www.portlandobserver.com
Comm itted to Cultural Diversity
November 06. 2002
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SECTION
ommunity
a le n d a r
C
Adopt a Pet
gets a
community
service
boost
The Oregon Humane Society is
extending its outreach efforts
to several area pet stores this
month. Help the Humane Soci
ety bring homeless pets into
the community, call 503-285-
7722, extension 204 for more
information.
Computer Help
for Seniors
Nike employees Ken Reed
(left) and Dexter Reed
Multnomah County Library will
expand its Cyber Seniors classes
to six libraries throughout the
Portland area in November and
December. The classes are de
signed for senior citizens with
little or no computer experience
and are offered free o f charge.
adjust a bicycle needing
repairs at the Community
Cycling Center on Northeast
Alberta. The bicycle is one
of a thousand bikes that
will be given away to needy
Veterans Day Parade
One o f largest Veteran’s Day
parades on the W est Coast will
be held at the Historic Reserve
in Vancouver on Saturday, Nov.
9. The parade will include more
than 100 military, veteran and
civic organizations with more
than 2,500 participants. It be
gins at 11 a.m., departing from
E vergreen B oulevard, pro
ceeding to Main and then west
on E ighth S treet to E sther
Short Park.
kids during the cycling
center's holiday bike drive.
The Nike workers were
among 800 Nike employees
who got involved in
community service projects
last Wednesday at 34
different sites.
photo by
Columbia Villa
Plans Shared
Members of the public are in
vited to attend a meeting to
discuss the preliminary reloca
tion survey findings on Colum
bia Villa residents and the new
design plans for the site. A
meeting on Tuesday, Nov. 12
will begin at 5:45 p.m. at the
C olum bia Villa Community
Room, 8920 N. Woolsey Ave.
Call 503-802-8522 for more in
formation.
Killingsworth Street
Plans Addressed
Over 500community members
have identified areas of North
Killingsworth between Inter
state and Williams in need of
street lights, better road cross
ings, curb ramps, trees, traffic
signs, bike parking, trash con
tainers and bus service. A pub
lic open house for the project
will be held Thursday, Nov. 14
from 6 p.m. to9 p.m. at the North
Portland Branch Library, 512 N.
Killingsworth. For.more infor-
mation.call 503-823-7238.
NMMMMMNNM
Students Petition School Board to Encourage Racial Sensitivity
Students say reading Huck Finn creates racial tension and discomfort in white classrooms
(AP) — Students who want teachers to
take sensitivity training before teaching “The
Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” have pre
sented O regon’s largest school district with
a petition on the issue.
The students, led by Charles McGee and
Johnnie Williams Jr., gave the Portland School
Board the 260-signature petition last Mon
day night. They say they are angry that the
board dismissed the issue earlier this month
when board member Derry Jackson asked
that the book be removed from reading lists.
Mark Tw ain’s 19th-century novel about
the adventures of a white boy and a runaway
slave uses racial slurs more than 200 times.
Williams, a Lincoln High junior who is
black, objected to the slurs and refused to
read the book in class. He said it made him
uncomfortable as a student in a predomi
nantly white school, and Jackson took that
concern to the
school board.
The students
do not want to
ban the book, but
say
te a c h e rs
would handle the
racist passages
better if they had
sensitivity train
ing.
W illiams’ ob
jections to the novel prompted McGee, who
is also hlack, to poll students about their
experiences discussing racial issues in class
rooms. McGee sent petitions to Benson,
Franklin, Grant, Jefferson and Lincoln high
schools asking the school board to review
how certain materials create racial tensions
in classrooms.
“You all clearly
stated that you felt
that this issue was
about one student,”
said McGee, ajunior
at Franklin High in
Southeast Portland.
"Now I hope you
have realized it’s
about every student
in this district.”
M onday night,
Williams choked up while telling the board
why he felt uncomfortable discussing mate
rial in “Huckleberry Finn” in class. Williams
read an alternate book on baseball legend
Jackie Robinson in the library while his class
mates studied "Huckleberry Finn.”
“You have to be African American to
understand what w e've been through,” he
You have to be African
American to understand
what we 've been through
- Johnnie Williams Jr.,
Lincoln High Junior.
Thanksgiving at
Kennedy School
told the school board.
McGee asked the board to revive the
African American Baseline Essays, a series
o f training guides developed by Portland
educators during desegregation efforts in
the 1980s. The essays cover the contribu
tions of blacks in science, language arts and
other disciplines, said Carolyn Leonard,
com pliance officer for Portland Public
Schools.
The essays have been challenged for
their authenticity, but have been used by
teachers around the world. In Portland, they
have sat mostly dormant for years, she said.
Lolenzo Poe, the board’s vice chairman,
pledged that the students’ concerns would
not get lost in school district bureaucracy.
“I think it’s OK to have us feel uncomfort
able,” Poe said. “I will push us not to let this
die.”
Muslim Advisory Council
McMenamins welcomes friends
and families for a traditional
Thanksgiving D inner buffet
from 1 p.m. to7p.m . at Kennedy
School at 5736 N.E. 33rd. The
menu features chipolte pepper,
pesto and traditional develed
eggs, maple baked ham with
ho n ey -b eer m ustard, herb-
roasted turkey breast, baked
yams with Jonathan apples and
brown sugar glaze, traditional
sage stuffing and fresh baked
pum pkin pie w ith w hipped
cream. Forreservations,call503-
249-3983.
Council formed to improve police relations
(AP) — Portland Police Chief Mark and whether to open meetings to the pub
Kroeker met with Muslim leaders Monday lic.
Muslim leaders say they are anxious to
to create an advisory board aimed at im
proving relations between police and have direct access to police.
“We want to educate our community
Muslims.
The council formation comes at a time about the role of law enforcement, and
when the Portland Police Bureau is being educate law enforcement about Muslims,"
criticized by Muslims and civil rights ac said Wajdi Saiid, executive director of the
tivists of leading a witch hunt for al-Qaida Muslim Educational Trust.
One of the first topics will be Ramadan.
members. Since the Sept. 11 attacks, seven
w h ich b eg in s
M uslim s with
W ednesday,
Portland links
sa id
A laa
have been ar
Abunijem, presi
rested by the
dent o f the Is
FBI Joint Ter
lamic Center of
ro rism T ask
Portland.
Force, in which
M uslims b e
Portland police
lieve
Ram adan
officers partici
—
Wajdi
Saiid,
executive
director
of
the
was
the
month in
pate.
Muslim Educational Trust
J
which God be
“We are go
gan to reveal the
ing to get criti
cism no matter what," Kroeker said. "But Quran to the Prophet Muhammad. For a
the council will provide a chance for dia month, Muslims fast from sunrise to sun
set to stimulate reflection on God and their
logue.”
The M uslim /A rab Police Advisory own spiritual values.
Abunijem says when police officers
Council will be similar to other advisory
councils for sexual minorities, Hispanics, deal with Muslims this month they should
and blacks. Kroeker said Muslim council remember that fasting can make them irri-
members will decide the content of the
continued
on page B5
meetings, how often they meet with police
We want to educate our
community about the role of
law enforcement, and
educate law enforcement
about Muslims.
Buy Green at
Holiday Gift Fair
The ReDirect Guide Business
Association and the Students
of the Environmental Middle
School will host an event where
the public can purchase gifts
that are ecologically wise, so
cially responsible and health
oriented. The event will be
held at the E nvironm ental
M iddle School, 2421 SE O r
ange S t.from 10a.m. to5 p.m.
on S aturday, Nov. 16. For in
form ation on hosting a booth
or sponsoring a low -incom e
child, call 503-231-4848.
M ark W ashington /
Tilt: P ortland O bserver
Following Dreams to the Top
Hometown hero A.C. Green makes his introduction on stage to hundreds of fans
at New Beginnings Christian Center Thursday evening. "It's great to be back in
Portland." Green said. The former Benson High School graduate. Oregon State
University standout and NBA superstar encouraged parishioners to keep their
faith in Christ as they follow their dreams to the top.
photo by D avid P i . ei hi TT he P ortland O bserver
i