Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current, March 01, 1979, Page 2, Image 2

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    " . . . J Portland O b - r v . , ThurM . y
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1«79
EDITORIAL/OPINION
The makings of Shaba III
by N. Fungai Kumbula
School Board lacks leadership
T he Portland
P o rtla n d School
i r h n n l Board
R n a rri H
The
has
been repeated
ly accused of failure to provide responsible lead­
ership, and these charges come from many seg­
ments of the community.
Two glaring examples of this lack of leadership
occurred this week. Although there has been
public discussion of Monday's eclipse of the sun
since early fall, and although nearly every school
district in the United States and Canada that
was in the path of the eclipse opened school
early in order to insure that children were properly
supervised, the Portland School District decided
to do nothing. Then, at the last moment, they
announced that school opening time would be
delayed.
For months they had known about the eclipse,
and the fact that it would occur at the time that
children would normally be on their way to
school, but the decision was given only a few
hours before the eclipse, when it was too late for
parents to make arrangements for child care or
for changing their work hours.
This makes one wonder whether the decision
to delay school opening was done out of concern
for students or whether it came as a response to
the danger of legal action over injury to children
while in the care of the school district — on
school buses or on school property.
Another incident that demonstrates a lack of
leadership is the racial abuse of Black students
from Jefferson and Adams High Schools by
students from Roosevelt High School. This type
of behavior by high school students is a direct
result of the racist policies of the district. An
education emphasizing the multi-cultural educa­
tion, in an integrated setting, would do much to
alternate the hostilities and fears that are the
basis of these attacks. Proper respect for Black
and other minority students, parents and com­
munities by the school administration and Board
would indicate to white students that this type of
behavior will not be tolerated. Much has been
said of the racial hostility in the homes from
which these students come — lower class white
families who have traditionally had to com ­
pete with minorities for the few benefits left over
for them — but the truth is that much of that
racism has been learned right in the classroom.
Frank McNamara's accusation that the Com­
munity Coalition for School Integration's call for
equity in sharing the burdens of segregation is
really a demand for retribution against whites is a
good example. Joe Rieke's statement that to up­
set the white community is bad politics because
"Blacks have to integrate with whites" is an indi­
cation that the Board's concept of integration
is that it is a one way street — or a one-way bus
ride.
What the Board refuses to recognize - or at
least to admit - is that its policies and programs
are discriminating against Black children. The
Coalition's failure is to label it what it is - racism
pure and simple.
Another Point o f View
Political action key to future
taken from The Milwaukee Courier
by Carl Hubbard
1978 was a year which taught Black Americans
some harsh lessons in self-reliance, a year in
which we had to face some very ugly social and
political realities. Allen Bakke's legal triumph
dealt a stunning blow to affirmative action prin­
ciples, a cornerstone of Black economic and edu­
cational progress in recent years. The Carter ad­
ministration demonstrated clearly that its romance
with us was over. Promised judicial and admini­
strative appointments, urgently needed urban
development and welfare reform measures, more
jobs for Blacks — all these failed to materialize.
Black politicos across the country were
scrutinized, investigated, indicted, and ejected
from office in overwhelming numbers, too often
because of their own unsavory actions. The
liberal white constituency which once supported
(verbally, at least) our progressive efforts seems
to have vanished in 1978.
Yes, white America is singing a new tune, and
there's hardly a note of soul in it. If we Blacks
want our voices to be heard in this great republic
in 1979, we had better begin practicing our own
song — a song of self-reliance. If we want better
schools, neighborhoods, and jobs, we had better
start working on it ourselves. Let’s not wait for
President Carter or the legislature or anyone else.
In 1979, let us, as Black Americans, commit our­
selves to the determination of our own destinies.
Let us resolve to improve our communities our­
selves, to better educate ourselves, to reduce the
crimes in our neighborhoods ourselves, to take
the responsibility for change into our own Black
hands.
The key to our political and economic evolution
in 1979 or any other year is self-activism. Black
Americans can no longer afford the luxuries of
political ignorance and non-participation. Depart­
ment of Commerce statistics for the last Congres
sional election showed that only 37 percent of
eligible Blacks voted, arid in 1978 it cost us
dearly.
Politicians, a breed quick to realize when they
are standing on shaky ground, figured out that a
great many of us were on the basketball courts,
when we should have been at the balloting
machines. They are getting the idea that we are
not a serious political force — and they are right.
As a result, minority rights and social reform
issues are being chucked for more popular, vote­
getting platforms such as energy conservation
and tax reduction.
The National Urban League has predicted that
1979 will be a year of crisis for minorities and the
poor. The question at the crux of that crisis is
Can we establish ourselves as an economic and
political power to be reckoned with and respect­
ed?'' In this, acritical pre-election year, you can
be sure our efforts will be closely regarded. As we
face the challenges of 1979, let us put to good
use the lessons of 1978, for in the succinct words
of George Santayana, "Those who forget history
are doomed to repeat it."
McNamara charges Coalition vindictive
(Continued from page 1 col. 6)
rules.”
Forest Reike, Board member, ob­
jected to the Coalition referring to
desegregation as a m oral issue,
stating that it is a political issue.
Board member Evie Crowell said
there seems to be many people who
think they know exactly what the
community wants but don’t think the
Board knows. Saying she had talked
to a school person and an Urban
League o ffic ia l from Seattle and
found there are problems with the
Seattle pairing plan. Also, we have to
think about the electorate when 62%
o f the voters did not want busing
beyond the next contiguous school.
She recommended not trying school
pairing in Portland at this time be­
cause there might be problems with it
in other cities.
The League o f Women Voters and
the Metropolitan Human Relations
Commission expressed their support
of pairing.
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The last time Shaba was in the
news, we were bombarded with the
grisly details about the 94 whites who
were •‘ massacred” and the 1,000
Blacks who were “ killed.” In the
wake o f the hysteria that followed.
Belgium, France and West Germany
sent a “ rescue” mission comprising
m ostly elements o f the French
Foreign Legion to “ rescue trapped
Europeans." The Carter A d m in i­
stration provided the planes that
were used for the a irlift as well as
other “ non m ilitary” equipment.
A t the behest o f France and
Belgium particularly, with the very
active approval o f Britain, West Ger­
many and the U.S., a "Pan African
Force" was set up for the purpose o f
protecting A frican governments
that are frie n d ly to the W est.”
M orocco im m ediately dispatched
1,500 troops followed by Senegal
which sent 600. Gabon and TOGO
sent in another 140 and the Ivory
Coast added 80 medical personnel.
The rest o f Africa refused to send in
any o f their troops and, as a matter
o f fact, the whole idea o f a ‘ Pan
A frican Force’ set up under the
auspices o f foreign, former colonial
powers caused a lot o f dissension at
the following OAU meeting.
This force had been set up specifi­
cally to counter the ‘ rebel’ threat
from Angola. There was the under­
standing that, as soon as it was deter­
mined that the threat no longer exist­
ed, the force would be disbanded.
That last invasion was last May. Since
then, Angola (from where the former
Katangese ‘ rebels’ had launched
their two surprise attacks) and Zaire
have patched up their differences.
Each has promised not to offer sanc­
tuary to “ insurgents” bent on over­
throw ing the other governm ent.
Zaire had been harboring FN LA
terrorists who continued to harass
the M P L A government after the
latter won the Angola Civil War.
Given the present synopsis, you
would think the “ Inter African Force"
as it is sometimes called, would be
disbanded. But, far from being dis­
mantled, it is soon to be augmented
by a force o f some 250 Belgian para­
troopers sent to “ protect the white
communities o f Kinshasa and Kivu.”
This was a very harsh harsh affair
(remember the furore over the ’evau-
cuation?") but the Belgian govern­
ment is said to have consulted with
the U.S., Britain and France. Henri
Sim onct, the Belgian foreign
minister is said to have instructed
Belgian journalists not to publish
anything about the 250 paratroopers
or their mission.
The Moroccans are now being
used to patrol the countryside for
any signs o f ‘ rebel’ activity and,
together with the Senegalese, also to
patrol the streets o f Lubumbashi, the
capital o f Shaba. The whites in the
area vow they will leave the moment
this “ Inter African Force” is with­
drawn. “ They arc the only thing pro­
tecting us from the Zairian arm y,"
says a Greek mechanic. He accused
the Zairian troops o f stealing and
lacking in discipline as well as fuel­
ing the crime rate.
Shaba's Blacks regard both the
Moroccans and the Zairian troops as
occupying armies but, fear the
Zairian troops more. They are only
irregularly paid and so usually resort
to bribing or robbing the locals.
Against them, the impoverished
locals are almost defenseless. Com­
mented one local teacher, “ We arc
bothered that a country like ours, 17
years after independence, needs to
rely on a foreign army. But, from the
point o f view o f security, when you
see a Moroccan soldier, you arc not
afraid that he will stop you, rob you,
or shake you down just for the fun of
it . "
Shaba is seething with discontent.
There is a severe gasoline shortage.
Zaire can only afford 60% of its fuel
needs and, o f that, 90% is reserved
for the capital, Kinshasa. In Lubum­
bashi the streets arc empty o f traffic.
The factories that are still operating
are only operating at 50% capacity.
Due to a lack o f spare parts and
materials.
Unemployment is estimated at
over 80% and inflation is currently
above 100%. The price o f food has
doubled over the past year alone.
W hat few essential commodities
there are, ranging from explosives
for the mines to fruit and vegetables,
come directly from A frica's arch
enemies: Rhodesia and South Africa.
Missionaries who have travelled
the backroads come back w ith
alarming stories o f a very disturbing
rise in m alnutrition. Children run
around with swollen bellies and red
hair, clear signs o f kwashiokor, the^
protein deficiency disease. A Belgian
financier sums up the situation thus:
“ Frankly, the population is on a
starvation diet. We arc sitting on a
volcano."
It is this kind o f discontent that
sparked Shaba I and Shaba II.
Shaba's mines earn 60% o f Zaire’s
foreign exchange but, over the past
decade, the central government has
not built a single school, hospital or
road in the area. The seeds for Shaba
III have already been sown. It’s just
a matter o f time before they ger­
minate, take root and sprout.
Coalition responds to School Board
F ollow ing is the C om m unity
• It docs not mean that children
conveniently assigned in a manner
Coalition f o r School Integration re­
from one neighborhood w ill go to
which promoted school integration,
sponse to resolutions on student
one or two schools. Children from
the west side addresses the issues
transfer adopted by the School
King w ill go to seven d iffe re n t
raised in its report and recommen­
Board on January 22nd.
schools as standard assignments.
dations. An “ interim” location does
The Coalition sees this issue as the
They can still be recruited to go to
not encourage neighborhood sta­
heart o f the failure o f Portland
others as well.
bility. The fact that this point only
Public Schools to treat its minority
• The Black parent does not get
deals with the Area I portions of
children, specifically its Black
the same choice as the white parent
King and Humboldt is another in­
children, with equity. The Board and
to send children to schools in or near
dication o f the fragmentation o f
Administration have not only failed
their own neighborhood.
students in predom inently Black
to address themselves adequately to
In short, the inequities in the
communities. We find it extremely
eliminating the basic inequity in their
present Administrative Transfer pro­
frustrating that the Board continues
present programs, but have refused
gram will be perpetuated.
to create policies which perpetuates
to admit that the inequity exists.
Point H2 — To establish appro­
the fragmentation and scattering of
Let us turn now to the Board’s re­
priate priorities for attendance at
children from the same neigh­
solution o f January 22nd, and see if
Early Childhood Centers, especially
borhoods.
it adequately addresses the central
as related to children resident in the
Point H7 — To establish middle
issue o f equity.
attendance area o f the Early
schools
for Boise, Eliot, and Area 1
Point HI — To reduce scattering
Childhood Center.
sections o f King and Humboldt as
while preserving parents’ choice.
5k e ask the Board to be very di­
“ expeditiously" as physical plants,
We have become aware that a plan
rect with the community in defining
qualified
staff and “ community ac­
to reduce the scattering o f Black
how this w ill be achieved. As the
ceptance” make the transition pos­
children is currently under considera­
ECEC’s are presently structured, ra­
sible.
tion by the Administration. We have
cial balance cannot be achieved
The Board has no clear definition
serious problems with this plan and
unless some Black students are
o
f
"com m unity acceptance.” This
will comment on it in detail at a later
denied access to their neighborhood
criterion has been applied differently
date. There are several points,
school.
throughout the community. This is
however, which we can make here.
Point H3 — To increase the atten­
inappropriate.
• Reduction o f scattering ad­
dance o f majority students in Early
Point US — To increase recruit­
dresses a symptom rather than curing
Childhood Centers, particularly in
ment o f majority students for atten­
the cause.
the later primary grades.
dance at middle schools from atten­
• It does not mean that fewer
How will this be done? W ill the
dance
areas for which middle school
Black children will be bused far from
assignment o f white children to these
clusters are not yet established.
home.
later grades be mandatory if they
This point is so general as to not
• It does not mean that the recruit­
come to take advantage o f the Pre-
warrant
response until a specific pro­
ment o f Black children out o f their
Kindergarten and Kindergarten pro­
gram
is
put
forward. It is imperative
neighborhood schools will cease.
grams? W ill white children from
that the district involve citizens in the
Does this resolution mean that this
Kindergarten programs elsewhere in
development o f this program.
segregationist policy w ill continue
the city be encouraged by this district
Point H9 — To include the Area I
under the guise o f “ appropriate
to come to the ECEC when they
portion o f Woodlawn in the Ockley
latitude?” This paragraph needs sub­
reach First Grade? W ill the programs
Green middle school cluster.
stantial clarification as to its intent
and teaching levels o f those grades be
Here again the Board is pursuing a
and consequences.
improved to the point where the
d iscrim in a to ry
policy
which
Points five through nine deal with
white parents will be anxious to have
fragments neighborhoods and scat­
the entire middle school question as
their children stay in those grades?
ters children. Why continue to spIfF
it applies to integrating the student
Then, the Black children, who start
the W oodlawn neighborhood in
population.
even in intellectual and scholastic de­
half? Why not assign all Woodlawn
The C o a litio n asked fo r three
velopment at the Pre-K and Kinder­
students
to one middle school and all
middle schools so that Black parents
garten level, w ill not have fallen mea-
Vernon students to another?
would have the same educational
sureably behind by Third or Fourth
Point MO — To provide a choice
choices that white parents now en­
grade.
other
than middle schools for parents
joy.
Point #4 — To provide appro­
o f upper grade students in the atten­
The Board responded to this with:
priate latitude for parents o f primary
dance area o f an Early Childhood
Point H5 — “ To provide a middle
grade students involved in a middle
Center.
school for children of the Boise and
school conversion to choose the
This policy requires the continued
Eliot attendance area.” Then the
primary school which their children
active
recruitment o f the best quali­
Board “ requested” the superinten­
will attend within the middle school
fied Black students out o f their own
dent to "consider” Boise and Eliot
cluster.
neighborhoods. It not only w ith ­
as middle school sites.
What is the objective here? How is
draws
the best students but also
While this response “ suggests” a
this d iffe re n t from the present
dissipates
the impact o f those Black
change in previous Board policy
policy?
parents most concerned with the
which converts all the elementary
In our statement to the Board on
quality o f their childrens’ educa­
schools in the Black community to
December 11, 1978, we described
tion.
Early Childhood Education Centers,
how Beaumont P rim ary students
This continues to foster the false
it falls far short o f providing equal
were assigned to Alameda and not
and dangerous impression that Black
choices fo r parents in the Black
Sabin; how Fernwood primary stu­
children can only get a “ quality”
community.
dents were assigned to Laurelhurst
education
outside their own com­
Point H6 — To provide on an " in ­
and not Irvington, and how, in 1980,
munity.
terim basis” an upper grade center or
Ockley-Green students w ill be
Does this mean that the active re­
centers on the west side for Area I
assigned to Kenton, Beach, and
cruitment o f Black students out o f
King and Humboldt children.
C hief Joseph. The Ockley-Green
their own neighborhood w ill con­
The Coalition does not see how the
children and those from Beaumont
tinue?
I f so, is there a program to
creation o f upper grade “ centers” on
and Fernwood could have been as
(Please turn to page 4 col. 3)