some who still did not make it through the gate o f hope, and Affirmative Action was not able to lift them over the threshold o f hatred, mistrust, pain and disappointment. Many people have said that there was very little achieved through the efforts o f A ffirm ative Action and the progress was slow, but what does one say to a man that yesterday was starving but today his stomach is full and he has the vigor that is reflected in his health? Do you say he didn't have a meal because steak was not served9 Do you say the wagon was not moved because it did not go a mile, only a block? Everything is relevant and the success o f A ffir mative A ction and other efforts like those undertaken in the areas o f equal opportunity must be visualized away from the shoulders o f a few people but put in vision as the responsibility o f the total people. Black people and other people of color have gained some inroads, but it is not yet enough. Those who have broken into the halls o f opportunity must be applauded, supported and pushed to higher grounds, for with out allies in the system we would cease to have goals toward oppor tunity. The B akke case began the slowdown on opportunity for Blacks and other minorities, and now we are faced with the Weber case (Weber vs. Kaiser Aluminum) which if upheld by the U .S . Supreme Court will bring a total standstill to the efforts o f A ffirm ative Action and throw the progress o f Blacks and other minorities back to the pre-1950’s. It is im p o rta n t th at Black people become politically astute and pick the persons who will echo the in terests o f Black people in the legislative bodies o f our State and nation. Though the Black population in Oregon is relatively sm all, it can make a difference in the political arena One vote can be as important as 100 with the important issues that are on the rise and facing all people in today’s society. A ffirm ative Ac tion was one o f the voices that gave vision to a people who had been kept out o f the way o f opportunity. The question now is how many people will make demands on A ffirm ative Action in the coming years, to speak for the needs o f oppressed people. For if the demands are not made it is most assured that nothing will be done. The year 1979 can be a year o f new birth fo r the unity o f Black people, or it can be the rebirth o f “ d ivid e and co n q u e r” o f Black people. The question is, "which will be chosen?" These last five years in the field o f A ffirm ative Action have allowed me an opportunity to touch and h o p e fu lly bring a positive change in many people's lives and I thank you, the public, for that op portunity. January 5, 1979, will be my final day as Director o f A ffirm ative Ac tion for the State o f Oregon, but it is not the final day for A ffirm ative Ac tion. The question now is, “ W ill we ail be for action that is affirm ative for Black people?” Peace and God bless. Ward earns Peyton Award (Continued form page 1 col. 3) tegratxjn — and called upon to again go before the School Board pointing out the inequities and asking for change. The Coalition was formed in response to the Newman Plan — a plan that would have transferred Boise and King 1979 graduates out o f Jefferson High School. The Coalition research ed desegregation efforts in Portland and reached the conclusion that segregation exists, that Blacks carry the burden o f desegregation, and th at some o f the desegregation programs are destructive to Black children. The Coalition has recom mended school pairing and nine ad d itio n a l supportive recom m en d atio n s. S up erin ten den t R obert Blanchard has called the Coalition recommendations " a considerable over reaction" and advised that pair ing might be "unsolvable” . W ard believes the Coalition will prevail. " I don’t exactly know why, but I have a feeling that the Board will overturn the Superintendent’ s recommendations and adopt pairing. They don't seem to be very aware o f what has been taking place — they depend on the Superintendent to supply their information and don't get out and ask questions. When they read the Coalition’s report and go over the information and the figures we have provided, 1 think they will understand what is happening to Black youngsters. Then I think they will adopt our recommendations. We only have one member we can rely on — who is with us — W ally Priestley — but I believe the others will have to be w ith us when they u nder stand.” W a rd ’ s activities have not been restricted to the N A A C P and the education issue. He received one o f the initial appointments to the Model Cities Citizens’ Advisory Committee fro m M a y o r T e rry S hrunk and remained on the board through the life o f the program. He is a member o f the boards of directors o f the Boys Club o f Portland, the Progressive Businessman’ s C lu b , Em anuel Hospital and the Royal Esquire Club o f Portland. He is a Commissioner o f the M e tro p o lita n H um an Relations Commission, chairman of the Education Committee. For the past ten years Ward has been an Employee Representative for the Oregon State Employees Association and will retire at the end o f December. Previously he was a state employee with the Oregon State Welfare Department. The award will be presented on January 23, 1979, at Westminster Presbyterian Church at 1624 N .E . H a n c o c k , at a noon luncheon. Previous winners are: Tom Sloan, Tektronix; Jack Mills, U.S. National Bank; E. Shelton H ill, Urban League o f P o rtla n d ; A . Lee Henderson, Portland Observer; and Mrs. Marie Smith. Desegregation (Continued from page I col. 6) and the state requires no more than 50 per cent m inority. It would be simpler to reach a 50 /5 0 ratio and would require less cross-bussing. The district has not adhered to its own policy in the past. The Fern- wood cluster is 26 per cent minority and the Beaumont cluster is 29 per cent m in o rity , yet Irv in g to n and Sabin are over 50 per caent minority and no white students were tran sferred into them. Why, when the Coalition is asking the district to ca rry out its acknowledged affirm ative duty, has it suddenly become necessary to be 30 per cent m inority.” C a llin g the p airin g proposal w o rk a b le , she to ld the B oard, "W hen you are willing to look at the pairing proposal in the light o f these issues, we want to help you work over the details.”
