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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 28, 2005)
Œl’1 |J o rtla u ò (Observer Page A4 September 28. 2005 Opinion articles do not necessarily reflect or represent the views o f The Portland Observer O pinion Dangerous Walking Routes Local kids put in harm’s way by S heila B rown This year six Portland Public Schools were closed: Applegate, Edwards, Kenton, Richmond, Smith, and W hitaker Middle School. Now hun dreds of children must find safe walking routes' beyond their familiar neighborhood streets to new schools a mile or more away. To get to Chief Joseph, children from Kenton will have to cross the complex five-way intersec tion of Lombard and Denver, listed as one of the most dangerous in Portland. Children from Applegate will face a more diffi cult passage. There are no safe walking routes to Woodlawn with dangerous crossings at Lombard Street, Vancouver Avenue and Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard. Mothers, don’t let your kids follow Lombard to Woodlawn. If they walk along the north side of the highway, past MLK, they will find no safe crossing at any point. If city officials made safety top priority, they would place adult crossing guards at Northeast 11lh Avenue and Lombard. The south side of Lombard quickly degener ates where the sidewalk ends as it approaches 11lh Avenue and the speed of traffic reaches 50 mph before turning into Portland Highway. Portland Public Schools claim over a dozen organizations have affirmed the ’safety’ of these and other crossings. Yet it’s a mystery that not one person can be found who has actually walked any of these so-called “safe walking routes.” Perhaps such a trek, up to a mile long, was too challenging for a tender adult. Parents are asking for school buses through out the Applegate neighborhood to take their children to Woodlawn. Is it too much to ask that a school bus that stops on Albina Avenue make two or three more stops for students within this “No M an’s Land.” Safety for all the 5 to 12-year-old children whose schools have been closed should be a pre em inent priority with Superintendent Vicki Phillips, school board members, officials at Stu dent Transportation Services, and the City of Portland. Anything less is unacceptable and in excusable. Shield Brown is an Irving Elementary School reading tutor and member o f the Neighborhood Schools Alliance. Supporting Students’ Hopes and Dreams Drug and alcohol prevention is key role by T a . m ala N f . wsome "My body is a temple and if I use drugs I won't be able to run as fast, play as hard or do any o f the things that kids are supposed to do ... ” Those are the words of a student at north Portland’s John Ball Elementary School who, along with many of his classmates, wrote essays based on the theme "Drugs Kill Dreams.” For students, the essays were a valuable way to express what was important to them. One said he wanted to be an astronomer, baseball playeror announcer when he grew up. Another wrote that his dream was to get a good education and become a professional basketball player. “But most importantly,” he wrote, “I want to have a nice family.” For me, the essays offered a wonderful window into We have a plan for college. students’ hopes and dreams. They also underscored the importance and benefits of alcohol and other drug prevention education in schools. Student test scores at Ball have increased dramati cally the past several years. This is a result ot hard work by our teachers, students and families. It is also We know through research that school-based drug prevention makes good economic sense. a by-product of our philosophy that we teach stu dents, not just a curriculum. We strive to meet every student’s needs. With that in mind, last year, Ball Elementary deliv ered classroom lessons focusing on the positive aspects of being drug free. Materials from the non profit Oregon Partnership were designed to help students make healthy choices. The lessons, tied to curriculum subjects ranging from language arts and math to health and science, were great because they reinforced what students are already learning. The essays allowed students to use written expression as a way to put their knowledge to use and communicate their feelings about how drugs kill dreams. As an educator for 22 years, I have seen many changes in public schools. We have lost many won derful programs, including the arts, because of bud get shortfalls. Less money and resources impact how we deliver instruction, yet we have added stronger and more rigorous academic goals. In response to these losses, organizations such as Oregon Partner ship have stepped in to build strong partnerships and bring resources and programs to schools. Our children’s needs have not changed. They need skills to resist peer pressure, to understand why drug use makes it harder to do well in their academics, sports and other activities. They need to know that, despite popu lar perceptions, most Oregon youth do not drink alcohol, smoke cigarettes or use other drugs. They need to know that we believe in them, see the best they have to offer and will help them achieve their goals. As we begin another academic year, Ball is again providing alco hol and other drug prevention education Oregon requires of its public schools. We also continue to host evening workshops to help parents and caregivers do an even better job of raising their children. We know through research that school-based drug prevention makes good economic sense. One study, by the Rand organization, found that every $1 invested in such programs saves more than $5 in social costs. Equally important, we believe we are instilling a strong sense o f community at Ball and empowering parents and students. We consider it not a policy mandate but an opportunity to serve stu dents and their families in a way that will pay divi dends for years. As one student essayist wrote, “I want to have a son and I don’t want my son to use drugs. I dream about showing my son how to play basketball. And I will not only show him, by being an example, but I will also talk to him about not doing drugs.” Tamala Newsome is principal at John Ball El ementary School in north Portland. Can Black Preachers Get Bush To Deliver? by J udge Saving for college may not be easy, but it helps if you have a plan. That’s why families all over Oregon are investing with the Oregon College Savings Plan. - investors enjoy these benefits - State tax deduction up to $2000 per year' Tax-free growth and withdrawals2 Use your savings at schools nationwide Call toll free today or visit our website OREGON C O L I I G f SA V IN G S P IA N for your free enrollment kit. 1-866-772-8464 ■ R a n d a ll Edward* O r*g o ' Sto»* !f*OS<r*r w w w .o re g o n c o lle g e s a v in g s .c o m OppenheimerFunds "This plan helps Oregon families achieve the dream of higher education Its flexibility and outstanding lax benefits make it an ideal choice when saving for college" State Treasurer Randall Edwards. Plan Administrator The Oregon Oillvgi' Saving» Plan is administered by Oregon State Treasurer Randall Edwards The plan is managed In Oppeolieintert'utxh, Inc . a registered inwMinent advisor and distributed by Oppenhrtmt-rEiinds Distributor. Inc., a registered broker dealer Some states offer favorable ta> treatment to their residents only if the» invest in the states own plan If you are not a resident of Oregon, you may want to investigate whether your state offers its resklents a S29 plan with alternative tax advantages The lax lull exempting earnings on qualified willxlrawals from Federal income taxes expires December 31. 2010. requinng Congress to take further a< 'i< hi to extend tlw«M- pnni-ioos he id lien flat» Not FDIC iiusiired no r guaranteed and may lose value. I’lease read the Plan Description and Participation \greeinenl prior Io investing for rrxire information regarding inmstment objectives. risk' aixl expa'ses Oregon state tax deduction for contributions of up to $2000 per tax filing Tax free withdrawals for qualified expenses. ¥ G reg M athis As part of his re-election bid. P resid en t Bush a t tempted to reach black vot ers through their churches. Preachers opened their ears to listen to what the President had to say. Many even developed personal re lationships with him. Now, as the black community faces one o f our greatest chal- lenges-com ing together and rebuilding with our brothers and sisters who lost their homes, their jobs and, in many cases, their loved ones, when Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast - the question has to be asked: Can the black ministers that have stood with Bush get him to deliver on his promise to rebuild the Gulf Coast and uplift the poor? Many of the ministers working with the President say they do so in the interest of the black commu nity. It makes sense - time can be spent pointing out what the Presi dent does wrong — or energy can be put towards working with him and his staff to develop programs that address poverty, lack of ac cess to health care, education and more. The ministers must be careful, though, to ensure they are not pawns in the R e p u b lic a n party’s plan to capture a larger share o f the black vote and that they are not being used to demonstrate to the public that President Bush does, in fa c t, “care about black people.” On Sept. 5 during his tour of Baton Rouge, La., President Bush stood with Bishop T.D. Jakes, founder o f the 3(),(MX)-member Potter’s House, a “mega-church” in Dallas,Texas. Jakes, an African- American. would later deliver the sermon at the Washington National Cathedral, as part of a national day of prayer for Hurricane Katrina’s victims. Bush then met with black preachers from across the country, including Bishop Roy Winbush from Louisiana. Cynicism aside, it’s hard to believe that these events aren’t calculated. On Sept. 2, dur ing his first tour of the G ulf Coast, the President stood with the white Republican governors of Missis sippi and Alabama: he did not ven ture into New Orleans to see the devastation there. W hen public grumblings about race and the role it played in the incompetent way Katrina’s aftermath was handled grew louder, the President began to appear with and talk to his black friends from the religious commu nity. Havingjust visited Baton Rouge and witnessing the despair first hand - thousands of people, most of them black, packed into shelters, dressed in unkempt clothes, many of them appear ill - 1 can only hope that President Bush’sdealings with black ministers are sincere. The black church has always had the ears and trust of the black community; this is especially true during times of tragedy. To take advantage of that relationship to gain future votes would add further insult to injury. The religious lead ers that have Bush’s ear must hold him to his word; if he reneges, they should publicly disassociate them selves from him. K atrina's victims need an authentic unity, one that will deliver sustainable results so they reconstruct their lives. Judge Greg Mathis is chairman o f the Rainbow PUSH-Excel Board and a national board member o f the Southern Christian leadership Conference.
