..._.a~ o.,,,.,., .,_ 11. 1111
Farewell fine friends
from fellow fighter Fungai
EDITORIAL/OPINION
Twenty-seven
Suit opens Pandora's box
A civil rights suit against the Portland
School Oi1trict by board member Herb Caw-
thorne is long overdue and would have far
reaching effects.
In its various findings of "non-compliance"
against the Portland district by the office of
education, there has never bean a legal
deci1ion on whether the Portland district ever
discriminated against Black children as a
mane, of policy.
Of course it is clear that discrimination has
been the policy of the Portland School District
at least since the 1950s. The district
segregated Black children into certain schools
and refused to even acknowledQe this until
1964. But Eliot and Humboldt were built in
areas that would result in segregation over the
protests of the community. The remedies un-
til a year ago consisted of moving Black
children out of their schools and into white
schools, with no attention to what happened
to them .
The various methods of dispersal are now
wall known : removing grades from neighbor-
hood schools; inticing and forcing children to
other schools; denying access to neighbor-
hood schools; replacement of pre-school and
elementary children with white children
~
~~ -has come to our attention that Robert
Phillips, who currently works in the Governor's
.
. action
. o ff' ice, h as come un d er per-
a ff 1rmat1ve
sonal attack for his participation in the process
and that his participation is being interpreted
as the Governor's "intervention".
. .
Phillips was asked by the Observer to
present the plan developed by Legislative
Research as being the district including the
highest percentage of Black res·1dents and
still closely following natural neighborhood
boundaries, to the forum held at King Facility.
• ,
,m
nd f ,
m
off Zimbabwe a h
1 little
fellow born to a hur blc ouplc by
name: Mandincm
gerwc
Kumbula Ninctcc
I lier he
ldt Zimbabwe t
Ider
brother, Tenday,
tu 1 mg
in Los Ansel
1
lcs
proved to be too
, , too
fast, too craz , "
•• C n
ducive to scr, •u
hip (at
leas, for one F un11
So Fungai de, t '
IC
rainy, sleepy r,
n
September 1976
' dcd
with his few belor 1
1ckcty
old jalopy that , ,
11
f di
apart at ever 1
ur
'r
reptitiously shpr, in fl R"
City. Not know ,
>UI, he
did not sec an 1h,1
I >Ut
the Rose City
red
when he read 1e 1 1
'flOfl
Jo11rnal to be •
In 1 C>rcgon
a quiet liUlc villa
forcing Blacks out; etc.
Only when threatened by a boycott did the
School Board agree to allow students to
remain in their own neighborhoods. Other
agreed upon remedies have been slow and in-
adequate. Now, a year later, the Board has
closed Washington / Monroe (41 percent
minority) and plan to close Adams (35 percent
minority) in direct violation of its own policy.
Thus, the same children who have been
scattered and scorned throughout their school
career will be forced to move again . Pleas to
morality and sensibility have failed - all that
remains is a federal suit.
A suit would have additional benefits . A
judge could order that additional resources be
used to compensate for past injury; he could
order the hiring and promotion of Black staff.
A court order could result in a monitoring
group responsible to the court, not to school
district staff.
A law suit and a court order would be the
best solution. The seating of a new School
Board and the behavior of some of the old
members indicate that little has bean learned
over the past three years. Those who finally
said : "We did it and we ' re sorry, " are
preparing to do it again.
The fruits of victory
The Reapportionment Conference Commit-
tee -- appointed to resolve the differences
between the House and Senate versions of
reapportionment h111s voted to retain the new
District 18 designed by the House, which
creates a new "inner northeast" district with
44 per cent Black population.
We take this opportunity to thank Rep. Glen
Whallon, who brought his House Committee
to King Facility to hear the opinions of the
citizens , and who responded to those
opinions, and to the members of his commit-
tee. We also thank those Representatives and
•
Senators who en d orse d an d supporte d t h 1s
By F11n1oi K11mbtlla
The plan was one of four presented. The plan
came to be called the "Phillips plan" as op-
posed the "Mason Plan", the OABA Plan "
and the "Bauman Plan" -- each named after
it's presented . Phillips continued to be the
spokesperson for the plan throughout the
House hearings and committee meetings .
Following the adoption of that plan, with some
variations , Phillips was "muzzled " by the
Governor's office in response to angry
protests by some Democratic members of the
Legislature who opposed the plan.
w e th an k R o b ert Ph'II'
f
h'
1 1ps or 1s par -
t· . t'
b h If f h'
.
.
f
1c1pa 10n on e a o 1s community ,n risk o
h is emplo_yment. He ha~ demonstrated , as
a_ 1 ~~ys, his deep commitment and respon
11b1hty.
.
. We also th ank the. ~overnor • ":'e reah~e t_hat
his su~po_rt for Phillips and his con~mumg
neutra!1t~ in the face of angry accusation has
been d1ff1cult.
The citizens and the organizations that took
the time to study the issues and to come out
and express their opinions are the ones
responsible for what is truly a great political
victory and they will be the benefactors.
"Hallmark"
The Portland
Subecrtp1ICIN ,10.00 per yea, in Tri-County ,,.... ftottmnter ·
Send add,_ changee to the Port'4nd <Jb#r,w, P 0. Bo• 3137,
Portland. Oregon 972m
The Portl•11d OIJ»rwr w11 founded in October of 1970 by
Alfrtcl LN Hendef-,,,
Brue, BroM.Utlrd
&Ji tori Pllblislwr
Oregon
N.wlpaper
Pubf11hert
Auoc:1at10n
I
MIMl8t
NCllt'A;,ER
The Portl•nd OIi~ ,. • champion of ,ulticl, lqlMllity end
l1ti.lratl0f'I, an __, guard 1g11ft1t aoc:ial 9¥1ia; I tt1orougf1 IN!ytt
and c:n1IC of dlec11mN.etory P,IC1lc:N end policlN; I Nnbnal to
WIim of tmpllldi,,g ,nd t•iltlno recat trendl ,nd P,ICl!cw; Ind I
deflnder llgM1St ..-Ution Ind o p p f -
Ti.,..., ~ of the mlno,tty population dbl w-.d end
P'-•twd lfom lhe plflpKtlw of their C8UNllty: unt1atreinea eno
cfl,onoicelty 1n1renched r1c11m N111on11 and International
lffll . . . . ,15 !hit prolong Ind one,._ !tie OCIPl'W .If Third
Wortd P901N1 lflall be COlilldefad in the conte•t of.,-, ex
DlollMion lftd ~ I llcN. b¥ !tie colonoal ~
. iflducll,g tt,e
United,..._, end tfleor ,.,.1fon1flis» to tNa nation'• "'9toncal
"-'"""' of ,ta Ille~ l)OSIUldOfl
Nallonel Mw ...... •
, ...... "
Am .................... lnc
lllewYorti
111 ,,,.ce
Community Sen,1e1
ONPA 1973
111 Place
Beet Ad Aeeult
ONPAt973
liCh Plec•
BNt Editon■I
ONPA lffl
H-lble M■nt10n
Herrlc:11 Editorial A_,d
NNA1173
2ndPl■c:e
Beat Editoriel
3"1Pl■c:e
~l,tfd■rlflip
ONPAtffl
3"1 l'lec•
CClfflfflVflllyuedelwtlip
()Nf'Alffl
3rd Piece
In dap1h COVlflgl
ONPA 1919
213-2411
l)IO..
u
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he
,nd
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a
, I TI
1,, m
man
,d
tn
!n sec,
wa
I
\I,
j
I
lUn
• not
j
I
<
weekly colurr
Would v u
declined the n
not think I "'
material r \I, r
h
played with, lau1hed with,
an1uished with, reminisced with,
kidded with, dined with, stayed
with, studied with, talked to, talked
with, tau1ht, learned from; these
arc people who have made my 1tay
not only bearable but actually quite
excitin,.
It could probably be said that I
have done a lot of thin11 whale I
have been studyin1 over the past
five years but I believe in 1ivin1
credit where credit is due: it was
pouible for me to do what I did
because so many people reached out
to me and placed enouah trust and
confidence in me. That confidence
and that trust arc what inspired me
to go on and do all that is mentioned
above and more. I can honestly say I
have 1rown mentally and am now
more mature, wiser and happier
person than the innocent youn1 man
who slipped into town so Iona aao.
Everyone I have worked with I have
learned from; I have made so many
friends over the past half decade
that as I prepare to leave Portland, I
have the shadow of a tear because
some of these friends I may never
sceaaain.
I am almost certain I have made
my fair share of enemies too and I
would hope when next we meet we
will be speaking the same languaac.
Life would not be complete without
at least some mention of the trials
and tribulations of sweet-bitter love
and I, too, have had my moments of
heartbreak and my moments of ec-
stasy. I 10 away with memories of
Portland hopins that someday all
these different people will once
asain cross my path and we can talk
about the 1ood old days.
I have deliberately refrained from
mentionina any names because if I
had to list all the people who have
contributed to my growth and made
my stay that much more meaningful
and exciting, I probably would need
another page as Iona as this. To all
these people, I now sa y, in the
revered ancient African tradition:
"I am glad I took the time out to
break bread with you."
Will l be back? Will I continue to
write for The Observer? What am I
1oin1 to be doing once I lea ve here
and get back home to civilization?
For answers to these questions and
more, tune in next week .
P .S. Happy Birthday dear
Funaai. He is 27 years young today!
the Editor
New Scho
Organiza
The Portl4nd 06:wrwr IUSPS 9!i9 6801 11 pu'-hed ft9fV Thul'I
~ by hie Publiahing Compeny, Inc 2201 North K ~ .
Portland. Oragon 1n11. Poet Off1C1 Bo• 3137 Portland o,agon
972011 Sec:onct c._ PC>Sf-ut PHI II Ponlend. Oregon
•
, med
1 >lhng
10
To the Editor
This letter , 11 r
printed in \ ,
I I, ttllcd
rnembers make mocker, of process
rd
To the Editor
After hour ,
arduous deli
testimony, th
School Boar
Washington 1
and plans ha ,
its program
School facilit
This dccis 1
laincd, and the • ,
of relocation
being addrcs '
H uman Rela11 n
Education
,m,
believes that the
lions will bench
Conscquen I
cons1crna11on It
Committee re
UJE KILLED THAT ONCE .
WHY 00£SN'T ff£ BUTT OUT?
Portland Observer
, I b a
,
former Holly\1< 1
Ronald Reagan \I, t 1
the virtues of non
mer dictator, I rn
acror from Death
Bonzo Goe 1 \
saying m csse ,
a blessing 10 lh·
babwe because,
he was keeping h •
nihilating one ar ,, r
I nearly had -1
ing whether I
I
to the Dark Ages
my int roduct I r
less than au 1 1
disappointed \I,
statement of rt
(literally!) and i 1
tcr-cditorial \I,
published th
that wa the 1
of my "Noh ,
of individua
door, ask mg
this or that P< 1111
found my
American Ir
1cc, Pon I"'
Racism. rhe
Student Bia,
I wa~ rcq ie 1
week after week? How wron1 I was
and how "naive" can one 1et7 In
lime I was introduced to the Black
Educational Center and the Talkina
Drum Bookstore and, ultimately the
Black United Front. Here it seemed
I had at last found a home; no
lonaer did I feel like an outsider
lookm1 in. Involvement in the
African Liberation Day activities
and other community concerns
combined to make Portland home
at last.
Meantime, contact with the Port-
land State University's Black
Studies Departmen t had led to
another and most unexpected
honour an invitation to teach a
class on Southern African politics.
For two years I played the dual role
of student and instructor and that
helped broaden m y horizons im-
mensely. In between I was squeezin1
m spcakin1 cngaaemcnts at almost
all the local hiah schools and
collcaes as well as community
1a1hcrin1 and church aroups.
The Portland Public School
system decided to put up a play
based on the life of the late South
A fr1can civil riahts leader , Steve
Biko, and I was asked to work with
the Oral History Committee which
was charaed with the task of puttin1
the play toacthcr. To better inform
Portland of the happcninas on the
continent, Funaai was asked to be a
guest commentator on a public TV
program called TCB and this con-
tinued until the no torious budaet
uts yanked it off the air. From time
to 11mc, however, guest appearances
on the same station (KOAP) on
H orld Press In R,view have con-
11n ucd at least for the ti me bcina .
The latest one will be this Saturday,
unc 20, al "l;J0 p.m.
la t Sunday, June 7t h, Funaai
finally graduated from Portland
ate l niversity aetting a dearee in
Medical Biolol)' and Biochemistry
with minors in En vironmental
1ences and Public Health . The
ta k for which Funaai came to
>rcgon gctti'lg an educatio n• is
1w completed and he must bid you
II adieu That is the purpose of this
,1 11
reminiscing: I a m now
I •king back on what my stay in
1 tland ha meant to me. II has
urn :d out to be quite a n cxcitin1
I
because of all the wonderful
,>rlc I have met, made fr iends
\1<1tl v.orkcd with, argued with,
l
h
1
,bhc
C
>I
I
ll
h
"
' e
•I
1
tan
l>n
n
'
n
the
Sun,tyS
I
8 5 per
Ni"II H
sitivity and commitment. There is
no room for capriciousness, in-
transiacncc or aamc playing when
the future of our children -- and
throuah them, our own -- hanas in
the balance.
The Metropolitan
Human
Relations Commission Education
Committee urges each member of
the board to dispense with all
ruminations and develop firm
commitments to citi zen par-
ticipation and quality education for
the aeneral aood.
Respectfully,
Sho G. Dotono, Chairperson
Education Committee
Metropolitan Human
Relations Commission
•
h re housing costs
le
r11
1
l
•
How,.'
There 1
erroncou, me
provided to , 11 1
While it 15 f , ii
Hall Masonic Ten I
by ENDA r,
SJ6 1 ti a ml nth
dictated th ,
Community
all likely hood
S.361.1 1
The statcmcn•
Urban League
Project ha no•
ENDA see, and( •,
a project wh
citizens arc
lnc:orre.:t The l.
Center,~ h
well publicized statements of the
Chair~rsons of the board and two
board members-elect rc1ardin1 their
intent to close the Adams facility
once the two new board members
arc seated.
1 he MHRC Education Commit-
tee feels that these statements arc in-
appropriate and that the intent of
the "new" board is objectionable.
The eminent board's intent to close
Adams m July, scans a public man-
date to do so, makes mockery of the
illlcn input process and diminishes
the public's perception of the
board's commit ment and leader-
ship
C,1ven the fiscal temper of the
times and the educational crisis
before us, the public looks to the
hool board for leadership, sen-
' r
I
lln
Prince
I cd
n
I
I
,n
ue
•ill, in
I that
the
'
cd for
emor
, II
nior
"
and has been in existence since 1975.
The "lack of an Urban Lea1ue's
cmor C'itizens buildin1 (.riC') has not
hindered it in providin1 various,
onsistcntly hi1h quality, activities
for N E area scr1iors.
Thank you for your covera1e of
,m portant
community
ac-
livi11cs/scrvlcea. We look forward
to a resolution of this matter and a
conlinuin1 workin1 relationship.
Sincerely,
Jo~ 0-ns-Smith
Director, Community Services
Project, Urban Leaauc of Ptld.
(Editor' s Note: We have been in-
formed that the Prince Hall Masons
and the Urban leaaue Senior
Ci t izens' Project will share the
housin1 costs.)
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Cltv----·---lt11e
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'°'111nd, Oft fflDI I
Portiand ObNI "9f
Zip
. 1o. 3137
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Dt
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