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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (May 3, 1979)
! 1 Mr* France» Schoen-Nexapaper Poem University of Oregon Library cugene, Oregon 97403 Albina schools demonstrate low achievement The Albina Schools scored worst on the new testing system. In achievement test scores designed to measure pupils’ achievements as related to the P ortland School Districts* curriculum , all A lbina schools except Irvington lated low. The school district has initiated city-wide testing, using the same tests, so an accurate comparison of schools can be made. Previously testing was done by area — using dif ferent tests — so accurate compari sons could not be made. The tests provide a basic score, the HIT (Rasch Achievement Unit) which gives a 200 score to average fifth grade performance and ranges from 140 (very low third grade) to 260 (very high eighth grade). The district averages reading scores for fourth graders in the fall of 1978 was 192.33. At the top o f the scale is Bridlemile with 203.81. A t the bottom o f the scale are: K in g E C E * 177.73 Sabin ECE • 178.5« Lents 180.19 Boise* 181.26 Whitman 182.83 Woodlawn* 183.83 Eleventh from the bottom is Ver non (185.55) and Fifteenth is Faubian (187.02). The six Albina schools (which in clude fourth graders) also rank, in the last nine schools in mathematics. The district average is 190.44, Gray is first with 200.54. At the lower end are: K in g E C E * 177.40 Woodlawn E C E * 179.69 Sabin E C E * 181.49 Boise E C E * 181.68 Whitman 182.67 Sunnyside 182.89 Lent 183.67 Vernon E C E * 183.95 Faubian * 184.30 In reading, Gray fifth graders lend with a score o f 213.40, the district average being 200.13. From the bottom are: K ing* 182.41 Kenton 191.04 Lents 191.05 Portsmouth 192.03 Sabin * 192.08 Boise* 192.50 Woodlawn * 192.75 Whitman 192.95 (fourth graders average) Beech 193.10 Vernon • 193.64 Fifth graders at Gray also lead the district in mathematics with an R1T score o f 213.64. The district average is 200.80 At the bottom end o f the scale are: K>ng* 186.76 Lane 192.47 (fourth graders average) Portsmouth 192.70 Vernon* 193.13 George 193.60 Sabin • 194.00 Boise* 194.22 Woodlawn ' 194.64 Dave McCrea, principal o f Boise Elementary School, said he is not particularly concerned about his school’s test scores relative to the other schools. “ What I am concern ed about is how each child progress es during the year. I f our students raise their achievement by a grade level or more during the school year, then we are making progress. ’’ McCrea blames the schools’ poor showing on a number o f factors — a low socio-economic neighborhood, high turnover o f students, and a multitude o f factors that are current ly unknown to educators. One real handicap is Boise’s turnover. This PORTLAND OBSERVER year Boise received 180 new students, forty-four percent o f the student body. M o st o f those students were low achievers. A b o , ten percent o f the Boise stu dent body is from Southesut Asia, w ith m any o f th e students s till knowing little English. “ We can’t do anything about the students we get,’’ McCrea explained, “ but if we don’t move them up while we have them, that is our responsi bility.” When comparing only the students who took the tests as fourth graders in the fall o f 1977 and also took the tests in the fall o f 1978, there was an improvement o f 12 points, or approximately two grade levels. (Please turn to Page 2 Column 1) Volume 8 No. 17 Thursday, May 3,1878 109 USPS Jury hears defendant describe shooting Judge James Ellis recessed the trial of Gregory Burbach until Thursday to determine whether information re lating to the background of the man he killed should be given to the jury. Burbach, white, is being tried for manslaughter in the December shooting of Lewis Mangum. Black, at the Fremont Tradewell store. Witnesses have testified that Man gum had come to the store earlier in the day, while drunk and abusive, and before he left had attempted to get Burbach, a security guard, to go outside and fight with him. Mangum was angry that Burbach had previously followed him around the store. Bill Petron, the store manager told Burbach that Mangum had a butcher knife in his belt. Tony Coleman, a box boy, related that Burbach had said he wanted to take Burbach’s belt o ff and whip his behind with it. Coleman also had asked Burbach follow ing the shooting why he had killed Mangum? Burbach had replied that he had been told never to draw his gun unless he intended to kill. The jury heard a tape recording of a detective’s interview with Burbach following the killing. In the interview Burbach said he had worked for Wackenhut for only four weeks and had been at Tradewell for one and one-half weeks. His only training in the use of a gun was two films and they emphasized safety and the right o f self-defense, not the use o f a weapon. He said he had never held a gun, did not like guns and, “ I ’ve never shot a pistol in my life.” A Bible college student and part- time evangelist, 25-year-old Bur bach said the gun belonged to Trade- well and that he obtained it from the store manager each day and left it in the safe when he left work. Burbach said when Mangum again entered the store just before closing time he attempted to stay away from him while Petron went to send him away. He described Mangum’s ap proach to him, with hands raised and clenched, asking Burbach i f he would shoot him. Burbach said he had a right to shoot to defend him self or to defend Petron. Burbach then pulled his gun but held it to his side. At that point retron went to call the police. Burbach said in the inter view that Mangum took two steps toward him, Burbach stepped back a step, then shot from the hip. After Mangum fell, he talked to Burbach, asking him why he did it. Burbach replied, “ I thought you had a knife, I was afraid.” Petron had earlier testified that he had asked Mangum if he had a knife, and that Mangum had said no and opened his jacket to demonstrate. Petron described Burbach as scared, pale and shaking. The state is asking for a verdict of manslaughter based on Burbach’s acting under extreme em otional stress. Burbach is claim ing self- defense. Burbach’s attorney, A1 Ho- guet, is seeking to have information regarding Mangum’s 1976 offense o f carrying a concealed weapon (a sawed o ff shotgun) and a 1968 assault conviction presented to the jury to support the contention that Mangum was violent and that Bur bach could reasonably expect that he would have caused him severe injury or death. The case is expected to go to the jury Thursday. Minorities and the American Press Affirmative steps now required by Herb L. Cawthorne The American press is aggressive, relentless and self-righteous when it comes to criticizing the progress and failures of other institutions. This is, of course, journalism's great value to the America republic. But when it comes to scrutinizing itself, the press is as negligent as a self-centered youth who has been invited to engage in self-criticism. That is why a recent article in the Columbia Journalism Review serves such a fine purpose. Written by Nick Katz, the article, “ Minority Struggle for a Place in the N ew sroom ,” claims that the newspaper industry's progress is purging its own history of racial exclusion is “ halting, uneven, and far too modest to celebrate.” Nonetheless, there has been progress worth noting. In 1968, there were 400 minority journalists, today there are 1700, representing a bit more than four percent of the profes sion. Students from Black, Hispanic, Asian, and Native American back grounds have enrolled in schools of journalism in record numbers. The fervor o f the protests of the 60’s has at least created a crack in the door; the grinding struggle o f the 70’s and 80’ s must now insure that these ‘ ‘ modest” accomplishments are maintained and expanded. The future must recognize, as does Robert Maynard, chairman of the Institute for Journalism Education, that “ integration o f the press is no longer a protest issue; it’s a matter of process." To encourage the process, some editors and publishers have given weight to well-defined programs which affirm atively express their determination to include minority journalists in the newspaper business. "W h ere given the o p p ortu n ity,” wrote Katz, “ these minority jour nalists are helping newspapers provide more accurate coverage of Am erica's complex, m ulti-racial society.” The shock wave of the turbulent eruptions of Black and minority pro tests have rendered “ modest” gains. It will be the slow, committed crawl of positive actions which will con tinue the movement toward fair representation in the newsrooms of Am erica. Even now 68% o f the nation’s dailies have no m inority reporters and, though m in o rity people make up 17% o f the population, they constitute only four percent o f the professional jo u r nalists. Katz asserts that " . . . the Ameri can press is backward in its failure to hire and promote minority journa lists; the press fails to report ade quately the poverty, racism, and despair which bred the riots of the sixties. It still does not adequately portray the lives and aspirations of non-white Americans.” The protest is over. The process now focuses on “ a second genera tio n ” o f issues. Tokenism , rigid assignments, tougher standards, stif- fer editing, formidable opposition in promotion, and resentment among peers are a few o f the issues which tnc “ process” must now confront. And the process must involve affir mative action. The hope o f affirm ative action requires the well-defined, committed leadership of editors and publishers. Former representative visits Portland by Kathryn H. Bogle Easy to meet, full o f personal charm and possessed with a warm disarming smile, Yvonne Brathwaite Burke came to Portland to speak about “ Blacks and Women in Poli tics.” Her public address, a part of the Lewis and Clark College spring forum on the humanities, was given at the Agnes Flanagan Chapel on the campus, Thursday, April 26th. Mrs. Burke is the same composed and competent lady who riveted at tention o f the hundreds who heard her in person and who thrilled millions o f Black people who saw and heard her on the television broadcast back in 1972 during the Democratic National Convention. There she stood, Yvonne Brath waite at the podium, dainty and crisp, in that vast smoke-filled hall with noisy crowds of delegates from every state in the Union — all of them excited and charged up to the hilt with pushing for their jw n candi date, bouncing their banners, and their balloons, and fhe, as vice chair man o f that whole convention, a woman, a Black woman, called for order, and got it. The respect for her ability grew with every move she made and with every decision she made on motions and business before that tremendous gathering. All that part o f her career is over, at least for now, with A ttorney Burke’s decision to leave the national congressional scene and withdraw to the comparative quiet o f the state in which she makes her home. Now she has her five-year-old daughter, Autumn, and a busy law practice in Los Angeles on which to center her time. An attempt to become Attorney General for the State o f California did not come to fruition, but Mrs. Burke does not feel that this neces sarily ends her political career. She does feel that there is important legi slation involving women, and much that affects Blacks that will call forth her interest and energies. Mrs. Burke spoke informally to students on the campus during her visit and suggested to women stu dents present that politics is one of the easier fields for women to enter — once they have found the money to run. “ After all,” she said, “ a woman for President of these United States is just a metter o f time.” Yet this leadership has been generally hard to find. Why is this so? In the distorted debate over so- called “ reverse discrimination,” a distortion to which the press has made sizeable contribution, a ffir mative action has been equated with reducing the caliber o f q u ality reporting. This is not an accurate perception. Programs which positively assert the management’s commitment seek two significant aims: To enable people formerly disenfranchised by undemocratic methods to enter and compete in the field o f journalism, and, at the same time, to insure that the profession does not suffer in quality as a result. A just society cannot simply acknowledge the wrongdoing o f decades and decades o f inequity and, then, having made the acknowledge ment, consider itself absolved o f responsibility for the lingering disad vantageous effects o f those years of discriminatory action. Those who oppose the taking of affirmative steps to assist in hiring (Please turn to Page 4 Column 1) Norma Jean Darden, co-author, autographs copies of her book "Spoon Bread and Strawberry Wine" at downtown Fredericks Book Depar tment. (Photo: Frank DeSantia) Cookbook maintains tradition ‘ ‘Spoon Bread and Strawberry Wine” is the deliciously intriguing title o f a new cookbook just out in some o f the local book marts. There are cookbooks and there are cook books but, this one being autograph ed in a downtown department store by one o f the authors is bordering on the nature of a delightful nostalgic handbook for a homemaker. “ Re cipes and Reminiscences o f a Family” is an apt sub-title. A first book for two sisters, Nor ma Jean Darden and Carole Darden, ‘ ‘ Spoon Bread and Strawberry W ine” was seven years from the planning to the printing and release while the sisters researched and re corded their rich fam ily lore to produce it. On the book’s jacket the Misses Darden tell how they went about visiting the various branches of their family in North Carolina, Alabama, Virginia and Ohio “ collecting” tra ditional recipes, rare photographs, family health and beauty secrets, and recollections o f special family cele brations and rituals.” They begin with grandpa Charles H . Darden who was born a slave and who settled (at sixteen) with a wife in Wilson, North Carolina. It seems this couple “ had thirteen children, one o f whom is the father o f the authors o f the book.” Inside the book, “ they describe in detail his ad ventures, and his misadventures in cluding even Papa Darden’s straw berry wine-making secrets.” This wine he sold in his general store at a nickel a glass. Other featured members o f the (Please turn to Page 5 Column 3) Sears suit challenges government YVONNE BRATHWAITE BURKE (Photo: Tino Wollt) ✓ (E d ito ex» r's » N ote: Follow ing __-a- the A pril 26 Observer article regarding a picket o f Sears’ Grand A venue store at noon on May 5th, W. G. Caster line, Northwest Director o f Public Relations fo r Sears, contacted us to request that information regarding Sears’ view o f their suit be presented to our readers. W hat fo llo w s is in fo rm atio n p rovided by Sears, along with comments by civil rights leaders.) Sears, Roebuck and Co. filed a suit against the U.S. government on January 24, 1979, charging that the government has created an unbalan ced civilian workforce which restricts employment opportunities of American citizens. A January 24th Sears press release notes, "Federal agencies are trying to hold private employers liable for the workforce the government itself created, the suit says. It points out that the workforce in which white males are dominant was created through the O .I. Bill o f Rights, veterans preference laws, the selec tive service system, restriction on the number o f women and blacks in the armed forces and the types o f m ilitary assignments available to . them, vocational and other educational programs. “ The suit filed by Sears today notes that the 1978 amaendment to the Age D iscrim ination in E m ployment Act further restricts job opportunities for women and minorities. “ These and other laws and policies created and continue to shape the civilian workforce, the suit says, making it more d iffie c u lt for minorities and women to get jobs and promotions in the Federal government and private industry. The suit also charges that Federal agencies have: -- Failed to enforce civil rights laws, including education and housing provisions, intended to provide industry w ith a well- qualified workforce; -- Violated anti-discrim ination provisions themselves; — Created conflicting compliance requirements which result in discrimination against all employees; -- Blamed private employers for the government’s failures, and - Violated the constitutional rights o f Sears and other general merchandise retailers. The Sears suit seeks court orders that would: - Prohibit the use against em ployers o f any statistical disparities from the civilian labor force traceable to compliance with veterans acts and the Age Discrimination Act; - Prohibit enforcement o f the 1978 amendment to the Age Discrimination Act; — Declare the EEO C ’s contention that employment of women in part- time jobs violates Title V II is an in correct and invalid interpretation of applicable laws; -- Prohibit the use o f a statistical approach to show compliance until the government has taken steps to reshape the national workforce and has produced adequate statistics; -- Declare that the ijears voluntary Mandatory Achievement o f Goals Plan complies with the law; -- Require the defendants to issue uniform guidelines to instruct em ployers how to resolve existing con flicts between affirm ative action requirements based on race and sex and those based on veterans status, age, and physical or mental han- (please turn to page 2 col. I)
