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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (June 4, 1981)
R* For the children o f Atlanta an d /o r all children who are hungry, suffer and live In fear. 1 * J Jordan removal spurs march on Ivancie, City Hall A march is scheduled fo r noon today (Thursday) to protest the re m o v a l o f C o m m is s io n e r C h a rle s Jordan from his position o f Police Com m issioner by M ayor Frank Ivancie. The march also protests the method used to appoint a new police ch ie f on the same day the Bureau was removed from Jordan. The Black community is united in its anger and frustration over Ivan cie’s move and interprets it as an ef fort to placate the Portland Police Association’ s protest over the firing o f two police o ffice rs who threw possums in front o f the Burger Barn resturaunt. Several main themes arise in community discussions o f Ivancie’s action: no Black o ffic ia l w ill he allowed the authority to fire white men, especially w hite police o f ficers; Jordan’ s effo rts to change policy including removing sergeants fro m the union, new firearm s policies, the a ffirm a tiv e action process recently upheld by the Court o f Appeals; Jordan's opportunity to select a new chief; the campaign promise made to Jordan and the Black com m unity that Jordan would retain the bureau and could select the new chief; the method and timing used by the Mayor; the selec tio n o f a new ch ie f w ith o u t com munity involvement. Hopes fo r change in the bureau have been dashed by talk o f “ law and o rd e r’ ’ and a “ policem an’ s policeman” . Linda Johnson o f C R IB told a press conference Wednesday. “ In recent weeks there was an air of an ticipation and o f change, in the at titude o f the P ortland Police De partment then under Commissioner Charles Jordan . . . The winds o f change began to indicate that possibly the police adm inistration would take responsibility for the ac tion o f the police on the street. But the winds o f change have died sud denly and unexpectedly w ith the Sunday n ig h t-like massacre by Mayor Ivancie. We are concerned at what looks like the apparent rever sal o f candor and comm unication with the police department.” Ronnie Herndon, chairman o f the Black United Front, said although the M a y o r’ s o rig in a l promise to allow Jordan to retain the Bureau was surprising to him, the fact that Ivancie has now broken that promise shows that his promises are “ not worth the paper they are w rit ten on.” Ivancie made the promise to a meeting o f the M e tropolitan Club prior to the election as well as to Jordan privately. Herndon, saying inat he has been harsh in his criticism o f Jordan, said Ivancie’s move was not just for the d o w n fa ll o f Jordan but was a message to the Black com m unity that Blacks are not supposed to be in positions o f power. He also ob jected to the quick selection o f the new chief, saying that citizens had ’no opp o rtu n ity to know what the criteria is fo r selecting a chief and whether anyone else w ould meet that criteria. Charles Flake, PUS Black Stud- sents, said problems have existed in the Police Bureau for fifty years and it was im possible fo r Jordan to make the needed changes in three years especially when the police union opposes every change. Freddyc Petett, Executive Direc tor o f the Portland Urban League, said she fears the removal o f Jordan signals a return to “ the old ways" o f policing. She called on citizens to let the M ayor know o f their displeasure and put him on notice that they do not intend to let the police bureau go back to “ business as usual” . Regarding C h ie f S till’ s request (Please turn to Page 9 Col 1) PO RTL4ND OBSERVER June 4. 1981 Volume XI Number 33 26< Per Copy Cawthorne: Children come home! School Board member Herb Cawthorne called on Black parents who have children attending schools outside their com m unity fo r pur pose of desegregation to bring them back to the com m unity. “ The School Board cannot accept schools where there is natural integration, yet they expouse their pie-in-the-sky values about in te g ra tio n . The schools they protect are lily-white. This should show parents what the Board th in ks about integration . They should began to bring their children home and stop subsidizing schools outside o f the community. This just drains o f f the students, decreases enrollm ent, causes poor programs and then is used as an ex cuse to close the schools.” Caw thorne was responding to statements by Dean G isvold and C harlotte Beeman that they w ill vote to close Adams High School when they assume th e ir board positions July 1st. “ I consider their statements ex trem ely detrim ental to the com munity, to the hope for integration, and I believe detrim ental to the school d is tric t as a whole. They didn't even have the respect to wait until they were on the board before they began to paralize the actions of the current board. the process, he added that thoir statements are "a slap in the face to the com m unity” and shows “ com plete disregard fo r the psychologically wellbeing o f the students who are hanging in lim bo.” A ll o f the students who curren tly attend Adams and W ashington/Monroe do not know where they w ill attend school next year, as well as the graduating 8th graders. “ I f Adams were to be closed, there would have to be ad- r lustments in the feeder patterns o f Cleveland, F ra n klin , G rant and M adision and this should not be done in the summer after school is Cawthorne said he had beei ready to close three high schools bu would not close both Washington, Monroe and Adams. “ When I sav that they were u n w illin g to com promise and close Clevland insteai o f Washington/Monroe, I decided would not close Adams.” Cawthorne said he does noi believe some members o f the boarc are aware o f the tension in the community. “ I think the new boarc members who d o n ’ t have the courage to come forw ard and tell their plans. If Adams is closed - “ I hope the commuity reacts.” Coalition requests 'new high school' DR M ARY BERRY Berry addresses Urban League Dr. M ary F. Berry w ill be the speaker at the U rban League o f Portland's Annual Banquet Thurs day, June 4th at 6:30 p.m . at the Hilton Hotel. Dr. Berry is Vice Chairman of the U.S. Commission on C iv il Rights and a Professor o f History and Law at How ard U n ive rsity. She was assistant Secretary for Education in the Carter Adm instration, heading the Education D ivision o f HEW with a $13 billion budget. Prior to her service at HEW, she was Chancellor o f the University o f C olorado at Boulder. She is a graduate o f Howard University and the U niversity o f M ichigan Law School. T h e N o r th e a s t- S o u th e a s t C oalition fo r a New High School has subm itted a proposal to the School Board, asking that Adams and W ashin g to n /M o n ro e High Schools be combined, in the Adams building, with a new name. The prim a ry goal is to create a t o p - q u a l i t y c o m p r e h e n s iv e educational program in the location that w ill provide a n a tu ra lly in tegrated and diverse socio-economic area. The new school would include the suudent bodies from both schools and the three magnet programs from Washington/Monroe; Health Services (M e d ic a l/D e n ta l); Food Services; E arly C hildhood Development. Magnet status would be given the computer program now at Adams. The com m ittee has received com m itm ents from Providence Hospital, Holladay Park Hospital, Emanuel Hospital and Betu Kaiser Hospital to assist the medical/den- tal program. The Food Services Magnet would fit in existing facilities at the school. Adams already provides hot lunches fo r St. Charles School and the magnet could offer low-cost meals to elderly citizens in the area. Lunches for business people in the community is another option. Adams now contains a child care facility. The child care magnet could be installed at no cost and would be enhanced by the p ro xim ity o f the program. It is also near Meek and Vernon Elementary Schools, Head start programs. Providence C hild Care and Shrines Hospital. The Computer Science program now at Adams provides o p p o r tunities fo r students at all levels. Elevating this program to magnet status w ould draw students from throughout the distria. A computer magnet could also be linked to other programs, fo r example with P ort land Community College. Another important consideration is the em otional s ta b ility o f the students. The Monroe students have already gone through the closure of Monroe High School, consolidating w ith W ashington,and now the closure o f W ashington. These students and those fro m the Washington district have not been assigned new schools and arc to be divided among Jefferson, Cleveland and F ra n klin . The W ashington students were under direct threat o f THE PETER ALARID STORY CONTINUED... closure until three years ago when M onroe was moved to their building. Adams has been under fire through most o f its existence, have been neglected by the district, and has faced probable closure fo r several years. The committee proposes a five year written commitment from the School Board. The comm ittee would continue to work on volun teers to insure a smooth transition. Bob Nelson, Chairm an ofthe Concordia Neighborhood Associ ation and leader o f the community’ s e ffo rt to save Adams, said a com mittee met w ith Superintendent Fenwick to ask why nothing is being done about the School Board’ s director to move three o f the (Please turn to Page 9 Col I) 'Have no memory of it' By Nyewusi Askari This is the co n tin u in g story o f Peter A larid, who suffered serious head injuries, while incarcerated at Rocky Butte ja il. Recently, a $200,000 suit was was filed against the officer alleged to have inflicted the injury.. It was d iffic u lt fo r persons in positions o f authority to believe Ms. Barboza’s story about her son. And one by one attorneys contacted declined to take the case, stating that “ there was little likeihood that Peter would recover.” Many felt the state "should be put to task” for the injuries suffered, and the county as well, fo r the b ru ta lity inflicted by one of their officials whose beating had resulted in Peter A la rid being sent to Oregon State Hospital. A fte r an exhausting search, Ms. Barboza decided to contact the Justice Department in Washington, D .C ., and on September 11, 1980, received the follow ing, which read in part: Dear Mr. Attorney General: I am forwarding to you for your consideration, correspondence that I have received from Ms. Agnes Barboza regarding her son, Peter Alarid. I w ould like to request the Department o f Justice to look into Ms. Barboza’ s statements in light o f possible deprivation o f the c iv il rights o f Peter Alarid. It would be appreciated i f your consideration would include both the possible civil and c rim in a l ra m ifica tio n o f the civil rights issues raised by Ms. Bar boza. Sincerely, Edward M. Kennedy Chairman, Committee on the Judiciary On November 20, 1980, another letter o f importance arrived: ...Dear Ms. Barboza: Please be advised that the Federal Bureau o f Investigation has been requested to conduct an in vestigation into this matter. Thank you for bringing this mat ter to our attention. Sincerely, Drew S. Days III The forum on youth em ploym ent and recreation scheduled fo r June 6th has been postponed. Assistant Attorney General -Civil Rights Division Ms. Barboza’ s cause o f concern for her son came not from the fact he was being held in Rocky Butte, but, as she explains, “ because o f what happened to my son after he was confined. He went in to that place perfectly healthy, and now he’ s crippled for life.” C ertain facts support her allegations. In a neurological Evaluation Marked “ C o n fid e n tia l” from W. Brewster S m ith, M .D ., to Dr. Weissert (Oregon State H ospital) the following report was made: Past Medical History: No major illnesses or medical conditions known. Review o f Systems: The patient has had some occasional subocipital headaches. He has otherwise com plained o f no particular symptoms. Physical E xam ination: The patient is short, dark haired, bear ded young man who appears to be healthy. The evaluation continued: “ Two or three months ago, during his im prisonm ent, he was involved in a fig h t w ith guards. Im m ediately afterwards he became withdrawn, mute and rig id . He was therefore transferred to the security ward o f Oregon State H o sp ita l. Upon his a rriv a l he was described as being awake but unresponsive. He was ex tremely rigid and would not walk. He generally held his arms and legs in rigid and peculiar postures. Since his admission to Oregon State H o sp ita l, he has continued to be mute...I feel that the most likely ex planation fo r the patients bizzare behavior and lack o f speech is func tional psychosis.” A ccording to an investigation memo from J.EIshire to P. M argolin dated 7 /1 0 /7 9 , Betty Shelly, a registered nurse at Rocky Butte first saw Peter in early May. She observed him to be detached f rom his surroundings; his speech slow and h a lting; w ould respond verbally but slowly; felt something was brewing inside o f him and that it wouldn’ t take much to bring it to the surface; believed this was ac com plished on the 18th o f May when Peter was involved in an alter cation w ith o ffic e r Gaskell. The memo stated that “ Upon returning Peter to his cell, he slipped and hit his head on the bars.” From the Rocky Butte files: 5/18: “ Removal o f eyeglasses, verbal attack by PA (Peter Alarid), h it his head on the bars while resisting o ffice rs, o ffice rs use minimum force to subdue. Feels he is faking. Guard Gaskell. 5/20: “ Betty Shelly saw him. No verbal response, seemed paranoid. She stuck pill in his mouth. 5/21: “ Claude Benson finds PA on floor o f his cell. Feels PA needs psychiatric help. 5/21: “ D r. Summers conclude Jum oks Aekari la filled w ith tha spirit o t the drum, during P A -is sick. Wants him to go to "Afrlksn” Cultural Night." held May 2Sth, at Portland State Unhzer- (Please turn to Page 3 Col 1) shy. See Pa^oFour for related etory. (Photo: Rlchered Brown) i ? » 1 : . 4 «
