Newspapers / Elizabeth City State University … / April 23, 1991, edition 1 / Page 2
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Page 2 THE COMPASS Tuesday, April 23, 19^ THE OPINION PAGE THE COMPASS The Editors Craig Avondo, Mark Morris Assistant Sports Editor James Sims Production iVlanager Craig Avondo Circulation l\1anager Mike Stone Staff Artist Kevin Cruz Photographers Eric Jones, Jackie Roundtree and Rene! Sample Staff Writers Pablita Batiste, Cindi Blount, Uchenna Bulliner, Sharon Chappell, Lavenia Dameron, Liz Faison, Eric Jones, Travis Manuel, Ursula McMillion, Tonya Moore, Mark Morris, Becky Overton, Kimberley Robinson, Chukundi Salisbury, Harold Sanderlin, James Sims, Kenneth Valentine, Jr., Tarsha White, Cheryl White, Sylvia Walton and Albert C.F. Woodley The Compass is published by Elizabeth City State University students under the direction of the Department of Language, Literature and Communication, Dr. Anne Henderson, Chairperson, and Mr. Stephen March, faculty advisor. The Compass welcomes letters to the editor. Letters should be sent to ECSU Box 815, Elizabeth City, NC 27909. All letters must be signed and include the writer's address and telephone number. They may be edited for length, clarity, and taste, as well as accuracy and grammar. Because of limited space, not all letters can be published. An issue of involvement // D on’t ever take sides against the family in I front of an outsider again!” Micheal Corleone, a rising crime boss in The .Godfather told his adopted brother. It made sense. A rift between family organization members is best taken care of within that unit. Allowing outsiders to intervene and misrepresent the problems to the public is inappropriate and makes groups of people vulnerable to the ‘divide and ; conquer’ concept. To place this into perspective, let us remember that ECSU is an historically and predominantly black college. That alone makes us vulnerable to attacks ’ from biased individuals and representatives from the media. Today, ECSU is more integrated than it’s ever been (25% white according to The News and Observer). Inevitably, the racial makeup of the school will became an issue in the minds of many individuals. And for some the temptation to impose their own biased views on the campus will be an all too easy force to give in to. In March, a front page story in the state’s leading newspaper implied that white students are not made to feel welcome at ECSU. ECSU has white students on athletic teams, in the Music Department, in the Pickwick Society, in the Honors Program and even Greek organizations. They are involved, they are active, they are enjoying ECSU. Black or white, we are all Vikings. We must all do our part to remove the negative ideas many people associate with an HBC. This will only be possible if we keep in mind that each member of our family is a valuable member, regardless of color. The changing racial make-up of the school should not be a source of conflict, nor of automatic, unfounded criticism; rather, it should be a source of pride, even a source of our strength. Due to our integrated status, Elizabeth City State University is in a unique position in the UNC system. We can, by working together, and by taking time to understand each other, and talk through problems, set a positive example for other schools to follow. But The News and Observer article about ECSU should serve as a reminder that far too many people form their ideas of our institution in their own fears and/or phantasies rather than in fact. Let us remember to beware of these individuals, and refrain from allowing them to manipulate us as well. Poetry Corner Untitled I am the strongest of all women, 1 am strong in faith... 1 am strong in determina tion... I am strong in self concep tion... 1 am strong in all eyes except one, the eyes of those I need to strong with me. I am strong in the business world, I am strong in the political arena, I am strong in the educa tional forum I am strong in the Family unit except I cannot continue my Family alone! I need your strength beside me. 1 am strong in the never ending struggle for a better tom- morow, I continue the struggle and the strength I need to win lies within you. 1 am the strongest of all women. And I am weak for you... I am weak for your compainship... I am weak for your security... I am weak for your balance... 1 am weak for you and yet you will not stand... For I am the strongest of all women; yet weakened daily when you do not stand... I am weak for your soft brown eyes to look at mine I am weak for your bright white smile to greet me. I am weak for your deep voice to speak to me. I am weak for your hands to hold me. I am weak for you to walk side by side 1 am weak for your unwill ingness to stand in our struggle! I am the strongest of all women Who are you? Where are you? When will you stand? How much more will 1 endure alone before your strength encompasses mine! Mingnon S. Manns X Stanley Hart—Junior Talk of ECSU: How do you feel about ECSU's Campus security? “I think most of them do their job in a correct and efficient manner but somelake their job too far. A couple don’t know how to relate to students. They deal with the students in an improper manner.” Tim Moseley—Junior “I don’t think they’re real cops. I’d like to commend them for giving us a lot of slack. I don’t like their attitude problem.” Lorle Burrell—Senior “I feel we need more security because they spend more time riding in the city instead of protecting the students. They are more concemed with giving out tickets instead of protecting student’s property." Cindi Blount—Junior “The recent vandalism crisis has drawn attention to campus security. Perhaps the most intense problem is their screening process to access on and off campus. They should be more alert.” Pe-ct/^ //>,,, Gays are often victims of their need for love Too often men with “weak wrists” and “light touches” have been labeled as homosexuals. Some mothers have held their sons too closely. They’ve been powdered and pampered because nothing was ever good enough for “little Johnny.” So Johnny didn’t go out and play football because “he might get his clothes dirty” or, worst of all, “he might get hurt playing as rough as boys do.” Moreover, with the absence of a stem father figure, some little boys didn’t learn how to be “macho” and walk like a man. But this doesn’t give society the right to stamp “gay” on every guy who has a soft voice and happens to walk funny. Being a “sissy” and being a homo sexual are two different things. Like wise, not all women with mustaches and deep voices arl lesbians. Homo sexuality goes far beyond what the average person conceives. Research has shown that homosexuals have themselves often become victims of their need for companionship, many at a vulnerable age. Imagine a little girl of three years old being fondled by her female baby sitter. As time passes, her mom shows her affection by massaging genitals while letting the child suck on her breasts. Then on top of that, her oldest sister whom she sleeps with, allows the child to use her sucking instincts one more only this time on her sister’s genitalia. Being introduced to this type of lifestyle may confuse any child for a lifetime. Consequently, the child grows up and experiments with the knowledge that has been imparted to her at such a young age. The child will very easily participate in lesbian ac tivities because she has been made to believe that it’s right and, why not, “Mommy did it!” Some gays feel comfortable around the same sex more so than the oppo site sex. Being turned down or other painful experiences have caused them to become “numb” to ever reaching out for that type of love again. As a result they have decided to try some thing new. Homosexual relationships are not just for sexual pleasure but for emotional bonding and support. They have been known to endure for 11 years or more with the same mate. Homosexual relationships are just as fulfilling with each other, it seems, as heterosexual relationships. At this point, homosexuals have found the friendship, trust and security in their mate that all human beings desire. Homosexuality is not prevalent or openly expressed here at ECSU. However that doesn’t mean that no one is gay. On bigger campuses they are “out of the closet” and proud of it! They have a big voice, (rights) and support groups. Here, if someone were to come “out of the closet” they would be made a public example, given H “down the country” and utterly perst cuted! For what reason? ,j For being different, for being opeii and honest, and for making their owi sexual decisions. Really, these an characteristics we all should have. Bin homosexuals cut against the grain they deviate from the “norm” and the; make our skin crawl. However, homosexuals are peopit too, with needs, fears, and hopes atil dreams, just like us. Before we can judge someont else’s lifestyle, we need to search fpi our own skeletons in the closet! Who on this side of heaven can set th( guidelines for how others should live! Who is that close to perfect? Since there is a Supreme Beijj who sees and knows dl, no one.is^ exempt when it comes to being judged for we all stand at the mercy of thf court. Lii Profile Today's schools are 'miseducationg' our kids By Sharon Chappell ation they would return $64 billion to the tax rolls.” Murphy believes that the Effective Schools Model, developed by Ron Edmonds, can help schools signifi cantly reduce this problem. As Super intendent for Prince George’s County Public Schools, Murphy implemented this model in 1984. His goal was to reduce the gap in California Achievement Test scores between blacks and whites and to increase high level performance classes for all. j — He challenged the school board to puuu suaicgy. lucnuiy me proDiem dramatic demographic shifts of recent firehim if he did not succeed by 1990. accept ownership of the problem build y^s. They are trying to teach a group The testing ground for the Effec- a foundation for pride, begin incre- tive Schools Model was going to be mental changes, and ultimately cause the Columbia Park area school. Its a revolution, performance would be compared to To accomplish these goals, he theperformanceoftheUniversityPark called a staff meeting. In this meeting area school. he stressed site-based management The Columbia Park school which Most school districts use a top to bot- served kindergarten through skth tom approach in management, but grade had boarded-up windows, graf- '' • fiti on its walls, dnig dealers in America needs a whole new agenda for its public schools according to Dr. John A. Murphy, speaker for the teacher education conference, held March 28 at the K.E. White Center of Elizabeth City State University. “We are miseducating our minor ity children,” said Murphy. “So many people say, ‘Why don’t we just go back to the good old days? ’ The prob lem is—that is what we are doing.” According to Murphy, today’s schools have not kept pace with the centile while the Columbia Park stu dents scored at the 92nd percentUe. Murphy gives credit to the Effec tive Schools Model for this impres sive change. This model consists of seven parts: create and maintain a safe, orderly climate; develop instruc tional leadership; develop and main tain good home-school relations; have frequent monitoring of student prog ress, maintain time on task, focus on teaching and learning; and accept accountability. Murphy added to this his own five point strategy: identify the problem. of students that does not really exist anymore. “The needs of students today are vastly different than in the past,” said Murphy. “Many of our children are traumatized by drug dealers. Many witness violence and death daily. “Also, the socio-economic-cultural demands are incredible today. The gulf between the rich and poor is the widest in recorded history.” Because of these factors, the drop out-rate in many of our urban centers is 50% according to Murphy. And the statistics are worse for minority chil dren. Black males, for example, are twice as likely to die in infancy, and nine times as likely to be neurologically impaired. One out of every six black males will be arrested by the time he reaches age 19. And murder is the leading cause of death for black males between the ages of 15 and 30. Declaring that there are more black males in prison than there are in col leges and universities, Murphy added that it costs S2.5 billion a year to keep these men in prison. ‘This country could send every one of them to Harvard for $1.2 bil lion,” said Murphy. “And after gradu- on iis wans, arug dealers m a nearby “open air market”, a crack house directly across the street from the principal’s office, and a high crime rate. Ninety percent of the children in this school were from families on some form of welfare. And 99% of the stu dents were black. The University Park school was a modem, one-level school which also served kindergarten through sixth grade. The homes in this area of town ranged in value up to $200,000. And its neighborhood was 70% white and 30% black. In 1984 the Columbia Park school students, on the average, were scoring at the 50th percentile. Murphy’s goal was for this score to move up to the 75th percentile by 1990. After both schools took the CAT in 1990, their scores differed by only one percentile point. The University Park students scored at the 91st per- Murphy emphasized that this trend should be reversed. In other words, the central office of tiie school system should stop think ing in terms of giving orders and start thinking in terms of helping. Teachers were given red buttons that had “Pri- ority” printed on them and central office personnel were given green buttons that read, “How can I help?” Under Murphy’s leadership the school board bought every second grade teacher four IBM “talking” computers. The advantage of these computers was that they would start each child off each time he used them at exactly the point at which the child left off The school system borrowed $5 million to do this and paid it all back in slightly over five years. Murphy implemented a program that required 85% of the school sys tem’s students to take algebra before they left middle school and he also instituted new requirements for fac ulty. To do this he started with princi pals by requiring them to go to school for four hours every month and foU days every summer. He also required that the principals be good communi cators and coordinators with analyti cal ability. These principals in tum trained theii teachers in the Effective Schools Model. For the University Park and Col lege Park experiment, Murphy chose a principal who had been a classroom teacher. And as other principals if Prince George’s County required re placing, he continued to use this strat egy. Murphy developed a program foj carefully screening principals. This included a ten week screening and training program. Another strategy was to expand the school day to 6:30 p.m and the school year to 200 days. And he al lowed each teacher no more than 20 students. Undergirding these was a^ elaborate educational support net^- work—treading and math specialists and guidance counselors. In this program teachers had sotDC time off each day for staff develop; ment and to encourage “creative thin^’ ing-” ; But Murphy did more than ju®! implement programs within the school system. He also helped people in the community to admit, “We’ve got 3 problem in our schools.” Through a well planned television advertising campaign, Murphy toM the community that “school probW are really community problems.” . But the worst problem is the lack of financial support from state and W. eral legislatures. “We must get Congress to rwUjJ make a commitment to education.- said Murphy.
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April 23, 1991, edition 1
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