Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 25, 1979)
PORTLAND OBSERVER Volum s 9 No. 4 Thursday, January 26, 1979 10c Portland School Board rejects cross-bussing Deborah Hick« and Al Jambon will play loading roba in Portland Black Repertory Theater production of "Wine In The Wildernees." (Photo: Abubakar. Please see Page 6.) The Portland School Board made its projected decision, Monday night, that white children w ill not join Black children in bearing the burden o f racial desegregation in the Portland schools. School Board member Jonathan Newman read the Board's resolution which, after reaffirming the Board’s “ affirm ative duty to prevent and eliminate the racial isolation o f mi nority children in each o f its schools and to achieve and m aintain a racially integrated educational pro gram for the benefit o f all students o f the district,” states: In order to continue progress to ward integration and at the same time to assure greater equity, inter racial understanding and improve the quality o f education for all child ren, the Board seeks, w ith in the policies o f the Board and State Board o f Education desegregation policies and guidelines, to accom plish the following: 1. To reduce substantially the number o f receiving schools to which children from a particular neighbor hood are transferred, while preserv ing appropriate latitude for parent choices o f schools. 2. To establish appropriate priori ties fo r attendance at Early Childhood Centers, especially as re lated to children resident in the atten dance area o f the Early Childhood Center. 3. To increase the attendance of m ajority students in Early C hild hood Centers, particularly in the later primary grades. 4. To provide appropriate latitude for parents o f primary grade students resident in the attendance area o f the school which is or becomes a middle school to choose the primary school w hich th e ir children w ill attend within the middle school cluster. 5. To provide a middle school for children resident in the attendance areas of Boise and Eliot so that Boise and Eliot are part o f a middle school cluster or clusters. The Board re quests the Superintendent to include Boise and Eliot in his considerations o f possible middle school sites, when examining locations o f a middle school for a cluster which includes Boise or Eliot, and to advise the Board with respect thereto. 6. To provide on the west side an upper grade center or centers on an interim basis for children resident in the attendance areas o f Area I King and Humboldt, and, as expeditiously as possible, a m iddle school or schools so that Area I King and Humboldt are each part o f a middle school cluster or clusters. 7. To establish the middle schools referred to in (5) and (6) above under Board policy which states that the District will develop middle schools as expeditiously as physical plants, qualified staff and community ac ceptance make the tra n sitio n possible. The Board requests the Superin tendent to advise it as to the config uration o f each middle school cluster referred to in (5) and (6), the staffing needs and availability, the preferred location for each middle school, the availability o f necessary renovation funds to provide building improve ments to accommodate improved educational programs, and any other pertinent factors. The Board, following receipt o f the Superinten dent’s advice, w ill describe the ap propriate cluster, the recommended location o f the middle school in that cluster, the building renovations and other pertinent factors associated with the proposed transition, and the procedures by which it w ill determine whether community acceptance in was bloody. Then this officer hit her on the forehead with his flashlight, three times.” Other officers were holding her up, holding her arms and they were searching her — sticking their hands under her clothing. Berry and others called to the police to stop hitting her — that she was just a child. Others tried to get officers names but they were denied. *‘ l was shocked at the way they act ed — the profanity and language they used. I said, 'You ain’t nothing without a gun.’ ” He reports that three officers grabbed him, followed by others. He was forced to the ground, restrained and put in a police car. Berry claims the officers used unnecessary force in their dealings with him. When Ivory White approached the car to tell Berry he would call his parents and to ask for the car keys, White was pushed against the car, searched and put in another car. Floyd W illiam s was w alking around trying to get officers’ names and badge numbers. He was placed in the car with Ivory. David Bell rushed to a phone and called Mrs. M ary Berry, K evin’ s mother, telling her the police “ are killing Kevin.” He told her to go quickly to 15th and Fremont — that the police o rd in a rily take young Blacks to that corner rather then directly downtown. He told her that he had been taken there and beaten. M rs. Berry said she got her husband out o f bed and they drove to the Tradewell parking lot at 15th and Fremont where they saw six police cars and numerous police of ficers milling around. Mrs. Berry, nearly hysterical, ran up to some o f the officers screaming over and over, ‘ ‘What have you done to n;y child?” As she approached she saw a bicycle in the trunk o f one car and the top and trunk o f that car was covered with blood. “ The back o f the car was crimson red.” Thinking her son was in the car she tried to ap proach but was warned back by o f ficers. Then David Bell came running up and told her Kevin was in another car. She could see the girl slouched over in the bloody car and also saw Kevin bent over in the other car. As she tried to get to Kevin, an officer raised his fist and warned her to go away or they would do the same to her. She then knelt to pray, still asking, “ What have you done to my child?” The officers then got in their cars and “ drove o ff in every direction.” One car blocked the Berry’ s exit so they could not follow the car holding Kevin. Kevin continues his story. When they arrived at 15th and Fremont, the officers got out and discussed the incident. “ They were running around, slapping hands, saying ’Give me five,’ and talking about what a big success they had.” Kevin described the profanity and racial abuse as shocking to him. A f ter they left 15th and Fremont and drove south on Union Avenue, two Blacks in a car saw him in the squad car and started to escort the car. Berry said the officers in the car — ta lkin g about getting some “ niggers” — called for help and eventually stopped that car. They searched the occupants, called on the radio for their records, and one of ficer said “ I hope his license is suspended. I ’ d like to get th e -------.” The men were angry, and one officer loosened the cover on his gun holster. These men were released but Berry says the officers called another car and told them to get them for something — “ anything.” District Attorney’s office had infor med the defense that Morrison had no crim in a l record and that his criminal record could have a sub- stanial bearing on the case. Judge James Ellis refused to dismiss but declared a recess so Connall could contact the Parole Board. Morrison’s parole record -• he had been supervised by the State o f Oregon while in Portland - indicated that he had an extensive crim inal record dating from the age o f 16 that included petty theft, burglary, and grand theft auto and that at least one crime involved a weapon. The file also indicated that M orrison had problems with alcohol and dr jigs and had an explosive temper. A fte r reveiwing the parole file, Connall again moved for a dismissal but Judge Ellis denied. He stated that although the evidence had been wrongfully with held and therefore the defendent had been denied the opportunity to use it during the trial, dismissal was “ too extreme a remedy” . He recessed the trial until Monday to give Connall an oppor tu n ity to fu rth e r investigate Morrisons record and background. Morrison was killed during a racial incident at W inchcll’s Donut Shop on Union and Jessup. According to tegration, responded for the Coali tion: Any approach for desegregation must have the same kind o f volun tary and mandatory components for both the M inority and the White students involved. It is very important that you as a School Board make it very clear to all o f Portland that the burdens and opportunities o f any desegregation program w ill be equitably shared. We restated our principles and we will restate the major inequities as we see them in the current program. These inequities need to be addressed and changed to equitable policies and programs. 1. Since the adoption o f Board Re solution No. 3553 in March o f 1970, the Black community has been faced with mandatory elimination o f grade levels and mandatory busing. This has not happened in any other com munity in the District. 2. When Black students volunteer to be bused out o f their assigned schools, they are expected to attend schools outside their neighborhood fo r the d uration o f their school years. In many cases, these students cannot come back to the assigned school because their grade level has been eliminated. When White students volunteer to be bused out o f their neighborhood, (Please turn to Page 7 Column 1) School decision angers Jordan Com m issioner Charles Jordan told the Observer that he was ex tremely disappointed by the School Board’s action in rejecting any con siderations o f pairing Black and white schools. “ I honestly can’ t recall when I was so hurt. In the last five years — with all the problems I ’ ve had to deal with — I ’ ve never been so hurt and angry. “ The Board could have passed its resolution in a more positive way. They could have left the door open instead o f slamming it shut. They could have agreed to continue discussions o f a way to transfer children that would be fair and still desegregate the schools. “ There is a more appropriate way to embrace citizens who have worked so hard — to say ‘ let us put our heads together.’ ” Jordan praised the C o a litio n members fo r their dedication and urged the members to stay together. “ We all need to pause and let the air clear, but meaningful dialogue must continue. - “ The Coalition shouldn’t despair. It would be easy to be discouraged now. Some good has come from their e ffo rt and there is more to come. “ The principles are the same; the Board can’ t disagree w ith the C o a litio n ’ s principles. The e ffo rt now has to be to go on with the ef fort to get the School Board and Dr. Blanchard to find ways to carry out those principles.” Approaching the County Court house, Berry said one officer said to watch for Berry’ s parents, if they were there to go to another en trance. The parents had not arrived, but they waited for some time for the elevator, while the racial abuses con tinued. Berry claims that at no time was he told that he was under arrest or given his rights. "W hen I was ready to be released, I saw the charges on the paper I signed.” Berry had been arrested for disorderly conduct and resisting arrest. Com m issioner Charles Jordan said a complaint has been received and that the Police Bureau Depart ment o f Internal Affairs is investi gating the incident. Williams trial halted for investigation of victim’s record The murder trial o f A1 Williams, advertising manager for the Portland Observer, was recessed until M on day, January 29th, to allow time for an investigation o f the v ic tim ’ s criminal record in C alifornia. The state's final witness, a supervisor at Esco who had been called as a w it ness to the character o f W illiam Morrison, the man who was killed, blurted out under cross examination by the defense attorney that Morrison was on parole or probation when hired. Des C o n n a ll, a ttorney fo r W illiam s, asked the court fo r a dismissal on the grounds that the Coalition Response H arry W ard, Chairm an o f the Community Coalition for School In “ H a rry W ard, in his opening remarks, opened the door. He said the Coalition was not adamant about pairing, that maybe there is another way. Berry family charges police brutality Kevin Berry, eighteen-year-old son o f Edward and Mary Berry, report that he witnessed and was the target o f police b ru ta lity the night o f January 17, 1979. Berry slates that he and three other young men drove into the parking lot at Union Avenue and Shaver Street to use the telephone. Jesse M ont gomery went to the phone booth; Ivory White stayed in the car. Berry and David Bell walked across the parking lot toward the restaurant. Two police officers drove up in a patrol car, stopped Bell and Berry, told them to put their hands on their heads and searched them, checked their ID and released them. They refused to reveal the reason for the search. Another patrol car arrived, with two more officers. As these officers approached they noticed a young lady on a bicycle — Patty Cohens. Although Miss Cohens is seventeen years old she is small o f stature and was first described as about thirteen years old. According to Berry, an o f ficer told Miss Cohens to get away or they would arrest her. She retorted that she was doing nothing and they could leave her alone. 1 A fracass occurred in which Miss Cohens was grabbed by the officers, resisted, was searched, and in the mele kicked an officer in the groin, thier ID and released them. Berry said the officers refused to reveal the Reason for the search. “ I turned around and saw her face that cluster is sufficient to make the tra n sitio n to the m iddle school possible. 8. To increase recruitment o f ma jo r ity students fo r attendance at m iddle schools from attendance areas fo r which m iddle school clusters are not yet established. 9. To include the Area I portion of Woodlawn in the Ocklcy Green mid dle school cluster. 10. To provide appropriate latitude for parents of upper elemen tary grade students resident in the at tendance area o f an Early Childhood Center in a middle school cluster to choose schools other than that mid dle school for their children to at tend. The resolution also asked the Superintendent to advise it on how those objectives can be achieved. Board member W ally Priestley moved that the Board postpone ac tion until the following meeting to allow citizen and Board response to the proposal. The motion failed for lack o f a second. F ollow ing the request fo r postponement from many members o f the public Priest ley again moved for postponement. Evie C row ell seconded but the motion failed to pass. Williams, Morrison and Gary Paugh came into the donut shop where he and a woman friend were getting coffee. Morrison said, “ I ’ m going to get me a couple o f niggers!” He repeated the threat again, pulled out a buck knife, and Williams struck him . D uring the struggle that followed, Williams was cut on the hand. Paugh then pushed Williams against the wall and struck him in the face. D uring the fig h t W illiam s and Miss McAllister asked the waitress to call the police and she indicated that she had. Williams went outside to his (Please turn to page 8, col. I) Harry C. Ward receives congratulations from his wife, Geri, following presentation of the Russell A. Peyton Award. The award is made an nually by the Metropolitan Human Relations Commission for outstan ding efforts in the field of human rights. Secretary of State Norma Paulus praised Ward's work as a volunteer in many areas of civil rights, but especially in education. She pointed out the fact that "today one arm of government honors him while last night an arm of the same government didn't really slap him in the face but It didn't pat him on the back either." Speaking of the Portland School Board's failure to deal with tha issua of equity, Ms. Paulus said. I think they are more cautious and mora conservative than the people they represent. I apparently have more faith in the faith in the people of the West Hills than the School Board has." Ms. Paulus also spoke of the seism between feminism and race, saying most feminists would consider the effort to rid the nation of racism as tha more Important. "Without rights for minority races, there will be none for women. I want In no way to equate our fight with that for racial equality." Mayor Neil Goldschmidt said justice and equality are slow in coming and few are making the effort. "When were the good ever in the majority?" >
