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From Mozambique To Springfield, Oregon High School:
Young Olympic Hopeful Perseveres
After Chilly Reception
by
P r o f.
M c K in le y
Maria Mutola, the young African woman who is one of the world’s top ranked
800 meter runners, was placed in a very strange and inhospitable place to train
for the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona, Spain. Would you believe a Springfield High
School class where, daily, the 19-year-old was subjected to the most outrageous
taunts and insults from classmates and instructor?
In March 1991, Mutola was enrolled in this school by the Olympic Solidarity
Committee, an arm of the International Olympic Committee that sponsors
athletes from developing nations to train abroad (Eugene, the neighboring city is
America’s running Mecca). The idea was for her to compete for the school’s track
team, then shift to international competition after the prep season. Rival coaches
made life miserable for the vulnerable teenager. The Midwestern League ruled
Mutola ineligible for competition. “It appears that she is in school solely to run-
-not to get an education.”
This claim was made on basis of the fact that Mutola entered school shortly
before the track season began; acircumstance over which she had no control. And
in any case, she was carrying a substantial class load including “English As A
Second Language.” Much of the information here comes from an investigative
reporter on the staff of the Los Angeles Times and from a former student of mine
now residing in that city. There is a world of difference in the reports in the Los
Angeles press and those in Oregon newspapers.
California reporter Julie Cart quotes Mutola’s coach, Margo Fund (July 8,
1992): “What I saw was a hurt girl who was trying hard to be a part of this new
country where she obviously didn’t fit in, colorwise, hairwise, speechwise. All of
a sudden, there was one more thing setting her apart. I saw her hurt and I felt her
hurt, but there was nothing I could do about it.”
Linda Wheatly, Springfield High’s teacher of English As A Second Lan
guage is quoted, “The kids never openly laughed at Maria, I think they have been
intimidated. She has a presence. She doesn’t joke with the other kids. She likes
to be separate.” Mutola’s withdrawal is quite understandable given such class
room experiences as the following. The topic for the day is AIDS. The teacher
directs the attention of the class to Mutola.
“OK, listen up people... We have this tape about a really serious problem,
AIDS in Africa. We have a student, Maria, who is from Africa. Some people think
that AIDS started in Africa. Maybe we can learn something from her.” The
snickering begins at the back of the class and rolls like a wave to the front. Cruel,
insensitive, racist! How strongly can we put it. But many a minority student in
Oregon can easily identify with this poor girl’s treatment.
The slick, upbeat treatment of M utola’s Oregon experience in the local and
Portland press reveals nothing of the shameful and possible psyche shattering
treatment of this lonely African girl in a strange and threatening land. What god-
given strength and perseverance it must take to maintain ones equilibrium and
sanity under these circumstances. We are reminded of that spiritual which has
sustained so many of us of African descent in times of trials and tribulations:
“SOMETIMES I FEEL LIKE A MOTHERLESS CHILD.”
The press releases are good; “just this week Sports Illustrated picked Mutola
B u rt
to win the gold ahead of
two Unified Team run
ners... She has quali
fied for both the 800
and 1500 m eters...
Mozambique will have
only 10 or 12 athletes in
Barcelona, and Mutola
is by far the African
country’s top medal
hope.... About a month
ago, she signed a con
tract with NIKE. After
the Olympics, she plans
to attend Lane Commu
nity College and run in
ternational track as a
professional.”
These are accom
plishments indeed for
the young A frican
woman who first at
tracted attention as a
superb soccer player in
her native land at the
age of 15-o n an all male
team. When we saw the
photo’s of her winning
the 1,500 meters at San
Jose we felt a special
thrill. But, then, we
thought too of the ru
mor mill kept churn
ing. According to the
Los Angeles Times, the
comments range from “She’s really in her 30’s to she’s on drugs or she is a he”
(Mutola has passed all her drug tests and the Olympics gender tests. She works out
weekly with weights to strengthen those superb legs and it shows).
We think that there is a critical failure here on the part of both the Olympic
Solidarity Committee and the International Olympic Committee in that they have
failed to adequately monitor the circumstance and well being of this young person
for whose welfare they bear responsibility. We hope for an immediate response
to all of us who are reporting on this untenable situation. Words cannot convey
our respect and admiration for the strength and perseverance of this capable young
African woman, Maria Mutola. Good Luck Dear!
Key Bank And The Urban League Team Up
For Summer Youth Employment Project
Key Bank of Oregon has awarded
The Urban League of Portland an
$ 18,000 grant to provide jobs for seven
inner-city youth this summer. The Sum
mer Youth Employment Project will
operate between July 6 and August 28.
Participating youth will do maintenance
work on homes owned by senior citizens
living in North and Northeast Portland.
“We are happy to provide urban
youth with an opportunity to get valu
able employment experience and earn
money this summer,” commented Ted
Winnowski, chairman of the board,
president, and chief executive officer
for Key Bank. “This is a “win,win”
project - the youth benefit from the
work experience; the seniors are helped
with tasks they may not be able to do
themselves; and the appearance of the
neighborhoods involved is improved.
The seven youth participating in
this project will work with an adult
supervisor Monday through Thursday,
doing yard work and small mainte
nance jobs - painting, cleaning side
walks, etc. - jobs seniors may have
particular difficulty doing during the
hot summer months. The youth also
will be attending as a part of this pro
gram bi-weekly sessions in conjunction
with The Urban League’s Male Re
sponsibility Program which focuses on
teaching the youth to take pride in and
value their community.
“We are very pleased to join Key
Bank in this project,” said Dr. Darryl
Tukufu, president and CEO of The Ur
ban League of Portland, “This is a
positive example of what the business
community can do to help inner city
youth get on the path on a career. It also
gives young people a change to do
something positive for their commu
nity and improve their self-esteem and
ownership in the process.”
Urban League Youth Profiles
Jerry Lincoln Crew Leader, Age
22, Graduate of University of Oregon
his career objectives: Working with at-
risk inner city youths;
Bernard Callman, Assistant Crew
Leader, age 19, Education Catlin Gabel
and University of LaVeme; Kallund
Ervins, age 15, Education: Grant High
School; Danny Thomas age 15, Educa
tion: Madison High School; John Allen-
Roach age 16, Education Madison High
School; David Marcus Hubbard, age
14, Education: Franklin High School;
John Brown, age 15, Education: Open
Meadows; Christopher Beene, age 15,
Education: Benson High School.
Jobs Program Improvements Okayed
Oregon has received permission
from the federal government to enhance
its welfare reform program that helps
move people from public assistance into
the workforce.
The federal Department of Health
and Human Services today granted seven
waivers to federal regulations govern
ing the JOBS for Oregon’s Future pro
gram, which provides education and
training services for welfare clients.
“We are gratified to be able to make
the changes allowed by the waivers,
since we believe they will put more
welfare recipients to work in a shorter
amount of time and will also help pre
vent a number of people from ever
coming onto the welfare system in the
first place,”: stated Stephen Minnich,
administrator of Adult and Family Ser
vices (AFS).
The waivers allow AFS, which ad
ministers the JOBS program, to require
more people to participate in JOBS ac
tivities, which includes basic education,
drug and alcohol counseling, employ
ment training and job search. The slate
will also be able to require clients to
Juh 22, 1992
The Eyes and Ears of the Community’
Volumn XXII, Number 30
spend more time in those activities.
Among the specific changes allowed
under the waivers:
♦Welfare recipients with children
aged 1 through 6 years must participate
in JOB S up to 40 hours per week, instead
of the current weekly maximum of 20
hours.
♦Participantscan be required to look
for a job continuously after completing
other JOBS activities. Currently, federal
regulations limit job search to only four
months a year.
♦Parents under age 16, as well as
those who are under 20 and pregnant,
must attend basic education classes if
they don’t have a high school diploma.
Currently, these teen arc exempt.
♦JOBS participants who need men
tal health or substance abuse diagnosis
or treatment can be required to take part
or risk losing part of their benefits.
♦Participants whodon’lcomply with
JOBS requirements will have their ben
efits reduced for at least one month alter
the first occurrence. Currently, no re
duction is required for the first failure to
comply.
♦The state will be able to provide
JOBS activities to pregnant women who
are in the Poverty Level Medical pro
gram but are not or. welfare. Since a
ignificant number of these women move
onto welfare after theirchildren arc bom,
providing JOBS education and training
during pregnancy could help keep them
off public assistance.
“These waivers should help hun
dreds of Oregon families trade the de
pendence of welfare for the self-suffi
ciency of employment,” Minnich stated.
“And they could mean a savings of $6.5
million in state and federal funds during
the first year, through increased job place
ments and shorter stays on welfare."
The federal government considers
these waivers to be test situations, and
the state will be setting up systems to
analyze the cffcctsof the policy changes.
The new requirements arc expected to
become effective late this year and will
affect approximately 1,250 public assis
tance recipients. The JOBS program is
expected to serve a total of 21,000 people
on welfare during the 1991-93 bien
nium.
Labor
Commissioner
Announces
Reorganization
Plans;
Names New Civil
Rights Chief
LaborCommissionerMary Wendy
Roberts recently announced that she is
beginning the process of reorganizing
the bureau and naming a new civil
rights administrator.
Because of budget restrictions due
to Ballot Measure 5, Commissioner
Roberts must cut 25 positions from the
current budget, which represent 20 per
cent of the agency's budgeted positions
for the 91-93 biennium. To help meet
this target, Roberts is cutting several
positions, including two management
positions, by eliminating the support
services division and moving Johnnie
Bell, the current support services ad
ministrator, to civil rights. Bell ran the
bureau’s civil rights division from 1981
-1986. She replaces Raleigh Lewis, the
currentcivil rights administrator who is
leaving the bureau at the end of July.
“I a confident that Johnnie Bell has
the broad understanding of the bureau
as well as the personal commitment,
management skills and the experience
of help reorganize our resources and to
help us meet the challenges of these
tough times,” said Roberts.
The functions of the support ser
vices division, which include adminis
trative hearings, technical assistance,
and information services move to the
commissioner’s office to form the of
fice of administrative services. Deputy
Commissioner Mike Kaiel will assume
direct responsibility for budget, infor
mation systems and the bureau's busi
ness office. Legal Policy Advisor Kelly
Hagan will supervise the technical as
sistance for employers program. These
changes will be effective August 3.
f
■'»
U i
Or
c jO n
250
Oregon Seniors Need Help
With Long-Term Care
lish a new federal program to provide
long-term care services to low-income
elderly
under the Social Security Act. As
As I travel around Oregon and talk
a
result,
long-term care services for se
to seniors, I hear the same concern in
niors
would
be expanded and more people
Bend, Vale, and Medford. Seniors are
would
be
eligible
for assistance. The
worried about one thing above all others:
new
program
would
continue to cover
how will they be able to continue to take
nursing
home
care,
while
expanding the
care of themselves and remain in their
availability
of
home
and
community-
homes?
based
care.
My
bill
would
remove the
While nursing homes work very well
requirement
that
people
be
on
welfare to
for some people, many seniors would
qualify
for
long-term
care
services.
All
prefer to stay at home, but need a little
states
would
be
required
to
cover
those
help. And we will only need more help
with low incomes. Additionally, states
with long-term care in the years ahead.
would have the option of covering ev
The elderly population has doubled in
eryone with incomes up to $15,888.
the last 30 years, rising from 16 million
The second part of my plan would
in 1960 to 32 million in 1990. By the year
allow
states join with the federal govern
2030, the number will again double to
more than 60 million. The need for long ment and subsidize long-term care insur
ance for those with incomes up to
term care increases as the population
$26,400.
grows older.
And finally, mtfy plan would clear
We need to make changes so that
up the uncertainty about the tax treat
seniors have lots of choices: staying at
ment of long-term care. Because of this
home with some help; spending time at
uncertainty, very few employers offer
adultday-care facilities; or going tonurs-
long-term care insurance to their em
ing homes. And we need to make sure
ployees. It’s important that the law clearly
that these choices are affordable to all
states that all long-term care services are
seniors.
I have introduced major reform leg treated as medical expenses.
Providing high quality, available,
islation to address the growing need for
affordable
long-term care to those who
long-term care. My bill will set up a
need
it
is
a
high
priority for me. We must
federal program to provide long-term
take
a
big
step
forward in protecting
care for the needy in their homes and
Americans
against
the financial catas
communities; help moderate-income
trophe
that
can
result
from severe and
people buy long-term care insurance;
chronic illnesses.
and remove barriers that discourage the
Seniors want that — and they de
growth of long-term care insurance.
The first part of my plan is to estab serve it.
BY OREGON SENATOR
BOB PACKWOOD
The Reading Tree 1992
Irving Park
The Reading Tree is 21 years old,
and is still going strong. There are
about 100 children who come daily rain
or shine to enhance their reading, writ
ing, and listening skills. This program
was designed to bridge the gap between
school and summer vacation.
This program is being directed by
B. Anderson, Director and her assistant,
Mary M. Mounce, both certified teach
ers. Assisting them are three Private
Industry Council students, and students
volunteers.
The Irving program begins each
morning at 10 a.m. with students sing
ing ABC Rock, followed by children
being placed in their grade levels to
review and reinforce language skills.
Lunch is served at noon, with a short
period of play in the park. Story time on
the hill is the next activity, and then
phonics games for all levels of reading.
The program concludes at 2 p.m. with
each child choosing a book or magazine
and a glass of lemonade is provided
before returning home. Students and
parents look forward to coming toThe
Reading Tree, and the program is pro
viding positive learning results with
success which continues to grow.
There is also anotherfleading Tree
at Alberta Park with 25 children
who attend daily.
Ms. Anderson is in need of finan
cial assistan ce to co n tin u e this
program. Please send your contribu
tions for The Reading Tree. Betty
Walker, 3124 NE 17th, Portland, OR
97212, (503) 281-1768.
Ron B. Tonkin Appointed To DADA’S
Dealers Election Action Committee
Board Of Trustees
Ron B. Tonkin
Washington, July 22 -- Ron B.
Tonkin, president of Ron Tonkin
Dealerships, Portland, Ore., has been
appointed to the National Automobile
Dealers Association’s Dealers Election
Action Committee board of trustees,
the association announced today. DEAC
is the political action committee of
NADA.
Tonkin was president of NADA in
1989 and currently serves on the
association’s board of directors, a posi
tion he has held since 1983. Tonkin is
also a charier member of DEAC’s
President’s Club which recognizes do
nors who contribute the legal annual
maximum of $5,000.
Ray Green, DEAC chairman and
1991 NADA president, said, “Ron has
a strong reputation among dealers
throughout this country, and his sup
port of DEAC during his presidency
contributed to DEAC’s growth. I can
think of no one better qualified to serve
as a DEAC trustee.” Oregon is consis
tently ranked as one of the nation’s top
contributors to DEAC thanks to the
support of Tonkin and the franchised
new-car dealers of the state.
During his presidency, Tonkin was
voted Automotive News’ Industry
Leader of the Year, Dealer of the Year
and the individual who had the biggest
impact on dealer relations by that
publication’sreaders’ poll. He was also
named Automotive NewsTriplcCrown
Champion on the 1989 All-Star Team
of industry leaders and was selected as
one of the top ten industry news-makers
that year.
Tonkin has been a member of the
Oregon Automobile Dealers Associa
tion and the Portland Automobile Deal
ers Association for more than 30 years,
serving as president of PADA in 1971.
He serves on the board of directors of
the Portland Tri-Met, an organization
coordinating public transportation for
the three-county area M ultnomah,
Washington, and Clackamas. He was
appointed to the board by the governor
of Oregon in 1986.
The DEAC trustees set basic policy
for the committee, determine fund-rais
ing goals and programs on the national
level and decide general levels of ex
penditures to candidates seeking elec
tion to the United States Senate and
House of Representatives.
The National Automobile Dealers
Association represents more than 19,000
franchised new-car and -truck dealers
holding 35,000 separate franchises,
domestic and import.
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