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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 29, 1981)
Page 6 Portland Observer, October 29, 1981 Speaking o f schools So I think I f 1 were to structure ideally a situation I w ould try to structure one where there is parity. Because integration is a parity con cept—and e quity, o f course, is a parity concept. The more ways that you can a rtificia lly structure things so that you can arrange more equal ity from the g it-g o — the greater choice you have o f the delivery o f true equity. I had been asked by somebody, what about a school situation where the school now is 50 per cent Black. Do we need to make a change in that? My response was I don’t know that you need to make a change in that because personally that situa tion may facilitate the greater equity than a situation where you had 10 per cent Black students. I f our true goal is to reach true equity in terms o f program treatment. RICHARD HUNTER r & 0 7 ffS W c r r s jf/ (Continued fro m page 1 column 3) in instruction, curriculum and so forth. There is not necessarily racial equity w ith regard to the way schools operate. So in fairness, cer tain things need to be adjusted in or der to be more favorable. To treat everyone equitably some changes need to be made in school systems that give the impression o f not being equitable but are in fact equitable because they are trying to correct for the lack o f equity or equal treat ment that does not exist, i.e., em phasis on various minority cultures and instruction that does not exist as much in certain locations for cer tain groups as it does in others. Our situation is very different from Portland’ s. Our racial composition o f our student body is such that what some call the m inority is the m ajority. The same is true o f our staff. So we basically had to develop policies that have, as an example, tried to make sure that there is some representation o f some groups that are considered to be the m ajority. So we are dealing with it from the opposite perspective. 1 think personally that it is hard to have equity in any situation where you have people who are very much in the m inority. It requires a great deal o f sensitivity to the fact that that is very difficult to accomplish. I t ’ s hard to have equity in the schools when you have people repre sented in very small percentages.. . . To be in a situation where Blacks are 10 to 15 per cent is similar to the situation we have in Richmond where whites are 15 per cent, which makes it more difficult for equity to ensue. And in our situation whites feel they are being discrim inated against by virtue o f the fact that 85 per cent o f our population is Black and 15 per cent is white. The same is true fo r Blacks in a situation like Portland’s. m uLTnom A H c o u h tm OREGon Student achievement: First o f all you must have qua lity, dedicated personnel that are well trained and com m itted. Then you must have high expectations for your students. O ur student achievement, in a school system that is 85 per cent Black, when 84 per cent o f the stu dents are on free or reduced lunch, at the elementary level is above the national average. Most people would think that might not be feasi ble; it is feasible, i f one has the right people involved and they have the right set o f expectations. We must have leadership that is w illin g to say that certain things must be done and can be done. And fin a lly , w ill be done. I th in k you need to try to elicit the support o f community, parents, try to engage them. . . . And as well, try to engage students___ I think there must be some clear, established priorities and everybody must understand what these priorities are as well as the students and people must stay on track, not be diverted because there are just so many diversions that it ’ s easy to go o ff track. Educating ethnic ch ild re n: Insuring success is a d iffic u lt word to address because that suggests that you would be able to guarantee something. It is d iffic u lt to guarantee that I am going to get out o f this room in one piece after this session let alone guaranteee wha, is going to happen to any groups o f children, given the dynamics o f public education. I do think there are some things you can do to maximize the success o pp ortunities fo r m in o rity youngsters and let me say that whenever m in o rity ch ildren are succeeding then youngsters who are not m inority w ill be succeeding as well. And so whatever e ffo rt one spends to im prove education fo r minorities is going to benefit all the students o f the school district. Fiscal management: One needs to firs t determine the am ount o f revenues that are available. Then there is the development process o f a budget which flows out o f basic obectives or goals. The school board has to play a part in setting the goals o f the district. Community input is also important to the process. C urriculum evaluation: It is im p o rta nt that teachers, adm inistrators and the board involve themselves in the curriculum evaluation process. Personnel select ion/evaluation: The personnel selection and evaluation process can be as successful as the individual that you have involved w ith them. The community should play a role in the selection o f personnel. Long-range p la n n in g : I d on ’ t know what I want to accomplish in two years because I d o n 't know what you have here. There is a need fo r com m unity b u ild in g . Goals should be based on where you are and where you want to go. Dropout prevention: Suspension can be reduced by some form o f u n ifo rm expectations o f student behavior which could result in a student code o f conduct. Talking to the students . . . the more discipline the less suspension. Starting November, 1981, with the adoption of a Multnomah County Ordinance, there will be a new and expanded Minority and Female Business Enterprise Program w ith ... • LESS RED TAPE Multnomah County is accepting the City of Portland's MBE and FBE certifications MORE BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES : • • • • To To To To bid on construction projects sell supplies render services provide professional services To find out more about these business opportunities and to learn how and what Multnomah County buys each year please visit our information booth at: Minority Business Opportunity Trade Fair Memorial Coliseum Assembly Hall Portland, Oregon Friday, October 30,1981 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM Please also contact our Purchasing Division: SHERRY JACOX, DIRECTOR/MBE OFFICER OR DON EICHMAN, ASST. DIRECTOR/MBE OFFICER 2505 SE 11TH AVE PORTLAND, OREGON 97202 (503) 248-5111 GLENN HOUDE (Continued fro m page I coiumn 4) exist and we need to be alert to that fact and be w illin g to co nfro n t racism when it occurs and take various actions to eliminate it. 1 wish I did not have to answer this question (racial balance). I do not see a relationship between the percentage o f minority students in a school and the quality o f education delivered. . . A school that is all white or all BLack in terms o f students and faculty is unreal. It represents an environment, a picture o f society, that exists nowhere else but in that p articula r school and that is on the verge o f being insane. Student achievement: Students achieve pretty much what we want them to achieve. The skills to be taught should be carefully identified We should be clear as to when these skills should be introduced and when they are to be mastered. The student must have a m inim um o f skills set before them each year which builds on previously learned skills and it must be clearly understood that it is the responsibility o f the teacher. Given that, you can see continued learning at the appropriate level. The p rin cip al must be held accountable to insure that the agreed upon skills are to be taught and mastered.. . Educating ethnic children: The question is a very d iffic u lt one to respond to because the question implicitly is an assumption that I am not w illin g to make, and that is e th n icity predicts learning problems. I d on ’ t buy that and I think that it has been proven untrue. Educating handicapped children: I f we had unlimited resources which we do not, it clearly would be an easy m atter to insure that all architectual barriers are removed.. . For the time being we should insure that every youngster have available to h im /h e r an appropriate free Monty's Salon of Beauty October & November SPECIALS — Carefree & California Curls ■Shampoo & Set (Thurs. 6- Fri only) Senior Citizen Discount For Appointment Call 289 9492 1905 N. Killingsworth PORTLAND CLEANING WORKS Dry Cleaner Alteration« and repair extra charge • Minor repair No charge Knit blocking our speciality „Ask about our new budget service „ A v k n n N o w -lo w p ric e ^ ^ ^ ^ Hour: M on day Friday S a tu rd a y -S -1 0 0 p m . 24-hour Service In today - Out tomorrow 3954 N. Williams Portland. Oregon VTTZ1 282 8381 '1 public education in one or more o f our facilities. That may mean that we can’ t make programs available everywhere at one tim e, we just don’ t have the money to do it. . . The definition o f how that adequate public free education is delivered should be left to the local district. EXODUS 1639 N E Alberta Fiscal management: I believe that I would continue doing what I have been doing for a good many years and begin the budget development at two levels. I would expect from the department o f finance early in the school year a pro ection o f revenue to the general fund and the projections o f probable revenues from the federal and state funds for special programs. At the same time that this was being done I would want every s ta ff person in the district to have an o p p o rtu n ity to assist in the development o f the budget. C urriculum and program evaluation: We took a look at the state mandated test to determine what was being ask and wha, were the required skills on these tests. We then compared these tests to our cu rricu lu m and asked the hard questions. We asked at what point is our cu rriculum prepairing the students fo r thes state mandated exam. We then changed our cu rricu lu m to insure that the students were getting the necessary skills to meet the requirement on the state examination. Personnel: I would wan, the school p rin cip a l responsible fo r the evaluation o f every teacher and that means the principal should have the right to choose the people who work d ire ctly fo r him . . . A lso parent input can be very productive bu, the final decision as to wha, teacher is hired should be the responsibility o f the school principal. P lanning: I d o n ’ , know wha, I would want to accomplish in the first two years. The firs, task is ,o ge, the board to define the obectives o f the superintendent. D ropout prevention: Suspension is viewed as a means to eliminate the need fo r behavior co n tro l at the school to allow us to do the work for which we are employed. I believe suspension don’ , w ork. I would rather agree upon a leave o f absence from school fo r the child rather than have the child leave and to discover some weeks later tha, the child has dropped out. I PORTLAND. OREGON 9721 1 294 7997 From the Front Door by Tom Boothe u /F| i° u llhC Fr° nt d° ? r’ 1 haVC beCn a$kcd tO describe Philosophy on life to my reader* ell, the easiest way for me to do tha, in short order is to lay ou, my principles o f guidance T T kn° w,cdgc plus understanding equals Wisdom. So le, me share with you a pub lished abstract o f my general philosophy toward relationships. I must do this in two parts Par, one will be the firs, ten guidance remembrances under my “ F IN A I W ISDOM” <bu> ument. uoc- Nex, week you will read the next eleven remembrances. FINAL WISDOM P A R T ONE Ht I Humai HuulHt C a p W fH l 1971 First comprehend and remember to think before speaking First comprehend and remember to think before doing First comprehend and remember to give the other person the benefit o f the doubt especially, when strong feelings are involved J J * aou0l> First comprehend and remember that given the same history, timing, circumstances First comprehend and remember to look fo r the fa ct and truth o f the matter First comprehend and remember to try and win the person, not the argument First comprehend and remember that all things have at least two sides but no one has enough wisdom to see them all ' ne nas First comprehend and remember that respect precludes prejudices o f all kinds toward others and wards o f f vexation o f the spirit, mind and body Z luablemwithhage 10. °f y ° Ur ^ re First comprehend and remember that there are only two entities that are fundam ental to reality, they are communication and transportation /influence and m otion/ Presented as a community service by the House of Exodus
