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L
December 03. 2003
O D b s e ru e r
/
The Portland Observer-Oregon’s Oldest Multicultural Publication-is a member of the National Newspaper Association-Founded in 1885,
and The National Advertising Representative Amalgamated Publishers, Inc, New York, NY, and The West Coast Black Publishers Association
• Serving Portland and Vancouver.
December Cruises
D in n e r Dance «
C h am pagn e Brunch
jST U H W H im ill
Psychiatric Drugs for Kids Abused
StudentsS tagged
‘dysfunctional’
get caught in trap
COLUMBIA. GOUGE
MILLENNIUM
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by
PROPERTIES
FULL SERVICE REALTY
Terence Keller
Broker/Realtor
Direct: 503.704.1154
O ffice: 503.282.2551
314 NE 19th Avenue
Portland, OR 97232
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F reii S haw J r .
Thousands of African Ameri
can children in special education
and foster care are being labeled as
"dysfunctional" and prescribed
mind-altering drugs.
African Am ericans com prise
only 16 percent o f the total U.S.
student population, yet comprise
nearly one-third of the total stu
dents in special education pro
grams and 40 percent o f the chil
dren in foster care.
According to one New York
study, minority boys are 11 times
more likely to be placed on mind-
altering prescription drugs. Parents
are also being forced to put their
child on such drugs as a requisite
for their education.
The problem is so pervasive that
Holidays are
perfect time to
discuss issue
with kids
((CON TA C TS
City of Portland
CONTRACTS)
Business and networking
opportunities for architecture and
engineering firms.
Z
Portland Parks
and Recreation
T
Bureau of Water
Works
THURSDAY, DEC. 11,2003
8 AM to NOON
Portland Conference Center
300 NE Multnomah Street • Portland, OR
<
<
1
<
I
UPCOMING A & E CONTRACTING OPPORTUNITIES
AND EXPECTATIONS
CITY OF PORTLAND PROFESSIONAL SERVICE
CONTRACTING PROCEDURES
Bureau of
Environmental
S ervices
W P ortland
Ä JRANSPORHTIOM
Bureau of
General Services
HOW TO GET READY TO DO BUSINESS
WITH THE CITY
ONE - ON - ONE NETWORKING WITH CITY
BUREAUS AND OTHER LOCAL AGENCIES
LARGE A & E FIRM PANEL ON TEAMING STRATEGIES
AND MUCH MORE
-F re d Shaw Jr.
drugs to receive educational ser
vices.
The resolution, introduced by
the N AACPCompton Branch, con
demns the inappropriate psychiat
ric drugging of children and the
misuses of special education to
Fred Shaw Jr.
are scheduled by the Drug Enforce
ment Administration in the same
abuse category as opium, amphet
amine and cocaine. I wanted the
NAACP to do something to ac
tively combat this on a national
level.
For more information regarding
what you can do to help get the
Child Medication Safety Act made
into law, contact Mikki Jenkins or
Fred Shaw Jr. at the N A ACP
Compton Branch by calling 310-
637-8540.
Fred Shaw Jr. is the president o f
the Compton, Calif. NAACP.
by
J udy C ushing
featuring a smorgasbord of clever,
sexy beer ads that attract a huge
audience of young, impressionable
The holiday season, with its
emphasis on families, presents par
ents with the perfect opportunity
to discuss an issue that involves
the health and well being of all our
children - underage drinking.
I'm afraid many, many parents
and grandparents are in the dark
about underage drinking and the
destruction it can cause our chil
dren, our families and our commu
nities.
Ourchildren are starting todrink
at a very early age, many when they
are in the sixth or seventh grade.
And they're not drinking socially;
they're drinking to get drunk.
Drinking, in fact, is associated
with the three major causes of teen
death: accidents, suicide and homi
cide.
Some parents view alcohol use f r o m
Given these mind-numbing facts,
what can parents do?
For starters, take advantage of
the holidays to talk to yourchildren
about the dangers o f underage
drinking, and about how some of
the ads they see romanticize prod
ucts that are not only illegal but
Judy Cushing also harmful.
Parents also need to put pres
sure on our policy makers - to force
the beer industry to refrain from
targeting our children with their
multi-billion dollar ad campaigns,
and to strengthen existing laws for
minors in possession and for adults
who furnish alcohol to our kids.
Not all kids, of course, drink. As
ta r g e tin g OUT
parents, and as communities and a
country, we need to recognize and
«round (he holidays as some sort o f c h U d r e n w j , h , h e j r
“rite of passage" for their children,
celebrate our kids who abstain from
without thinking about how much
alcohol, and emulate and fund those
is at risk when alcohol is mixed with
programs that keep them abstinent.
young minds and bodies. But new
Judy Cushing is president and
studies by the National Institute of
CEO o f Oregon Partnership, a
Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism ents. Our kids see more TV commer statewide non-profit organization
reveal that alcohol consumption cials for beer- the number-one illicit that provides prevention educa
by adolescents results in brain dam drug in this country for teens - than tion and treatment referral fo r a l
age - possibly permanent - and for chips, sneakers, jeans or juice. cohol and drug issues. For frCe
impairs intellectual development.
They are seeing those commercials a n d c o n fid e n tia l in fo rm a tio h
Recent research has also found on TV shows popularw ithchildren about substance abuse issues, call
that youth are getting the wrong and teens.
Oregon Partnership's HelpLine at
or
v isit
message about alcohol. Alcohol
And during the holidays there 8 0 0 -9 2 3 -H E L P
companies are out-shouting par- are bow I and playoff footbal I games ww w.orpartnership.org.
Parents also need
to put pressure on
our policy makers -
to force the beer
industry to refrain
multi-billion dollar
ad campaigns...
Jusf Alen In R ecovery
P re s e n ts :
.[ lie 7fh Annual
NAME OF COMPANY / ORGANIZATION
the contacts
you make
TODAY
may be your
contracts
for
TOMORROW
The drugs they are
put on to 'treat ' the
so-called disorder are
a chemical lynching.
stigmatize African-American chil
dren as "disabled."
Through these programs, our
children are being told they have
various mental disorders and learn
ing disabilities such as Attention
D eficit H yperactivity D isorder
(ADHD) despite no objective, mea
surable scientific test being able to
prove these.
Most people are unaware that
no blood test, brain scan. X-ray, or
urinalysis exists to verify these ‘dis
orders.’ Even worse, children are
being given mind-altering / behav
ior-modifying drugs to treat a non
existent disorder without their par
ents being told of the serious and
sometimes fatal side effects of the
drugs.
I’ vebecome increasingly alarmed
about our normal African-Ameri
can males being labeled with men
tal disorders. The drugs they are
put on to ‘treat’ the so-called disor
der are a chemical lynching. They
are more potent than cocaine and
In the Dark About Underage Drinking?
HOSTED BY:
Bureau of Purchases
at the 94,h Annual N A ACP National
Convention in Miami Beach in July,
NAACP delegates and national
board members joined President and
CEOKweisi Mfume and Chairman
Julian Bond in unanimously pass
ing a resolution in support of the
Child Medication Safety Act o f2003
(S. 1390). The act prevents school
personnel from forcing parents to
put their children on psychiatric
A la le F a s h io n S h o w !!
Miracles Club
NAME OF IN D M D U Al(S ) ATTENDING
4069 N.E. M.L.K. & Mason
Saturday December 6th, 2003 6pm-10pm.
Food, Raffle and Entertainment
ADDRESS
PHONE
E-MAIL
Please CHECK the categories that best describe your firm or organization:
□
D/M/W/ESB certified firm
□
Prime/large A & E firm
□
Owner/agency representative
There is no fee for this event. Register early to get your name on the
participants list available for networking. E-MAIL Theresa Green
(tgreen@ci.Portland.or.us) or MAIL this ad to the address below or FAX to
Theresa Green at 503-823-6865.
Bureau of Purchases 1120 SW Fifth Avenue, Room 750 Portland OR 97204
Queslions: Barb Gibson at 503-823-7665 or bgibson@ci.portland.or.us
Featuring: Black Notes
Also Staring Da Final Chapter
Featuring Clothing From: A Step Above, Steppin Out Mens Wear
For More Information Contact: Michael B, @ 503-267-3192
Ticket Prices:
$12.00 At The Door • $10.00 General Admission
$7.00 Treatment Facilities • $100.00 V.I.P. Tables
(