Page 6, Portland Observer, June 15, 1988
The On-Going Case Of
Vicki Bell
pril 1983 — The regional vice-
president had a meeting
with Mrs. Bell and stated that
had been concerned about the
branch for quite sometime. Even
though all of the objective goals
at the branch were much improv
ed from the previous manager’s
performance:
1) The deposits were up.
2) The audit was improved
from 6 negatives, 5 memos to 3
negatives, 4 memos.
3) She had received a glowing
letter from the senior vice-presi
dent at the trust department com
plimenting her for arranging 35 +
trust appointments while the
other manager had 2. The loan
exam was rated good.
Mrs. Bell was to be demoted for
ner inability to communicate and
direct her siaff even though she
nad no support from her subor
dinates, previous manager, nor re
gion which, under the same cir
cumstances, would be available
to anyone. She was asked to
make this decision over the week
end. When she returned she
nanded in her resignation and the
acist card. They acted very sur
prised, pretending that they knew
nothing of this card. He took a
.opy of the card and asked her to
go back and manage the branch.
After being handed a list of ac
countabilities with subjective
measurements to be measured by
the observance of the regional
service officer that held the
undermining meeting. Also, if
these measurements were not
a c h ie v e d she w o u ld fa ce
termination.
Soon afterward Mrs. Bell quit,
ihe began receiving calls from at
least three of the people she men-
ioned above as an informal liai
son. These people were advising
Mrs Bell to return to the bank.
A
She was told the senior director
of personnel could not call her
but wanted her to return to the
bank because she was a good
employee. After a six week per
iod, Mrs. Bell returned to the
bank. The director of personnel
stated that he wanted her to start
in a different region which was
synonymous. He praised her for
being such a good employee and
paid for the six weeks by treating
it as a personal leave with all
seniority and benefits reinstated
while at the same time demoting
her from a grade 14 to grade 12
and decreasing her salary by $195
per month.
She was placed in a training
program which, for the most part,
mirrored her past experience.
he This training was stretched out
exactly one year until her statute
of limitation for the racist act as
manager had expired. Mrs. Bell
believes this was deliberate for
the following reasons:
1) She was never given an ob
jective review during her 8 mon
ths period as manager which she
had requested on more than one
occasion. To this day, even during
the court proceedings, there was
never any valid reason given that
Mrs. Bell did anything to deserve
a demotion.
2) There was never an in
vestigation done on the racist
acts until Mrs. Bell had filed for
mal charges.
3) Mrs. Bell was again de
moted 2 more grades to a grade
10 from a 12 down to an assign
ment she had performed some 7
years prior. Along with this humi
liation she was also closely su
pervised and extensive notes
were taken on her without any
just reason. Different standards
were used in her evaluation than
with her white peers.
4) When asked during discov
ery to provide names of any white
employees that had been de
moted from a 14 to a 10 they were
unable to do so.
5) Mrs. Bell was not given an
evaluation of performance rating
for some 28 months. The normal
time is twelve months. All of her
prior evaluations had been above
average.
6) Mrs. Bell was not given loan
limits for quite some time even
though she was very experienced.
She was still expected to relieve
other branch managers and train
new lending officers even though
she had been dem oted so
severely.
Continued Next Week
“ One-Third Of A Nation
5 5
■ Continued from Last Week
Past Progress
telligence, advanced skills, and a
percent of the undergraduate stu
do we want to paint aa false pic
he United States has made
high degree of adaptability.
dents in 1984-85 were white —
ture. Successive waves of infla
significant progress toward
The aptitude for higher educa
but they received 85 percent of
the goal of full participation for tion and recession in the 1970s
tion
and the ability to succeed in
the degrees.”
and early 1980s, accompanied by
minority citizens. Yet, too often
college
and graduate school do
At the graduate level, the falloff
dramatic changes in our econo
this fact goes unacknowledged.
not
materialize
suddenly at age
for Blacks Is dramatic. Between
mic structure, eroded much of the
Advocates for disadvantaged
18;
they
are
developed
in child
1976 and 1985, the number of
improvement cited above, and the
groups, understandably eager to
hood.
Currently,
we
lose
dispro
Blacks earning master’s degrees
sustained growth of recent years
focus the attention of their fellow
portionate
numbers
of
minority
declined by 32 percent. Although
has not made up the difference.
citizens on unfinished business,
students at each level of school
Hispanics and American Indians
Also, such averages must not ob
often ignore or minimize the very
ing, culminating in low partic
registered slight increases, their
scure the fact that young people
markers of improvement that
ipation rates in higher education.
share of master’s degrees remains
bear the greatest burden of depri
might inspire new energy for their
Only
through intense, coor
disproportionately low — 2.4 per
vation. In 1985, 23 percent of all
cause. Those who question the
d
in
a
te
d
e ffo r ts at every
cent and 0.4 percent.”
American preschool children
efficacy of government programs
state
—
beginning
with adequate
In certain critical fields of
were members of families with in
or court mandates also have been
prenatal
care,
improved
nutrition,
study, the minority presence is
eager to cite examples of regres comes below the poverty level.
and
quality
child
care
and
exten
nearly non-existent. For example,
For Black children, the figure was
sion, and to render verdicts of
ding
through
programs
to
in
in computer science, only one
almost 47 percent, for Hispanics
failure.
crease
minority
retention
and
im
Black received a doctorate out of
almost 42 percent, and for whites,
This unwitting alliance has had
prove student performance at the
355
awarded in 1986. In mathema
at least one unhappy result: be 18.7 percent.”
e
le m e n ta ry and se c o n d a ry
tics, Blacks received only six of
Nonetheless, we believe it is
cause so many successes have
levels — can we hope to reverse
the 730 doctorates awarded in
useful — indeed essential — to
gone unnoticed and unremarked,
these
dismal trends. Too few chil
that year.”
a sense of weariness and dis underscore the advances made
dren benefit from such efforts.
Current
statistics
also
indi
couragement has come to char by minority groups in the past 25
Although preschool programs in
cated that fewer minority stu
acterize the national debate over years, and the conditions under
crease school success and
dents are preparing for teaching
which they were achieved. The
the pace and process of minority
reduce later expenditures for
careers.
In
the
nation’s
histori
formula for progress is no mys
advancement.
special and compensatory educa
cally
Black
colleges
and
univer
tery. It consists of four elements:
Yet, the progress is there — on
tion, fewer than one in five eligi
sities, which traditionally have
■ Economic growth with low
the record, revealed in census fig
ble children is enrolled in Head
produced
more
than
half
the
inflation;
ures and the lives of real people.
Start. The Chapter 1 Compen
Black
teachers,
the
percentage
of
■ A political consensus favor
We must recognize and under
satory Education program, which
first-year students intending to
ing
minority advancement;
score that progress. It is impres
reduces the probability that a
major
in
education
dropped
form
■ Adequately funded, well-ad-
sive proof of what we cap achieve
child will have a repeat a grade,
13.4
in
1977
to
8.7
in
1986.”
This
together — and of what disadvan ministered programs at every
now serves only half of those who
suggests that in the future, not
level of government and in the
taged citizens can achieve for
need its services.
only
minority
students
but
all
private sector targeted at disad
themselves. It is a tribute to the
Beyond those for higher educa
students
will
see
fewer
minority
vantaged citizens; and
pe rse ve ra n ce and fre q u e n t
tion, other statistics also suggest
teachers
over
the
course
of
their
■ The determination of mino
heroism of minority citizens in
a reversal of progress toward full
schooling. Such an outcome is a
rity
group members to help them
demanding their rights. And it is a
minority participation in Amer
particular
problem
for
minority
tribute to the capacity of our selves.
ican life — statistics that should
students, for whom such teach
he lesson that progress is
democratic system to respond
be a cuase for concern to all
ers serve as important role mod
possible, given the right
and change.
els. But it also is a loss for major citizens, and a spur to national ac
econom ic co n d itio n s and a
Consider these facts:
tion.
ity students, who otherwise only
strong national commitment, is
■ In the tumultuous 1960s,
Statistics tracking family in
rarely may be exposed directly to
especially relevant now. In the
while the median income of white
comes, for example, reveal a dis-
minority citizens in professional
last ten years, not only have we
families rose by 34 percent after
trubing widening of the gap be
roles.
lost the momentum of earlier mi
inflation, Black family incomes in
tween living standards for minori
We stress these trends in high
nority progress, we have suffered
creased by 49 percent. The reces
ties and whites:
er education because of its spec
actual reversals in the drive to
sion of the early 1970s slowed
■ After rising from 54 percent
ial importance in the life of our
achieve full equality for minority
growth for all groups, but even in
country. For more than a genera of the white median in the 1950s
this period, Black median family
citizens.
to 61.5 percent in 1975, black me
tion, a college education has
In higher education, for exam
income tracked closely with that
dian family income fell to 57.5
been a key part of the American
ple, the picture of stalled pro
of whites. Income for both groups
percent of the white median in
Dream — and, for many indivi
gress is dramatically clear. During
rose by less than one percent be
1985.
duals and families, a good mea
the same period when the pool of
tween 1970 and 1975.'*
■ In the same ten-year period,
surement of progress toward its
minority high school graduates was
■ Education programs like
Hispanic families also fell back
fulfillment. Statistics on incomes
becoming bigger and better than
Head Start and Chapter I of the
slightly. In 1975 their income was
and living standards support the
ever, minority college attendance
Elementary and Secondary Edu
only
66.9 percent of the median
belief that college is the passport
rates initially fell, and have remain
cation Act led to real progress for
for whites; in 1985, the figure was
to greater o p p o rtu n ity and
ed disproportionately low.
poor and minority students in
65.2 percent.”
achievement.
These figures illustrate the di
educational achievement. For ex
■ Between 1973 and 1986,
Participation in higher educa
mensions of the problem:
ample, Chapter I students have
average
real annual earnings for
tion also is an important baro
■ Between 1970 and 1975, the
gained seven to 12 months in
Black
males
ages 20 to 24 fell by
meter of well-being for the nation
percentage of Black high school
reading, and 11 to 12 months in
50
percent,
from
$9,818 to $5,299
as a whole. We rely on our col
graduates 24 years old or younger
math for every year they have par
in
1985
dollars.2
4
leges and universities to impart to
who were enrolled in or had com
ticipated in the program, resulting
With progress in key areas hav
young people — and increasingly
pleted one or more years of col
in significant advancement for
ing
come to a halt or even moving
to older students as well — the
lege rose from 39 percent to 48
millions of young people.”
into
reverse, the American people
knowledge and skills that will
percent; over the same period, the
■ Between 1977 and 1987,
are
at
a critical point of decision:
prepare them for leadership in
corresponding rate for whites re
average scores for Black students
Will
we
rekindle our commitment to
business, the professions, and
mained steady at 53 percent.
taking the SAT increased by 21
eliminating
those disparities, a
government. A decline in educa
However, between 1975 and 1985,
points on the verbal portion and
commitment
that in the past often
tional attainment by any substan
while the college participation
20 points in math. In contrast,
bore
remarkable
fruit? Or are we
tial population group is cause for
rate for white youths climbed to
scores for white students rose
resigned
to
a
long-term
retreat, in
deep concern — especially at a
55 percent, the rate for blacks
just one point on the verbal test
which
the
gaps
between
minorities
time when technological ad
dropped to 44 percent.24 Recently
and remained the same for
and
the
majority
will
widen
and con
vances and global competition
released figures indicate that in
math.'*
tinuing
inequality
will
be
tolerated?
put a premium on trained in-
1986, the rate for blacks rose to 47
■ High school graduation
percent — s till slig h tly below
rates for most minority students
have improved dramatically. In
1975.”
■ The rate of college atten
1970, only 60 percent of Blacks
dance for Hispanic youths re
between the ages of 18 and 24
mained stagnant between 1975
had graduated from high school.
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By 1975, this figure had risen to
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dicates a slight decline, from 49
68 percent, and th 1985 it was 76
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percent to 47 percent.”
percent. For Hispanics, the high
Order To Your Satisfaction!
■ For American Indians, high
school graduation rate in 1975
— Remember, Beauty Is Only Skin Deep!!! —
school graduation and college at
was 56 percent; a decade later,
tendance rates remain the lowest
the figure was 63 percent.”
283-5573
1761 N .E . Dekum
•
Portland, Oregon 97211
for any minority group. A report by
■ College attendance and
WHOLESALE AND RETAIL
the Cherokee Nation found that
graduation by minority students
only 55 percent of American In
increased significantly, due in
dians graduate from high school,
large measure to the availability
and of these only 17 percent go
of federal aid. Between 1971 and
1981, total college minority enroll
on to colleg.e27
These figures become even
ment jumped by 56 percent.” En
more disturbing when we look
rollment growth in community
beyond college enrollment to col
colleges and adult education pro
★ CEREALS
lege graduation. Minority stu
grams was especially heavy.
★ PET FOODS
dents continue to complete their
■ In the 15 years after Medic
★ SOAPS and DETERGENTS
undergraduate
degrees
at
rates
aid began, Black infant mortality
far
lower
than
their
white
counter
dropped 49 percent, more than
★ CAT LITTER
parts. Also, a much smaller per
nine times the rate of im
★ CHARCOAL BRIQUETS
centage go on to graduate and
provement during the preceding
★ SALSAS & BEANS
professional schools.
15 years.”
★ FROZEN & DELI
For example, although Blacks
These gains did not erase ear
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, made up 10 percent of all college
lier disparities. Most groups
★ MUCH, MUCH MORE!
students
in
1984-85,
they
received
made progress in this period.
only
8
percent
of
the
associates’
With respect to high school grad
D o n ’t pay su p erm arket prices! S hop here
degrees and 6 percent of the bac
uation, for example, the rate for
first! No m em b ersh ip costs! No coupons
calaureate degrees conferred that
whites increased marginally be
year Hispanics made up 5 per
tween 1975 and 1985, from 83 per
needed! Serving P ortland fo r over 30 years!
cent of enrollees, but received on
cent to 84 percent.” But the re
ly 3 percent of the baccalaureate
maining gap should not keep us
degrees. Hispanics did better at
from acknowledging that the im
FOOD
FOOD
Mon-Sat * 9:30 a m - 6:00 p.m
the community college level, re
proved educational performance
STAMPS
STAMPS
800
N
Killingsworth
ceiving Hispanics did better at
of Blacks and Hispanics repre
WELCOMED
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the community college level, re
sents a major social achievement.
ceiving 4.5 percent of the asso
Celebrating progress should
ciates’ degrees. By contrast, 80
not engender complacency. Nor
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Beauty and Barber Supply
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283-3171