M ay 9, 2001 Page A4 School Chiefs Move From Dismal to Abysmal •¡LÎortlanô (© bseruer USPS 959 680 Established 1 9 7 0 STAFF E d it o r C h ie f , in P u b l is h e r Charles H . Washington E d i T o n Larry J. Jackson, Sr. B u s in e s s M anager Gary Ann Taylor A sst . P ublisher Michael Leighton C E opy d it o r Joy Ramos C r e a t iv e D ir e c t o r Robert Parker 4 7 4 7 N E M a r t in L u th e r K ing, Jr. B lvd. P o rtla n d , OR 9 7 2 1 1 5 0 3 -2 8 8 -0 0 3 3 Fax 5 0 3 -2 8 8 -0 0 1 5 e-m ail n ew s@ p o rtlan do b server.co m stfacription@portiandobserver.com S c h o o l b o a rd a n d a d m in is tr a tio n c h a n g e little fo r c h ild r e n in P o r tla n d 's w o r s t s c h o o ls math benchm arks and 98.4 per­ cent are not at reading b ench­ mark). N othing has been done to ensure black. H isp an ic, N a tiv e A m erican and low in co m e w hite c h ild re n re c e iv e in s tru c tio n in the h ig h e st level o f m a th and E ditor 's Note: The Crisis Team, a d iverse g roup o f co m m u n ity residents, including the H ispanic P arents A ssociation. N ew P arty a n d B lack U nited Front, is end­ ing a two month dem onstration m oratorium The team is c ritic iz­ ing the P ortland Sch o o l B oard a n d A d m inistration w ith fa ilu r e in boosting a chievem ent a t low p erfo rm in g schools. The fo llo w ­ ing is a statem ent fro m R onnie H erndon, a m em ber o f the team a n d a longtim e com m unity' a ctiv­ ist. T he C risis Team w ill resum e school board dem onstrations on M ay 21. D iscussions during the m oratorium have produced few ifa n y changes that w ill help thou­ sands o f Portland children being crushed by board and ad m inis­ tration intransigence and indif­ ference. T he board talks a good gam e about closing the a ch iev e­ m ent gap, th e ir actions ensure it w ill n ev er happen. N othing has been done to re­ cruit effective teachers to poor p erform ing schools. N othing has b e e n d o n e to m o v e e ffe c tiv e teachers into principal positions in p oor perform ing schools. N othing has been done to e n ­ su re th a t the P o rtla n d p u b lic schools special education d ep art­ m ent co m plies w ith federal laws. N othing has been done to ensure that E n g lish as a second la n ­ guage students receive d esp er­ ately needed services (92 p e r­ cent o f 10th graders are not at And a la rm in g ly , an a d m in is tra ­ tion, asid e from a lam e d u c k s u p e rin te n d e n t, th a t h a s b e ­ com e n early all w h ite . So m uch for the b o a rd 's fa b le d c o m m it­ m ent to d iv e rsity . T he b o ard sa n c tio n s and ap - racism . In the w ords o f W illiam H. M cC lendon, the bo ard has m oved from the “ D ism al to the A bysm al.” c lo s in g th e a c h ie v e m e n t g ap w hile its actions dem onstrate in­ creasing ease at genuflecting b e ­ fore academ ic and institutional THE LARGEST, MOST COMPLETE RETAIL FABRIC STORE IN THE WEST M a y 8 th ro u g h M a y 2 2 , 2 0 0 1 Open Memorial Day, May 28th 9am-6pm Watch for one day promotion. M A IL E R S A L E ! 30% OFF Portland 's Ronnie Herndon (second fio m left) with other members o f The Crisis Team. scie n c e . N o th in g has b e e n do n e to e lim in a te d isc ip lin a ry abu ses (p e rc e n ta g e w ise , b la c k c h il­ d re n r e c e iv e th re e tim e s as m an y d isc ip lin a ry re fe rra ls as w h ite c h ild r e n ) . T h e b o a r d w o u ld h a v e us e n tru st the lives o f c h ild re n , a lre a d y fa ile d by the p u b lic sch o o l sy ste m , in to the h a n d s o f an a d m in istra tio n th a t d o es not h a v e one p e rso n th at e v e r s ig n ific a n tly c lo se d th e a c h ie v e m e n t gap b e tw e e n a fflu e n t and p o o r c h ild re n or w h ite an d m in o rity c h ild re n . plauds the p e rso n n e l d e c isio n s o f its hu m an re so u rc e s d e p a rt­ m ent, in c lu d in g p rin c ip a l h ir ­ ing and p la c e m e n t. T h is d e ­ p artm en t d o e s n o t h a v e sin g le in d iv id u a l th a t e v e r tu r n e d a ro u n d a p o o r-p e rfo rm in g school. W e are a sk e d to tru st the ju d g m e n t o f th o se w h o h ire for th at th ey h a v e n e v e r been apart of, a high a c h ie v in g school w ith a stu d e n t b o d y c o m p o se d o f p rim a rily low in c o m e and m in o rity stu d e n ts. T h e b o a rd c o n tin u e s g iv in g lip se rv ic e to Everything in the Store S P E C IA L S A L E 2 DAYS ONLY - MAY 18 & 19 40 w ill not b rin g back the lives o f the four little girls w ho w ere se n se le ssly k illed in the 1963 b o m b in g o f a B irm ingham , A la ­ bam a church. N or w ill it ease the c o lle c tiv e pain th at this nation has lived w ith for the last 38 years. I h o p e th e ir death s w ill rem ind us o f how hate can d e­ stro y w hen left u n c h a lle n g e d .” % OFF AU F ab ric extended hours Saturday o pe n til 9pm L im ite d t o s t o c k o n h a n d ! r - FABRIC D EPO T COL PON McCalls Patterns Justice is Finally Served in Birmingham Case K w eisi M fum e, p re sid e n t and c h ie f e x e c u tiv e o ffic e r o f the N A A C P , said that w ith the guilty v e r d ic t o f f o r m e r K u K lu x K lan sm an T hom as B lanton, Jr. “Ju stic e has fin ally b een served in one o f the m ost vile and violent m u rd ers this c o u n try has ev er se e n .” H ow ever, M fum e said: “ W e ’re m in d fu l that this v e rd ic t * 1 $1.99 •L im it 6 per co u p o n • Valid 5 17/01 - 5/20/01 OUTDOORSALE BEGINS SATURDAY, M A Y 26TH H O URS: 1 0 a m - 6 p m M O T H E R 'S DAY P R O M O T IO N S U N D A Y MAY 13th ALL SCISSORS 50% o f f reg u la r price A n A labam a ju ry la st w eek found B lanton gu ilty o f first-d e ­ gree m u rd er in the deaths o f four black girls, killed in one o f the m ost shocking crim es o f the civil rights e ra . C y n th ia W e sle y , C a ro le Robertson and Addi e M a e C o llin s, all aged 14, and D enise M cN air, 11 died in the b la st o f the S ix ­ teen th S treet B ap tist C hurch. • \X ith scissor purchase, get a free sample ro ll o f Perfect C otto n hailing, w h ile supplies last-1 per custom er please “DRITZ QUILTING” package» a ls o 50% o ff BE SURE TO CHECK OUR STORE FOR “MANAGER’S SPECIALS" •Discounts do not apph to prutioush discounted or marked down items S/RDl thru 5/224)1 RETAIL - WHOLESALE RETA1L HOIRS: MON -FRI QOOam-^Oflptn SATl RDAV 9:00am’ -0t>pm MADAY KMMtam-’ OOpm WHOLESALE HOIRS: MON FRI 9;OOam-9:O0pm SATl RD\Y9 0Oam ’ :00pm MADAY 10:00am-’ OOpm 700 S.E. 122nd Ave. Portland, OR (5 0 3 )2 5 2 -9 5 3 0 Visit our website at www.labricdepot.cotn 1-800-392-3376 ads@ po rtlan d ob server.co m P ostmaster : S e n d a d d r e s s c h a n g e s to Portland Observer PO Box 3137 Portland, OR 97208 Periodical Postage paid in Portland, OR Subscriptions are SAFEW AY FOOD & DRUG $60.00 per year D E A D L IN E S FOR ALL S U B M ITT E D METERIALS: Attention SENIORS N E W FOR SE NIO R S ONLY,.. ARTICLES: Monday by 5 p . m . Safeway Senior Shuttle Service! Introducing a great n ew service for ou r n eighborhood senior citizens FREE grocery shopping shuttle service to yo u r nearb y Ainsworth & M L K Blvd Safeway Food 4 Drug and Renaissance M a rk e t T W IC E a M o n th 1 O n or around the 3rd and 15th of each m o n th This Service is FREE to seniori age 6 0 and o ver «wie Semen GwxUrN Wren md inform M U NQLK. PiMHUQ •> " SMtie at onytm ADS: Friday by noon The Portland Observer welcomes freelance submissions. Manuscripts and photographs should be clearly labeled and will be returned if accom­ panied by a sel f addressed envelope. All created design display ads be­ come the sole property o f the news­ paper and cannot be used in other publications or personal usage with­ out the written consent ofthe general manager, unless the client has pur­ chased the composition o f such ad. © 1996 T H E P O R T L A N D O B ­ S E R V E R . A L L R IG H T S R E ­ S E R V E D ,R E P R O D U C T IO N IN W H O L E O R IN P A R T W IT H O U T P E R M IS S IO N I S P R O H I B m D rhePortlandObserver-Oregon's Oldest Multicultural Publication-isa member ofthe National Newspaper Association—Founded in 1885, and The National Advertising Represen­ tative Amalgamated Publishers, Inc, New York. NY. and The West Coast Black Publishers Association • Serv­ ing Portland and Vancouver. I LOOK FOK OUK 5P0CIAL K A I TKANSPOKTATION TKOLLtY S IP VICK SCHRDULK FLYtK AT YOUK MLK OLVD 5AFIWAY and PRNAIS5ANCK M A K K IT FOK C O M P L IT I DITAILS! Spomo««x4 By Pork Shoulder Roast Bone-In. SAVE up to 80< lb. lb. Safeway Club Price (Ç1SAFEWAY V >7 FOOD A DRUG ffauuUanct fflahitl MutethTTZ», Kraft Macaroni & Cheese «FRicnn mkmcm CIMlIMfR Of COlWRCf Of OAfGOn For M n r r Inform ation CaO 503 572 0012 Visit Safeways V\feb site at Available at Safeway: T i. Mon 1 »3 14 1 Wed Thur fn Sat 9 1O 11 12 ______ !_____ 15 I rtiw AMnrwlay bar' May • Itwu bnriay May 15 XW «ms A pnces • No 1 *1 » tesuurews v San « « f a quarti»» only 0wrw«n of » n » « m i e for typeçrapn«« or prrtona eron We eserve p * nqnt » corree» M primed enon On N y O » Ge» One M » 0016 «m s musi be purchased The • cm »' eem is iber «ree { 200> Safeway Stores me |k Grown in California. save up to $2.01 ib. Safeway Club Price Safeway SELECT Ice Cream 5.5 to 7.25-oz. Selected varieties Limit 8 Half Gallon Assorted Regular, Light, Fat Free, or No Sugar Added varieties Limit 2 (Includes I free) SAVE up to 50c on 2 SAVE up to $3.99 on 2 BUY ONE GET ONE PRICES EFFECTIVE MAY 2001 Sun g Asparagus Safeway Club Price FREE Safeway Club Price N o w the savings are in the Card! A ll LIMA'S ARE PER HOUSEHOLD PER DAY! i