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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 12, 1990)
■■■ BSERYER PORTLA Volume XX, Number 47 "The Eyes and Ears o f The Community" 25<P December 12,1990 ' ................................. Local Black Organizations Declare Boycott of Portland Public Schools .1 .......................................■ ... ...................................... Portland Officer Finalist For Job of Police Chief ■Public reacts by asking, is poor education fault of schools or families? BY ANGELIQUE SANDERS_______ T Z ^ B la c k U nited F ro n t’s Ron 1 A emdon is leading disadvantaged communities in a war against Portland Public Schools, using an organized boy cott as ammunition. Thirteen local black organiza tions joined w ith the United Front, com plaining th a t-w h ile test scores reflect improvement o f m in orities’ education, it is s till not nearly the educational equivalent o f “ advantaged” groups, and that occasional one-day boycotts o f PPS are merited. “ I f somebody tells you this is acceptable progress,” said Herndon in a press conference on Monday, “ then these kids don’t have a chance.” A statement issued by BUF states, “ The m ajority o f students in North- Northeast Portland are currently receiv ing an education that w ill not prepare them to be com petitive, productive c iti zens in this increasingly complex, tech nological w orld. Few w ill be able to read w ith the comprehension, o r write w ith the s k ill, demanded by business, and fewer s till w ill possess the critical math and science skills sorely needed by industries o f tom orrow .” Announcer fo r KG W 620 radio Joe U ris on Monday said, in an inter view w ith Hemdon, said o f him , “ he has dropped a virtual bombshell on Portland.” Yes Portland, There is a Sant Claus PAGE 2 The Electronic Home Concluded PAGE 2 Why African Americans Should Celebrate Kwanzaa PAGE 2 From The Pulpit to the Pews - Religion PAGE 3 Bike Helmets a Must For Youngsters page 3 But Herndon’ s arguments are not new. On October third o f 1989, he sent a letter to Stephen G riffith o f Portland’ s tatives o f the aforementioned thirteen community groups. Receiving no re sponse (“ I ’m disappointed with die school ■ .....»— m ----------- Ron Herndon, boycott spokesper son, on qual ity o f educa tion: "If somebody can tell me the school system is good, why, I've got a bridge to sell you!...It's very predictable what’s going to happen: you will see worse." Ron Herndon school board, requesting an inform al meeting w ith him to discuss a twelve- point reform plan. The letter was signed by Herndon, and endorsed by represen board,” he shrugs), Hemdon eventually managed to assemble tw o meetings with other members o f the board, presenting his reform plan. A t this point, Port i ■ The students and staff of the Whitney M. Young, Jr. Learning Center would like to invite ■ Portlander Takes Second in Reginal golf Tournament you and yours to a celebration of life. Tuesday, December 18, 1990, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. Saint Andrew Church Gymnasium, 806 N.E. Alberta Hosted by: Mrs. Joyce Harris and Dr. Darryl S. Tukufu Come together as a community to give thanks and enjoy the blessing of living. The Whitney M. Young, Jr. Learning Center is a program component of the Urban j League of Portland’s Education and Career Development Center. Commissioner Bogle Visits With Students from "I Have a Dream Foundation" Business Profile Scarbouah of Dad's OU land’s school board has s till not re sponded. The actual boycott dates have not yet been arranged (though are planned to commence in February), but w ill be discussed in a public meet ing on Thursday, December 13, 7:00 p.m., at 1627 N.E. Alberta. Hemdon presumes at this point that alternative sights w ill be set up fo r children, on boycott dates. Hemdon and B U F are backed by Albina M inisterial A lliance, A m eri can Friends Service Committee, Black Educational Center, Black United Fund o f Oregon, C oalition o f Black Men, M uslim Mosque Inc., N A A C P , Na tional Association o f Blacks in the Crimi nal Justice System, North/Northeast Business Booster, North/Northeast Coa lition o f Neighborhoods, Oregon Asso ciation o f Black Entrepreneurs, Ore gon Association o f Colored Women’ s Clubs, and Urban League. This, however, may not be enough. Public reaction has been strong, and the tide has been running against the organizations’ stance. This is a crucial time for the boycott: w ithin the next week (or as soon as the issue has been clarified, and the public delivers its decision), the movement w ill like ly either gain momentum or be snuffed out entirely. A reporter confronted Hemdon CONTINUED ON PAGE 5 Governor to Deliver Farewell Address O n Friday, December 14, N eil Goldschmidt w ill deliver his farewell address as Governor. The speech w ill be before the Portland C ity Club luncheon, which begins at 12:00 p.m. at the H ilton Hotel, 921 SW Sixth, in downtown Portland. The speech w ill include the Governor’ s personal impressions o f the changes Oregon has seen in the last four years, and o f the choices the state faces in the 1990s. L t. Charles Moose, the Portland Police Bureau’s only black lieu tenant, is one o f three fin alist fo r the job o f police ch ie f in Jackson, Mississippi. Moose, 37, is coordinating public safety resources as part o f Portland’ s re vitalization efforts in north Precinct. He has been a member o f the police bureau fo r 15 years. Jean S. Shaw, operations coordina tor in the Jackson M ississippi, mayor’ s office, said Moose and two other finalist were chosen from among 80 applicants in a nationwide search. The Jackson Police ch ie f retired in September. Shaw and another city o ffic ia l were in Portland on Monday talking w ith community members and city o fficials about Moose. Jackson o fficials expect to name a new ch ie f in early January. I f Moose is selected for the position, he would be that c ity ’ s first black police chief. Jackson’s acting chief, however, is black. Moose said Monday that applying fo r the Jackson chiefs spot was sim ply “ a great o pp ortu nity," and did not mean that he was unhappy in the Portland Police Bureau. Involved w ith Portland’s efforts to phase in community policing, Moose said that same approach to law enforce ment would be his “ style” in Jackson. Jackson has a population o f about 208,000. The Jackson Police department has 550 members, 360 o f whom are sworn officers. The department’ s annual budget is about $18 m illion. Thp More Attacks and Support among the noted and respected consult ants employed, O N E bad penny had been e do not necessarily end this allowed to enter the process. He o f series on a grim note. The re course is quoted, “ The Egyptians used their early planes for travel, expeditions views arc mixed. Last week m y article was seen to highlight a continuing d i and recreation.” You know, it occurs chotomy o f reaction to the Baseline Essays that the fellow could have been a “ plant” - w ithin the staff o f the Oregonian news w ith an obvious mission. But, again, paper. We find the same situation in the that does not in any way reflect ad “ Letters from Readers” section; the versely upon the rest In reference to the color/ethnicity same when examining eastern newspa o f the Ancient Egyptians, I have only to pers. There is a wide range o f reader re look up at m y library shelves o f many sponse. One very sensible w riter com scores o f texts on ancient Egypt by white, ments, “ N ot having read the Baseline established historians o f international Essays to which Duin [colum nist] refers, repute (I have the black scholars' too, but I cannot attest to their veracity, or lack I am making a point): “ Red Land, Black thereof. ” B ut he goes on to state that to Land (Barbara M ertz), Egypt the Black which he can attest very w ell: “ U ntil Land (Paul Jorday), A H istory o f Egypt people like Duin are able to adm it the (Breasted), Eternal Egypt, Everyday L ife w hite middle calss com plicity in the seg in Egypt (Pierre Montet), The Ancient regationist attitudes that tear our schools Egyptians (W ilkinson), Black Athena apart, the integration o f ethnic perspec (M artin Bernal), The Africans (M aruzi), tives fo r which he pleads w ill have no Ancient Egypt (T im e-Life Books), and an ad infin itum (not counting Greek chance to become re a lity ." testimony. Under the heading “ Essays An In sult’ ’ , another w riter responds, ’ ' Much Neither the narratives o r the illu s trations leave any doubt that were these o f the book is based on the indefensible premise that ancient Egypt was a black people IN A M E R IC A T O D A Y , they nation-such supposed facts as the pos would need the fo llo w in g assistance to session o f airplanes by the ancient Egyp survive: V O T E R ’ S R E G IS T R A T IO N tians.” Last week we admitted that CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 BY PROFESSOR MCKINLEY BURT W INDEX News Religion Locker Room His/Hers Opinion Services Directory Classifieds Bids Bids/Sub Bids Lt. Charles Moose 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 10 Next Week Locker Room Earl "The Pearl" Monroe: Giving Back Soul Santa Claus, City Commissioner Dick Bogle, chats with students from the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Elementary School about their Christmas wishes. Some o f the wishes ranged from peace In the Middle East to better food In the school lunch room. The students are part o f the "I Have a Dream Foundation," a program which adopted a fifth grade class and guaranteed them a college education should they finish high school. The event took place at the Meier & Frank store last weekend. Photo by Veronica Green