tirs Frances Schoen-Newapaper Poes
U n iv e r s ity o f Or¿$on L ib r a r y
Eugene, Oregon 97403
HEW finds PPS discriminates, changes decision
Inform ation leaked from HEW ,
the Portland School D istrict, and
other sources has caused confusion,
anger and frustration over the pend
ing decision on the Department o f
Healrth, Education and Welfare's
investigation o f racial discrimination
charges against the school district.
since HEW investigator Yvonne
Tate states that agency policy
precludes her devulging findings or
decisions
p rio r
to
o ffic ia l
notification to the District, and the
complainants, the following events
are not fu lly verified. However,
other sources in HEW claim their
validity and they are being widely
discussed in the Black communities
o f Portland and Seattle.
Informants state that Region X,
HEW, found the school district in
violation o f the 1964 Civil Rights Act
and in non-compliance with Title
V II. These findings were forwarded
to the Washington office and, based
on facts gatheied in the on-site in
vestigation conducted earlier this
year, the findings were verified.
Then, in a Region X meeting, an
HEW employee informed a member
o f the school district staff about the
findings.
D r. Robert Blanchard, Chuck
Clemmons, and attorney Mark Mc
Clanahan, according to informants,
travelled to Washington, D.C. early
in June where they met with HEW
personnel. Mysteriously, the HEW
findings were changed and the
district is not to be found in non-
compliance.
The explanation given is that Dr.
Blanchard had produced material
indicating that changes to take place
in the next school year w ill alleviate
some o f the problems and that since
the district is not under court order
to desegregate a finding o f discrimin
ation could not be made.
The official notification o f find
ings has yet to be written, Mrs. Tate
said, but within the next few days
should be sent to the district and to
the complainants, Mrs. Ruth Spen
cer and the Oregon M in o rity
Educators Organization, and Mrs.
Vesia Loving.
In early conversations, Mrs. Tate
had indicated that no inform ation
regarding the findings could be
released to the district or to the com
plainants
p rio r
to
o ffic ia l
notification. Then, i f the district
were found in non-compliance, there
would be a period o f up to 120 days
available for negotiation. I f no ac
ceptable solutions were offered by
the district, federal fur.ds would be
with held. Mrs. Tate also stated that
i f the investigation found that the
evidence produced by the school
district differed substantially from
the in fo rm a tio n provided by the
complainants, they would be con
tacted for confirmation. Mrs. Spenc
er and Mrs. Loving state that they
were not contacted by HEW.
The explanation from the
Washington office o f HEW was that
although there is a disproportionate
burden placed on Black children,
both because they are forced to be
bussed while white children are not
and because they are bussed in
greater percentages, that dispropor
PORTLAND OBSERVER
tionate burden is not illegal because
the Portland District is not under
court order to desegregate. I f the
district were under court order, such
disproportionate burden placed on
Black children would be illegal.
Rumors eminating from the school
district involve Senator Bob Pack-
wood in the decision. A Packwood
aide. Bob W iteck, said he had
inquired o f the staff and found no
one who knew anything about it. “ I
doubt i f anything like that could
have happened without someone in
the office knowing about it , ” he
said. However, he had not asked the
Senator.
V o lu m e*N o . 26
Thursday, June 28,1979100
USPS 969 680
Court approves affirmative action
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled
Wednesday that employers can
adopt voluntary affirm ative action
programs. The 5 - 2 decision found
that Brian Weber, a white empoyee
who was not selected for a training
program that reserved half o f its
positions for Blacks, had not been
the victim o f racial discrimination.
The voluntary affirmative action
plan was adopted by Kaiser
Aluminum and Chemical Co. and
the United Steelworkers Union after
charges o f discrim in a tio n were
leveled at the company.
The Weber case was considered far
more dangerous than the much
publicized Bakke case, since an ad
verse ruling would have eliminated
v oluntary
a ffirm a tiv e
action
programs. Companies that have been
proven to have a history o f
discrimination can be required to
adopt affirmative action programs.
Companies like Kaiser, that
recognize that thier past perormance
in equal employment opportunity is
deficient,
cannot
admit
d iscrim ination w ith o u t opening
themselves to litigtion and potential
financial obligations.
'Justice W illiam J. Brennan, Jr.,
writing for the Court said Weber’s
claim that he was the victim o f
“ reverse discrim ination” because
Title 7 o f the Civil Rights Act o f 1964
protects whites as well as minorities
against racial bias overlooked the
significance that the purpose o f the
a ffirm a tiv e action plan is “ to
elim inate tra d itio n a l patterns o f
racial segregation.”
“ It would be ironic indeed if a law
triggered by a nation’ s concern over
centuries o f racial injustice and in
tended to improve the lot o f those
who had been excluded from the
American dream for so long con
stituted
the
firs t
legislative
prohibition o f all voluntary, private,
race-conscious e fforts to abolish
traditional patterns o f racial segrega
tion and heirarchy.”
"The purposes of the plan m irror
those o f the statute. Both were
designed to break down old patterns
o f racial segregation and heirar
chy. Both were structured to open em
ployment opportunities for Negros in
occupations which have been
traditionally closed to them.
“ A t the same time the plan does not
unnecessarily trammel the interests o f
the white employees. The plan does
not require the discharge o f white
workers and their replacement with
black hires.
“ Nor does the plan create an abso
lute bar to the advancement o f white
employees; half o f those trained in the
program will be white.”
Dekum Court playground shrinking, but decision nears
A fte r much negotiating by the
C ity’s Office of Planning and Devel
opment (OPD) with developer J.W.
Bray son, the City has decided that its
independent appraisal, which deter
mined that lots a d joinin g the
Housing A u th o rity o f P ortland’ s
Dekum Court apartments are worth
595,000 per lot. underestimated the
market value. The developer’ s asking
price o f $13,000 per lot is now seen
by the City to reflect fair market
price.
According to Concordia Com
munity Association Dekum Court
Task Force chairman Claudia Fisher,
OPD went to Mayor Goldschmidt
early this week to ask his blessing in
offering Brayson $130,000 for ten
lots, subject to Council approval.
OPD and originally set aside, subject
to C ouncil approval, $80,000 in
federal Housing and Com m unity
Development funds for repurchase
o f the ten lots sold by HAP. Over
protests by the tenants and neigh
borhood, H AP had sold the lots
along with adjacent property for
private housing development.
Through M ayor G oldschm idt’ s
support o f tenant and neighborhood
efforts to regain usable play and
recreation space for Dekum Court
and surrounding neighborhood
children, progress with City bureaus
has increased and continued.
However, the Mayor has indicated
to OPD, according to Ms. Fisher,
that $130,000 is a lot o f money and
that possibly Five lots would suffice.
One o f Brayson’ s counter offers had
been to sell four lots on the east side
o f the com m unity b u ilding at
$13,000 per lot and to donate the
fifth lot for tax purposes. After clos
ing costs, that would leave $25,000
o f the $80,000 for play equipment
and property improvements. “ A p
parently” , says Ms. Fisher, “ the
Mayor has decided this is to be the
most feasible route to follow .”
The neighborhood association and
tenants are considering their options
prior to a City Council meeting to be
held in about two weeks. Dekum
Curt resident Ms. Randi Rodvick,
while still wanting repurchase o f ten
lots, has suggested for consideration
a compromise proposal. She suggests
that the neighborhood delay
requesting H C D funds fo r play
equipment until the next fiscal year
and use the possible $25,000 now
available tojpurchase two more lots
to the west o f the com m unity
building.
When asked by Ms. Fisher about
this option, OPD Neighborhood
Programmer Chuck Olsen indicated
that the developer’ s offer o f the free
fifth lot would not apply, fo r tax
reasons, if more than Five lots were
purchased. Thus, to stay within the
$80,000 the City is proposing, only
one lot on the west o f the community
building could be added. W ith the
approximately 30 feet immediately
adjacent to the building which re
mains in H A P 's possession, the
tenants could have about 80 feet of
usable space to the west if one more
lot is added.
A ctivities most likely to suffer
from loss o f part o f the ten lots
Governor appoints Hays to Parole Board
Mrs. Hazel G. Hays has been ap
pointed to the Parole Board by
Governor Victor Atiyeh. Mrs. Hays
is manager o f the state’s Adult and
Fam ily
Services,
M ultnom ah
Region, which provides welfare
assistance. She is a former manager
of the Albina Human Resource Cen
ter and was director o f Community
Services for the Portland Develop
ment Commission.
The Parole Board is responsible
fo r hearing and acting upon
questions o f parole for inmates o f
state correctional institutions with
sentences of six months or more. The
board also determines if a violation
o f parole conditions exists and can
establish rules and regulations ap
propriate for parole.
The law requires that at least one
woman serve on the Parole Board.
The position is fu ll-tim e , w ith a
salary o f $35,808. Members o f the
Board are Chalmers Jones, Ira Bla
lock, Bill Cogswell, and Elizabeth
Browne. Mrs. Hays replaces Eliza
beth Taylor, who completed one
term on the Board.
Mrs. Hays told the Observer that
she is looking forward to service on
the Board. “ I am looking forward to
a new challenge. It is an awesome
responsibility.”
planned for are Field games for older
youth. With only Five lots to work
with, tenants would probably decide
to use the space fo r smaller
children’s play equipment.
There are 40 Dekum Curt units
w ith a maximum o f 168 children
permitted. To the north o f Dekum
Court on Northeast Lomabard are
apartments which in June o f 1978
had between 80 and 95 children who
have no play space. Developer
Brayson is building 32 units between
N.E. Saratoga and N.E. Dekum. A t
tw o children per unit, 64 more
children in the immediate area could
potentially make use o f play and
recreation space at Dekum Court.
“ We’ ve appreciated the Mayor’ s
support and feel that City efforts
have been sincere, even if a little slow
in coming. And we know $130,000 is
a substantial sum o f money, but the
neighborhood w ill support tenant
decisions as to the number o f lots
they believe to be minimally accept
able. We all s till hope that an
agreement acceptable to all can be
made and that City Council members
w ill support repurchasing lots at the
site.”
Herb Cewthorne, director of the Portland State University Educa
tional Opportunities Program, has indicated that ha is considering ap
plying for appointment to the Portland School Board. Although urged
by many community parsons to apply, Cawthorna told tha Observer
that ha is keeping his options open. "I am definitely interested. I believe
this is a crucial period for education in Portland and that I can con
tribute to the serious decisions that must ba made. I will continue to
discuss this and other alternatives with friends and parsons who have
urged ma to apply."
Tha appointment to tha position vacated by tha death of Phyllis
Wiener will ba made by tha remaining members of tha School Board.
Gilcrease to serve time on weekends
U.S. District Court Judge Robert
Belloni has recommended that Cleve
land Gilcrease, former executive di
rector o f PMSC who was recently
convicted of mail fraud in connec
tion with his election to the presi
dency o f the National Association
fo r Community Development, be
allowed to serve his six month prison
sentence on weekends. Judge Belloni
ordered that Gilcrease be allowed to
serve the sentence in an institution at
or near Victoria, Texas.
*
The judge also delayed the date
Gilcrease is to report to federal mar-
shall’ s in Texas from July 2nd to
August 3rd. Gilcrease has decided
not to appeal the conviction, based
on lack o f financial resources. The
weekend imprisonment w ill allow
him to retain his employment at
Wellex Corporation in Victoria.
Frustrated journalist wins ’Outstanding Young Man o f America’ award
Gregory Gudger has been named
an “ Outstanding Young Man ot
America,” an award sponsored by
the U.S. Jaycees. Gudgei is current
ly a human relations specialist
for the Metropolitan Human Rela
tions Commission, providing re
search and facilitating activities of
the employment and education
committees.
Gregory Gudger
A native o f Washington D .C .,
Gudger is one o f six children raised
by his mother and grandmother.
“ When 1 was five years old my
grandmother asked me what I want
ed to be and 1 said I wanted to go to
college. She said she would live to see
the day I completed college, and she
did.” Ten minutes after he turned in
his last term paper, completing his
requirements fo r graduation, she
died, “ She had been very sick, in the
hospital,” he explained, “ But she
lived on and kept her promise.” His
grandmother also told him that when
a Scorpio dies, a child of the same
sex would be born into the family.
Less than a year after his grand
mothers’ death, his daughter was
born. This event changed the course
o f his career, mandating that econo
mics be considered before his love of
writing Born on December 26th. the
first day o f Kwanza, she was named
“ Im a m i,” a fte r the last day o f
Kwanza, the day o f celebration of
First Fruits.
The first o f his family to attend
college, Gudger believes he inspired
other family members to follow. A
younger brother attends Howard,
m ajoring in engineering, and a
cousin is enrolled at the University of
Pennsylvania.
Gudger came to Oregon at the age
o f seventeen, to enroll at the Univer
sity o f Oregon, where he majored in
journalism . He worked as a copy
editor at the Em erald and, with
Allison Batiste and Gloria Wroten,
founded and edited Eugene’ s first
Black newspaper, The New Birth,
which covered local and national
issues.
While in school he was a research
assistant in Marketing Insurance and
Transportation for Dr. John Wish.
He was an academic counselor for
“ Project ’75” for two years, and a
dot in counselor for a year. During
his ju n io r year he was vice presi
dent o f the Black Student Union.
Gudger was the recipient o f a
scholarship from the Am erican
Newspaper Publishers Association
and received the Leon Colbertson
Scholarship for students o f Scottish
heritage. For two summers he was an
intern with the Oregonian.
Follow ing graduation in 1975,
Gudger moved to Portland. Failing
to find employment with the press,
he went to w ork fo r the C ity ’ s
Human Resource Bureau, where he
developed the Youth Service
Division’s newsletter.
Gudger was managing editor o f
the River City Sun, a youth news
paper funded through the Portland
Metropolitan Steering Committee.
The River C ity Sun published a
newspaper directed to youth in the
Roosevelt and Jefferson attendance
areas, trained young people in w rit
ing, photography, typesetting and re
lated skills, and provided employ
ment for low-income young people.
Gudger trained and supervised a
staff of up to thirty young people of
high school and college age.
A fter the St. Johns Review, the
Oregon Journal and the Oregon
Newspaper Publishers Association
saw the Sun as a threat to the legiti
mate newspaper and through
Oregon’ s congressional delegation
were able to stop its federal funding,
the sta ff that was left, including
Gudger, formed Sun Graphics. Still
funded by PMSC, Sun Graphics
shifted to publishing and printing,
along with training.
Following the inevitable defunding
of Sun Graphics, Gudger supported
his family by doing freelance writing
and photography. He served as a
media consultant to the Teacher
Corps, neighborhood associations,
and the Columbia Regional Council
o f Seniors. He also taught writing at
the PSU Educational Center.
After working with the City’s af
firmative action office for a year,
Gudger joined the staff o f MHRC.
A member of the NAACP Board
o f Directors, he is chairman o f the
Press and P u b licity Com m ittee.
During the 1978 National Conven
tion, held in Portland, he served as a
coordinator for the national press
and covered the convention for the
Observer.
Although he has had to go into
other fields because o f the need to
support his family, Gudger’ s real in
terest is journalism and his goal is to
excel in that field. “ Writing is my
strong suit and it’ s what 1 really want
to do. I think I’m good at it and it
can be my best contribution. The
other fields I’ve gone into — employ
ment, education, teaching — are im
portant, but they are fields I believe I
can deal with best through writing.”
In a field with a great shortage of
trained, skilled minorities, Gudger
has failed to land a job. “ I’ ve ap
plied with the local papers, but I
haven’t pushed it. They know me.
They know I ’ m here. I spent two
summers with the Oregonian and
they told me 1 was the best intern
they’d ever had — but no jo b .”
In the meantime, Gudger sharpens
his skills with an occasional article for
the Observer, including contributing
to an aw ard-w inning series on
segregation in the public schools.