P age A 7
T he P ortland O bserver • J uly 9, 1997
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Schools win support
Northeast lawmakers
carry education bill
Sen. Avel Gordly, D-Portland,
successfully carried the K-12 edu­
cation budget bill that builds the
foundation o f the negotiated $4.35
b illio n p a c k a g e fo r O re g o n ’s
schools and school children.
School activists and parents have
been lobbying legislators in Salem
throughout the legislative session
to fund schools at $4.3 billion dol­
lars.
The bipartisan negotiated figure
o f $4.35 billion has been criticized
as incomplete even though it does
provide the revised am ount re­
quested by school administrators,
parents and school activists.
The education budget bill (SB
5519) provides base funding o f
$4 15 billion with an addition $50
million for one time classroom ex­
penditures such as textbooks (HB
2192).
Another $5 million was success­
fully negotiated by Rep. Margaret
Carter, D-Portland, for security re­
lated expenses.
Gordley is an elected representa­
tive from northeast Portland and
Carter represents both north and
northeast Portland.
The spending plan requires $ 150
millon to be referred to voters as a
lottery backed bonding authority. If
the $150 m illion lottery backed
bonding authority fails in Novem­
ber, then local option authority is
provided (HB 2855).
Gordly delivered an impassioned
explanation o f her support for the
education accountability legislation
(SB 880) negotiated by the Gover­
nor with Republican leadership.
Gordly commended the G over­
nor for his “role and leadership in
helping to frame a compromise.”
Gordly challenged House and Sen­
ate colleagues stating that support
o f the bill “is not about exchanging
principles for dollars...and is not
about teacher bashing.”
Gordly described her long his­
tory o f education reform work as a
parent activist, Saturday School co­
ordinator and community activist
dating back to 1979.
Continued from Metro
land, studying International Rela­
tions at Brown University in Rhode
Island.
"The kids love the challenge to do
extra work that motivates them,”
said Summerbridge Portland’s ex­
ecutive director Lurlene Shamsud-
Din, noting the program also gave
participants the opportunity to "make
new friends all over the city ”
The Portland program, which al­
ternates sites Every other year be­
tween Portland Episcopal School and
The Catlin Gabel School, is one of
35 similar programs nationwide.
Shainsud-Din called the local pro-
Law for computer donations applauded
State Schools Supt. Norma Paulus
applauded legislation allowing state
agencies to donate computers to
Oregon public schools.
House Bill 2443, signed by Gov.
John Kitzhaber, will allow state agen­
cies, through the Department of Admin-
istrative Services, to donate surplus,
obsolete or unused computers and re­
lated hardware to the schools.
Paulus said these donations will
add to the 7,000 computers Orego­
nians have donated to a statewide
recycling program. H alf o f those
T he N atio n al C o n fe re n c e o f
Christians and Jews, the National
Urban League, the Anti-Defama­
tion League, National Council of
La Raza and Leadership Educa­
tion for Asian Pacific.
Sen. Chris Dodd, was the key­
note speaker for the opening din­
ner, and Christopher Edley, the
architect o f President C linton's
race initiative.
Dialogue for special panels
focused on key race relations is­
sues and the best ways to address
them. A variety o f relevant dis­
cussions included affirmative ac­
tion, with Wade Henderson, Ex­
ecutive Director o f the Leader­
ship Conference on Civil Rights
and Nancy Zurkin from the Ameri-
Coalition convenes
symposium on
race relations
On the anniversary o f its cre­
ation, National Voices for an In­
clusive 21st Century, a unique
coalition o f leading human rela­
tions and civil rights groups com­
m itted to w orking together to
combat racism and prejudice and
to creating an inclusive society,
began a two day Symposium on
Best practices in Promoting Im­
proved Race Relations.
computers are in the schools.
“Schools aren’t the only benefi­
ciaries,” said Paulus. “These dona­
tions go directly to high school stu­
dents who evaluate, repair and refur­
bish the equipment before it goes to
schools.”
F o rtu ito u sly fo llo w in g on
President C linton’s call for a na­
tional dialogue on race relations,
these groups are going the next
step by bringing the best thinkers
and p ra c titio n e rs to g e th e r to
brainstorm and share information
on the foremost strategies for im­
proving race relations in America.
Joining in the effort are the
National Conference, Founded as
“This give students experience in
computer repair, business manage­
ment and com puter netw orking
skills,” she added.
She said the legislation will help
create more partnerships between
state agencies and schools.
can Association o f University
Women.
Other panels covered: po-
lice/com m unity relations with
Rose Ochi of the Department of
Justice's Community Relations
Service and l.t. Col. Jone Moss,
D eputy C h ie f o f P olice for
Prince George County.
Anti-immigrant policies and
attitudes, drew such participants
as Frank Sharry, Executive Di­
rector o f national Immigration
Forum and Karen Narasaki, Ex­
ecutive D irector o f N ational
Asian Pacific American Legal
Consortium.
A panel on talk media was rep­
resented by Kojo Nnam di o f
WHMM-TV.
gram “a total immersion into the
teaching profession...a tuition free
program that prepares high-poten­
tial middle school students for the
demands o f rigorous high school
program s"
"Summerbridge serves as a train­
ing ground for a new generation of
enthusiastic and dedicated teachers,"
she added, reminding that "though
there are plenty o f opportunities for
having fun, our program is a serious
one.”
The program also stresses leader­
ship, heightened self-esteem and cre­
ativity, It was modeled after the origi­
nal Summerbridge program in San
Francisco.
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Texaco seats equality task force
Texaco announced the formation
the independent Equality and Fair-
ss Task Force, which is charged
th evaluating potential improve-
snts to Texaco’s human resources
o g ra m s an d m o n ito rin g th e
progress made in those programs.
The seven-member Task Force,
selected by Texaco and plaintiffs’
counsel, was established as part of
the settlement the company reached
in November 1996 with current and
former African American salaried
employees.
Judge Charles L. Brieant of the U.S.
District Court for the Southern District
of New York will swear-in the panel at
the federal courthouse in White Plains.
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