Newspapers / The Charlotte Post (Charlotte, … / Dec. 5, 1996, edition 1 / Page 2
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2A NEWS/ The Charlotte Post December 5,1996 Kwanzaa grows in stature Holiday celebrates African culture The Nguzo Saba: Umoja, Kujichagulia, Ujima, Ujamaa, Nia, Kuumba and Imani. The Nguzo Saba is formally observed during Kwanzaa and is the foundational corner stone known as “The Seven Principles of Blackness.” The principles, translated from the Pan-Africanist language of Swahili, are Unity, Self- Determination, Collective Work and Responsibility, Cooperative Economics, Purpose, Creativity and Faith. During the month of December, “In the Spirit of Ma’at” will focus upon various aspects of this important opportunity to raise group consciousness. A growing number of Africans in America are cele brating the unique African American holiday known as Kwanzaa. Created in 1966 by Dr. Maulana Karenga, Kwanzaa is a part of his larg er theoretical system called “Kawaida.” Kawaida is a holistic meta-theory which encompasses all aspects of human existence, from history and the production of culture to economics and its manifes tation in politics. ^ In order to understand the importance of this non-reli gious, cultural holiday and the values Kwanzaa promotes, we must consider its power poten tial. Kwanzaa is a political statement because anytime a black person unapologetically celebrates blackness, it is nec essarily political. Kwanzaa has the power to become a great sociopolitical statement, reflecting the prin ciple Umoja - Unity. The Million Man March is a per fect example of the political power of unity. Not only did the nation become nervous, the whole world looked on in awe. Black people must stop romanticizing the concept of unity and realize that unity takes work. Unity is a process consisting of race-love, work ing compromises, sacrifices, forgiveness and historical understanding for the benefit of the entire race. It is mature work to be accomplished by a mature people. At the turn of this century, T. Thomas Fortime, the highly influential organizer, pubhsh- er and activist was clear: “We have undertaken no child's play. We have undertaken a serious work which will tax and exhaust the best intelli gence and energy of the race for the next century...” Individual African Americans must make a con scious effort and work hard to unify with people who look like us, but have a vast vari ety of different experiences which have served to separate us. Those different experi ences include educational and socioeconomic attainment, religious and fraternal affilia tions, upbringing and outlook for the future. Unfortunately, “integration” has not lived up to its goal of fully integrating African Americans as full partners in this society and, worse yet, it has torn at the fabric of race unity. It will take serious work and commitment to repair the internal bonds of our race. The work of Umoja/Unity is indeed a mature and conscious goal to be achieved by a mature and conscious people. Martin settles into new role Continued from page 1A field. “It disturbed me that on the night of swearing in they launched an attack along party lines. When you get so involved in partisan fines that you can’t see the nose in front of your face, you are not serving com munity interests...you are serv ing personal interests. I am going to say put people needs before politics.” Listing some of the other issues this board will deal with, Martin said the biggest may be a “lack of connectiveness.” “We seem to have loss our sense of community,” he SEud. “In a sense we have lost the wfil to sit down and discuss different issues and discuss our divisive ness and resolve them in a decent manner. “People are talking about law suits, neighborhood schools, problems with the police...People are frustrated with us still allowing garbage transfer stations to be put in neighborhoods....The planning commission is not balanced. These are some tough issues. “But underlying all of that is growing distrust in government. We have got to restore confi dence in government.” SINCE 1979 CROOM^S NZ7RSERY & LANDSCARING, INC. TREES, SHRUBS & BEDDING PLANTS “QUALITY AT AFFORDABLE PRICES" FREE ESTIMATES - TREES MOVED COMMERCIAL - RESIDENTIAL - INDUSTRIAL SHARON AMITY Pupil assignment Continued from page 1A would be necessary and Smith attempted to deal with them in his initial proposals. Under the original proposals: All reassigned rising seniors could remain at their current schools and their siblings could apply for transfers, if desired, through normal channels. The proposals would reassign as many as 3,775 students, beginning in August 1997. Each proposal increases the racial balance of the high schools by reallocating the black popula tion fi-om the inner city. Overall, the plans would increase the black ratio ranges from the current 9-63 percent to at least 15-53 percent. Two of the proposals would raise the lower end of the black ratio range to 23 percent. All ninth-graders would be assigned to high schools imder the three proposals. West Charlotte’s black popula tion would drop from 55 percent to as little as 45 percent and several of its attendance zones would be reassigned to other schools. Dunlap said he doesn’t expect major changes in the new pupil assignment proposal and denied the school board was caving in to white southeast Charlotte residents. “If you look at these maps, some of those people have legiti mate concerns,” Dunlap said. “The problem is if you move those people you are going to also move folks who are going to be affected who initially did not have a concern. “In some cases, we were mov ing people to make room for other people when those people didn’t want to move in the first place. “For example, to move McAlpine folks to Ol3mipic, we have to move people out of Olympic to make room. If we send those people to South Mecklenburg (High School) instead, we can leave those peo ple at Olympic. They did not want to leave Olympic.” A similar situation exists with West Charlotte, Dunlap said. Dilworth students could be sent back to Myers Park and the Newell area students who- were reassigned fi’om West Charlotte to the new Vance High School, could remain at West Charlotte. Not everyone will be happy, however. Long Creek area students can remain at North Mecklenburg High School, rather than trans fer to West Mecklenburg, if North Mecklenburg can handle a higher student population imtil a new planned high school is built in the north end of the county. “People likely to be most unhappy will be those in Matthews who may have to go to East Mecklenburg,” Dunlap said. Matthews area residents had said in public hearings that they wanted their children to stay in their own community. “We are trying to come to a consensus as to who moves where without a big dogfight,” Dunlap said. “We want to do that and stUl maintain an inte grated school system.” He noted that he has heard a report that 81,000 of the sys tem’s 93,000 students attend the school closest to their homes. Of the remaining 12,000 or so, the majority - about 8,000 students - are black. “More black students are being bused and more black stu dents are being bused for longer distances,” Dunlap said. “If white children are opposed bus ing because of the long rides and kids going to sleep, then they ought to have a greater appreciation of why hlack scores are lower and there are other issues. He noted that some parents, those in the Newell area, for example, are saying, “if you are going to reduce the bus rides for those in the southeast because they are going to scream, then we want ours reduced, too.” Another public hearing on the latest plan will be held Dec. 12 at West Charlotte, beginning at 6 p.m. Major components of the three original plans are: • New Southeast High School attendance zone (Drawing from Independence, East Mecklenburg and Garinger) Proposal One: Albemarle Road base area, Bain base area. Clear Creek satellite. Crown Point base area and southern zone, Devonshire, Lebanon Road satellite and southern base area, Piney Grove base area and southern zone. Proposal Two: Same as Proposal One, exchanges Bain base area with Idlewild road attendance zone east of Independence Boulevard Proposal Three: Same as Proposal One. Bain, Crown Point base area, Piney Grove base area and part of Albemarle Road zones now attend Independence High School. Crown Point southern zone, part of its base area, Lebanon Road’s southern base area and Pine Grove’s southern base now attends East Mecklenburg. Lebanon Road satellite, Devonshire, Clear Creek satellite, and part of Albemarle Road base area goes to Garinger High School. • New Education Village High School attendance zone (Independence, North Mecklenburg and West Charlotte) Proposal One: Albemarle Road satellite, including Druid Hills, Mallard Creek base area, Nathaniel Alexander base area and central city area. University Meadows and Winding Springs northern zone. Proposal Two: Same as Proposal One. Proposal Three: Substitutes Derita attendance zone for the University Meadows zone. University Meadows is cur rently assigned to West Charlotte. Nathaniel Alexander’s central city area is assigned to Independence, while the other areas are currently assigned to North Mecklenburg. • West Charlotte Proposal One: Would lose Briarwood, Oakhurst , Newell, Reedy Creek’s western tip, Statesville Road, west of 1-77. Briarwood and Oakhurst would be assigned to East Mecklenburg; all of Reedy Creek would go to Independence; and Statesville Road would go to North Mecklenburg. West Charlotte would gain University Park areas of Allenhrook, Paw Creek and Pawtuckett attendance zone which attend ninth grade at West Mecklenburg now; plus Cotswold, Crown Point’s north zone, including Chantilly area, Dilworth, Eastover base area. Hornet’s Nest base area. Long Creek satellite, Piney Grove’s Lincoln Heights area zone, Tuckaseegee sateUite. Proposal Two: Would drop Crown Point, Dilworth, Hornet’s Nest, Piney Grove and Tuckaseegee finm the Proposal One reassignments. Proposal Three: Same as Proposal One. Each proposal involves similar reassignments at aU of the sys tem’s high schools. Proposal Three would reaissign the most students, 15 percent of the total high school population. Metrolina Realty Company (704) 377-3138 Giving Our Clients The Best in Real Estate Services MLS ♦ Home Sales ♦ Home Purchases ♦ Consultation Call our broker. Beverly Hammonds-Bolds, and let us help you achieve your real estate goals “Serving the Real Estate Needs of 4^ Metropolitan Charlotte Communities" Beeper Haus, Ine. Get your FREE copy of THE BLACK GUIDE @ tCIfje Cfiarlotte No Credit ChecJc No Oepiisit (80 .=5)329-2236 875 Albrifiht Rcl. • Rock Hill, S.C. (704)566-9500 3637 E. Indp. Blvd. • Charlotte, N.C. N.C. & S.C. Coverage All Major Credit Cards Accepted U7; ACTIVA f F AU. PAGFRS & CFUl LAR FHOSFS NAIL SPECIAL DON’T MISS THIS OPPORTUNITY-SAVE $$$.$$ 30% OFF 'REGULAR PRICE FOR FULL SET CREATIVE NAIL PRODU(TrS HRST 50 PEOHE RECEIVE A FREE GIFT PACKAGE OFFER GOOD UNTIL DECEMBER 26.1996 tmdtf, & Hkd 1104] 521-5102 laiuo « “O-ri O.J o "(SMITH UNIVERSITY DIVISION of LIFELONG LEARNING (Adult Evening and Weekend Classes) SPRING 1997 SCHEDULE (Classes available subject to enrollment and teacher assignment) Course #/1inie Course Description Room# J. MONDAYAVEDNESDAY. 6P-725P r SPA-131T Elementary Spanish HUM 110 2 1 LS-234T Studies In Society II HUM 111 J { \ RHC-191T Freshman Rhetoric I HUM 112 > i ACC-236T Principles of Accounting II EDU 301 1 i MKT-33 IT Principles of Marketing EDU 303 •1 MONDAY/WEDNESDAY. 7:40P-9:05P 'LS-242T Sci, Tech., & Ethics II HUM 110 .( BUS-233T Business Statistics HUM 111 i f RHC-192T Freshman Rhetoric n HUM 112 i i ACC-235T Prin. of Accounting I EDU 301 j 1 SOC-330T Sociology of Law EDU 303 .s TUESDAY/THURSDAY. 6P-7:25P 5 REL-131T Great Living Religions HUM no 1 MTH-131T Basic Math 1 HUM 111 j BAF-231TW Personal/Family Finances HUM 112 CSC-131T Computers in Society SHA211 \ ACC-335T Intermediate Financial Acct. I EDU 301 LS-130T Identity/Self, African/Amer. Culture EDU 115 ■\ MTH-137T Pre-calculus I SHA 207 TUESDAY/THURSDAY. 7:40P-9:05P > BUS-335T Legal Environment of the Firm HUM 110 j PSY-131T General Psychology I HUM 111 1 ECO-232T Prin. of Economics II HUM 112 i ECO-231T Prin. of Economics I EDU 301 MTH-132T Basic Math II SHA 207 J SATURDAY. 8A10:40A 3 ! MGT-435T Business Policy HUM 110 ) •LS-241T Set, Tech, & Ethics I HUM 111 1 ACC-336T Intermediate Financial Acct. n HUM 112 SATURDAY. 10:50A-1:30P ART-231T Art Appreciation HUM no i 1 LS-233T Studies In Society I HUM 111 MGT-436T Org. Behavior & Design HUM 112 ji i *4 - Credit Hour Courses; All Others Are 3 ■ Credit Hours. APPUCATIONS/REGISTRATIONS NOW BEING ACCEPTED!!! Classes Stakk Thursday, January 16, 1997 • Classes End: Friday, May 2,1997 TO ENROLL, CALL or WRITE Johnson C. Smith University Division of Lifelong Learning P.O. Box 27 • 100 Beatties Ford Road • Charlotte, NC 28216-5302 (704-378-1251/1244) “Lifelong Learning Is No Longer An Option... It’s A Necessity!”
The Charlotte Post (Charlotte, N.C.)
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Dec. 5, 1996, edition 1
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