February 20, 2019
Page 17
O PINION
MCS Still in
Business
Martin
Cleaning
Service
Carpet & Upholstery
Cleaning
Residential &
Commercial Services
Minimum Service CHG.
$50.00
A small distance/travel
charge may be applied
CARPET CLEANING
2 Cleaning Areas or more
$30.00 each Area
Pre-Spray Traffic Areas
(Includes: 1 small Hallway)
1 Cleaning Area (only)
$50.00
Includes Pre-Spray Traffic Area
and Hallway
Stairs (12-16 stairs - With
Other Services) : $30.00
Heavily Soiled Area:
$10.00 each area
NAACP, St. Helens District Address Racism
Editor’s note: The following was submitted
by the Portland NAACP.
Recently the NAACP Local branch 1120
received a complaint bringing attention to a
recent game between JV and the varsity girls
basketball teams from Parkrose High School
and St. Helens High School. The complainant
alleged that student attendees of St. Helens
High School began screaming racial slurs (the
n-word) during the game than later trailed the
young female students from Parkrose to their
bus while continuing to shout racist comments
while imitating the sounds of monkeys. The
NAACP Portland branch issued a statement
calling for swift action from the St. Helens
school district to address the appalling and
heinous actions displayed by the St. Helens
students. NAACP President E.D. Mondainé
and St. Helens School District Superintendent
Scot Stockwell met and discussed the best and
most immediate courses of action necessary in
moving forward and bridging the gap between
communities. Attached is a joint statement
from St. Helens superintendent Stockwell and
Portland NAACP president Mondainé.
The St. Helens School District has re-
mained relatively silent about the recent
events with the Parkrose girls’ basketball team
because we believed publicly debating the de-
tails of this incident would do more damage
than good. It does not matter who, where, or
how many, what matters is it happened and
we should be furious that it took place at all.
Nothing can justify discrimination. The vast
majority of our community, like most all com-
munities, is repulsed by racism. We are right-
fully disturbed by the entire situation as well
as the picture painted of our community. Even
so, we are taking ownership and action to ad-
dress discrimination, racism, and ignorance. It
is naive to believe this is only an issue in St.
Helens.
The problem of discrimination and racism
is bigger than the girls basketball game with
School District where all people, regardless of
who they are or where they come from, feel
welcomed and our differences celebrated.
In collaboration with the NAACP, we hope
to not only prevent a similar situation in St.
Helens but prevent it from being repeated any-
where in the state of Oregon. Over the next 18
months, we will work with the NAACP and
convene a team of action minded activists.
In collaboration with the NAACP, we hope to
not only prevent a similar situation in St. Helens
but prevent it from being repeated anywhere in the
state of Oregon. Over the next 18 months, we will
work with the NAACP and convene a team of action
minded activists. The group’s task will be to bridge the
differences between urban and rural communities.
St. Helens and Parkrose. The focus shifted to
a larger stage. The St. Helens School District
is taking multiple steps to develop and instill
cultural competence across our system from
student forums and lessons to professional
development and community outreach. We
know we cannot do the work alone and are
grateful for our emerging partnership with
E.D. Mondainé and the NAACP. We under-
stand that it is a long process to make a sig-
nificant lasting change that can’t be fixed by a
single feel-good assembly.
We look forward to creating a stronger
The group’s task will be to bridge the differ-
ences between urban and rural communities.
One area of focus will be on the opportunity
presented through school activities. The over-
all goal will be to develop a pilot program
leveraging relationships by bringing together
rural and urban communities to form better
understandings of each other. It is through this
work that we will celebrate our differences,
highlight our similarities and begin to undo
racism at its core.
Scot Stockwell, St. Helens School District
E.D. Mondainé, Portland NAACP
(Requiring Pre-Spray)
Area/Oriental Rug Cleaning
Regular Area Rugs
$25.00 Minimum
Wool Oriental Rugs
$40.00 Minimum
UPHOLSTERY
CLEANING
Sofa: $70.00
Loveseat: $50.00
Sectional: $110 - $140
Chair or Recliner:
$25.00 - $50.00
Throw Pillows (With
Other Services) : $5.00
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