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Local News Police Internet Essentials continued from page 1 In July 2011, police shot a man with a beanbag gun and tased him because he wouldn’t raise his hands. The man had hit his mother and previously was reported to have a sword, but police could see his hands and he had no weapon at the time. The investigation came after a string of high profile cases involving police use of force. Portland Police Bureau has paid out more than $6 million in settlements in the last two decades, including $1.6 million to the family of James Chasse, Jr., and $1.2 million to the family of Aaron Campbell. Chasse, a mentally ill man, died in police custody after an encounter with officers that broke 16 of his ribs and punc- tured his lung. Campbell, a young father, was distraught fol- lowing the death of his brother that same morning. Both men were unarmed. Perez said the violations were partially connected to the bro- ken safety net, and Oregon’s failure to provide community care to people with mental ill- ness. Portland is not unique in its problems Perez said. Police officers have a more difficult job than in the past because of the number of mentally ill people on the street without support or resources. Often police officers had just two choices of where to take a mentally ill person: the emergency room or the jail. And he gave some credit to Mayor Adams, the police chief and the community for being willing to work to repair the prob- lem without waiting for the results of the report. Some of the recommended changes already are underway, he said. One example is that the police bureau has appointed a monitor to look into all use of force inci- dents. But Perez also held the police bureau accountable for poor policies, training, supervision and discipline. And he criti- cized the police complaints process as “counterproductive” and, “so Byzantine that it undercuts the efficacy of the system.” Hardesty said she agreed with Perez and City leaders that the suggested reforms will help everyone, not only people with mental illness because, “they will fundamentally change how the police engage with people.” However she said she doesn’t buy the argument that all that’s needed is to fix our broken mental health system and hire more police. “…the entire department has to go through some fundamental changes in order for the public to ever have confidence that we have the right people in the right job to provide public safety,” she said. Hardesty said the Albina Ministerial Alliance will monitor progress. “The stick is the federal court,” she said. “So if they don’t do what they need to do, we will take them to court over and over and over again to make it happen.” Several pages in the report were devoted to the “tense relationship between PPB and the African American community. “We heard consistent and serious con- cerns from across the city that members this community, particularly the African Ameri- can community, believe that they are subjected to bias stops and force based on their race. Although these tensions predate Chief Reese’s tenure, they persist to this day,” Perez said. Hispanic students, 21 percent of Asian stu- dents, and 44 percent of American Indian/Alaska Native students attend schools that do not offer calculus. “Oregon needs to ensure that schools and students have opportunities to meet a high- er bar. Not enough students—least of all math and science are taught well, students enjoy them. And by high school many more students should take advanced math and sci- ence courses that will help them make the transition to college. “Oregon needs to ensure that schools and students have opportunities to meet a high- school-accountability equation. When schools are on the hook for science, they may devote more time to the subject.” Oregon is one of 44 states to raise the bar on math and science education by introduc- ing the Common Core Standards. Designed by the National Governors Association Center for Best Practices, the standards are designed to prepare students for college. Oregon is rated better than the national average in some areas. In many states, schools with the highest need receive less funding. The report found that’s not the case in Oregon. “High-poverty districts in Oregon spend $7,695 per student,” it says. “Low-poverty districts in Oregon, by contrast, spend $7,539 per student.” However that doesn’t mean teachers have adequate resources. Just 52 percent of Oregon 8th grade sci- ence teachers say they have the resources they need, compared to 58 percent across the US. For teachers of Black students that number drops to 47 percent. Several pages in the report were devoted to the ‘tense relationship’ between PPB and the African American community members hope will be included in the final binding agreement between the City and the U.S. Department of Justice. That agreement will be signed Oct. 12. Attorneys from the DOJ’s Office of Civil Rights looked at more than 700 incident reports, interviewed citizens and held a community meeting during the investiga- tion. In the report they cite five specific cases: In May 2010, a man who would not obey orders to be handcuffed was pepper sprayed in the face and tased four times. In December 2010, officers repeatedly tased and punched a man because he would not offer his hands to be handcuffed as offi- cers took him to the hospital. In August 2010, officers repeatedly tased a naked, screaming man who ran towards them during a welfare check. He was in a diabetic health crisis. In May 2011, a man who aimed a kick at an officer and missed was thrown to the ground and punched in the face 7-10 times. BRUCE POINSETTE PHOTO what the community has known for some time. The community has been saying this for years and years and years, so I was thrilled that we have confirmation now from the Department of Justice that these prac- tices are, in fact, taking place. “But more importantly that we now have the federal government as a partner in mak- ing sure that the fundamental changes that have to happen throughout Portland Police Bureau will take place.” Hardesty is a spokesperson for The Albi- na Ministerial Alliance, which has been meeting with Perez and his team. The AMA is working on a list of action items, that Multnomah County Commissioner Loretta Smith and local families at the Albina Head Start McCormack Matthews childcare center celebrated the second year of the Comcast Internet Essentials Program with Albina Head Start CEO Ronnie Herndon, in background. The effort helps low-income families with children who receive a free or reduced price school lunch to get a laptop computer, software and basic training on how to use them. In Oregon and SW Washington, more than 4,000 individuals are now connected to the Internet through the project. Read the rest of this story online at www.theskanner.com STEM continued from page 1 race and gender impacts students chances of advancing in STEM subjects. In Oregon, just 3 percent of Black students and 2 per- cent of Hispanic and Native American students take advanced placement math classes. That’s compared to 6 percent of White and 23 percent of Asian students. The achievement gap is similar in science. In 2011, fewer than 1 percent of Oregon’s Black and Native American students scored a 3 or better in either advanced placement math or science. That’s the minimum most colleges require for class credit. And the gender gap in STEM subjects means girls too are losing opportunities to enter highly paid STEM careers. “In every state and the District of Colum- bia, girls are less likely than boys to score a three or higher on AP math and science tests,” the report says. In fact, many students attend schools that don’t even offer classes in Calculus – an important college-preparation math class. That’s true across the country, not just in Oregon, the report found. “According to newly analyzed data from the U.S. Department of Education Office of Civil Rights, 25 percent of white students, 35 percent of black students, 29 percent of ‘High-poverty districts in Oregon spend $7,695 per student,’ it says. ‘Low-poverty districts in Oregon, by contrast, spend $7,539 per student’ minorities—are exposed to challenging content to prepare them for college and careers. Girls lag behind boys in 8th-grade math, and few eighth graders have teachers with undergraduate majors in the subject. There are worrisome spots in science, too.” Too little time for science in Oregon ele- mentary schools sets students up to fail, the report says. With the right equipment, and well trained teachers, science can be a lot more fun, from the earliest years. When er bar. Not enough students—least of all minorities—are exposed to challenging content to prepare them for college and careers.” The report recommends that Oregon schools be required to meet science per- formance standards. “Oregon should raise its science expecta- tions and also hold schools accountable for students’ performance,” it says. “Science can get the short shrift if it is left out of the Read the rest of this story online at www.theskanner.com September 19, 2012 The Portland Skanner Page 3
