OPINION/LETTERS
Winston-Salem Chronicle Some Info in Coverage of Gaines Classic was Wrong
Ernest H. Pitt, Publisher/Co-founder NDUB1SI EgEMONYE, Co-Founder
Richard L. Williams, Executive Editor
ELAINE Pitt, Director of Community Relations
Michael A. Pitt, Advening Manager Mel White, Circulation Manager
A Listless List
If the Winston- Salem/Forsyth County school board' can
not see that it has selected a less than stellar list of candi
-dates-for the position of superintendenMhen our board is in
more of a quagmire than we think. The list of semifinalists,
and ultimately finalists, for the job to run a school system
with nearly 40,000 school children clearly raises serious
questions on the motives of the current school board.
And with this list of candidates, the board and its screen
'* . '? ' ? ' ? y, - * * % i & ' ?
ing committee should be questioned on several fronts.
First, how can the board ensure that it has selected a
diversified pool of applicants if it does not even know the ?
race of those applying. Second, the school board has been
too secretive in the selection process, charging board mem
ber Walter Marshall to raise the issue of whether some of
? the discussion should have been held publicly.
And finally, this school board should not have the
charge of finding a superintendent anyway. All nine school
board positions are up for re-election in November. Also,
one incumbent lost her seat in the primary election. We
wonder what input she has had in the selection process.
What we have, in effect, is a secretive, lame-duck
school board charged with the task of finding a superinten
dent, at about $100,000 a year, for the fifth-largest school j
district in the state. It does not make very much sense for
the board to have that charge ? especially from a cast of
characters who over the years have displayed very little
cohesiveness or consensus-building and have wallowed in
partisan politics. Parents and the community at large have
?. a right to be wary. But with a school board that does things j
so secretively, it's difficult to keep a watchful eye.
Pathways & Partnerships
They said it couldn't be done! They said that African
Americans' voices would not be heard. They said blacks did
not know enough about the process to provide meaningful
input. They said the "power structure" would not change-its
traditional ways of doing things. Well, they were wrong!
The city, the East Winston CDC and the African- Ameri
can community came together, agreed on the ir disagree^,
ments and produced an enterprise-community document
that differed dramatically from the one presented last week.
A tremendous effort was put forth by several individuals in
merely one week's time to perform the major surgery that
was apparently needed on the first draft.
The city and the county now have the foundation for a
=plan thatcancarrywell into the next century;- We encour
age all local government bodies and community organiza
tions to endorse the plan. But readmit first. It is painfully
honest and provides food for thought for all well-meaning
citizens of Forsyth County. We especially encourage the
school system to adopt the letter and spirit of the plan.
We now feel our city has just as good a chance as anv
one else in the nation of receiving the enterprise-community
designation, which would be a boom for the community..
Even without the designation, the plan is still workable if
the same will, spirit and attitude is used in the implementing
as was used in developing the document. In fact, it would
be a shame if this new momentum in a new direction with a
new spirit and a new attitude were lost. No obstacles can be
larger than the ones faced in acknowledging our weak
nesses.
?We congratulate all involved and offer the following
suggestions for moving forw ard:
* Create a smaller, pamphlet-sized synopsis in common
language and take it back to our communities ? black and
white ? for education on the content of the plan. Involve
every church, club, organization and group and obtain com
mitments from each to work in earnest on one aspect of the
plan.
^ * When the Enterprise Community Board is formed,
ensure that all board members are elected rather than
selected. Install a true democratic process in formation of
_i the board. Let the city, county and foundations place more
than one candidate in nomination and let the residents of the .
enterprise community decide. To elect one group and
appoint another is another example of doing it the old way.
* Finally, let the neighborhoods put forth a written pro
posal for what they want for their neighborhoods. The con
cept of "from the bottom up" ? we prefer from the inside
out ? must be earned through to the ultimate primary bene
ficiaries: the neighborhoods. Stimulate the neighborhoods to
action and innovation as Washington has stimulated the
cities. We have only seen the tip of the iceberg in terms of
will, spirit and talent in the enterprise community. Empow
erment and pride should be goal number one in implementa
tion. Giving birth to a new attitude, a new philosophy, a
genuine new beginning is painful. Now that we have faced
some of the pain, let the true healing begin.
To the Editor:
Thank you very much for your
coverage of the Fifth Annual Big
house Gaines Spring Classic. We
appreciate your willingness to help
us publicize this event. However,
we must correct some rather glaring
factual errors by ypur contributing
writer. Samuel G. Puryear Jr.
First, and very importantly, Mr.
Pyryear indicated that this event is
sponsored by the Winston-Salem
Foundation. It is not. The Gaines
Classic is sponsored annually by the
Winston-Salem State University
Foundation.
Next, Mr. Puryear reports that
this event "far exceeded $18,000. . .
While *^e appreciate Mr^_
Puryear' s optimism, had he made
official inquiries with our tourna
ment committee, he would have dis
covered that the actual proceeds
were of a much more modest nature.
Lastly, we feel it crucial that
we clarify another misleading state
ment in Mr Puryear' s article. Pro
ceeds from this event do not benefit
the university's athletic department
nor are the designated for any spe
cific sport. As indicated on all pro
motional material s for the Gaines
'Classic, proceeds from this event
benefit the university's athletic
.scholarship fund. Again, had Mr.
Puryear taken the time to interview
any member of the tournament com
mittee. this fact would have been
clarified.
Again, we appreciate your
newspaper's efforts to provide us
much-needed coverage. We point
out these errors only in the interest
of insuring the credibility of the
*
Bighouse Gaines Classic, which
-everyone involved has worked dili
gently to maintain.
The 1994 Bighouse Gaines
Classic Committee
Drugs No Glamour
: " : ~7 ' ~j
To the Editor:
This letter is in response to the
May 1 9 issue pertaining to "the" pro
bation officer who responded to
"Alex" issue.
It was not to glamorize drug
dealing, but to enli gh ten you on
how things are on the other side. I
. was not encouraging no one or
nobody, because every man has his
or her own problems^If there Were
no crimes or drug dealers, you
would be working somewhere else,
correct? That's how it all started.
Obviously, you picture me as a
hoodlum and very disrespectful
young man, and I might visualize
you as an oppressed officer, but
that's not the issue what you think
about me, because that does not put
food on my family's table. The only
thing that will help thousands are
' :y> , v ~
WW4
ik
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' * * \ * * ? ' f '
Dr. Lonnie R . Bristow of San Pablo , Calif., addressed a news confer -
tf/igg i/t Chicago Sunday Rristnw rhnirmnn nf the American Medical
Association board , was voted as the AMA's first black president-elect
Sunday. He will take on the largely speech-making role of president a
year from now. ? ^
CHRONICLE MAI LB AG
Our Headers apeak out
better jobs than community service
(that's free). There wasn't a prob
lem with drugs till Afro-Americans
were getting a* part of the share.
There wasn't a problem till youths
-were living lavishly. I may he a can
didate for federal prison, but until
we see a difference in the commu
nity things will have to stay the
same, and drug dealers, as well as
myself, know the consequences and
risks that we take, along with the
money. And special thanks to the
Winston-Salem Chronicle for print
ing my side of the story.
"Alex"
' ( " ^ 7 : . . .
' ? ? ' ? . ? ? V ?
Our: Children Still Have Hope. Do We?
According to statistics, the media, and even
some African-American adults, our children's
chances for survival are disheartening. An over
-.whelming majority (83%S of blacik adults sur
veyed in a recent black Community Crusade for
Children poll agree that these are tough times for
"black children. But what the poll also revealed is
| that nnr children arp mnrp hopeful than their par
ents and other adults. Their idealism and opti
mism has prevailed over some of the worst cir
cumstances and conditions black children have
faced since slavery.
Black youth report that the times they live in
? ? are pretty bad: When asked Ho think about seri?
ous problems they and their peers face, they said
? their biggest concerns afer - ? - -
?kids having guns(70%)
?drugs (68%)
?violence in schools(66%)
?dropping out of school(64%)
?gangs(63%)
Nearly four in JO say violence is the number
- ? one problem facing ilicm today. ? More than half
say they worry about themselves or a family
member becoming a victim of violence.
Despiie everything tney worry about, our
children remain hopeful and they are seating their
sights high. Three-fourths of our children still
believe that if you work hard and try your best,
you can be successful and have the kind of life
you want. They talk about going to college,
about having families of their own, about becom
I ing doctors and lawyers and teachers. One girl in
the survey said. "In five years I'll be in in college
majoring in forensics."
We can take a lesson from our children. We
cannot resign their futures to the crisis at hand.
While we must be realistic about the obstacles
they face, we must help. our youth struggle
against the paths that will lead to their destruction
rather than their success. As a community, we
know that the demons are real:
67% of black adults believe half ot all black
children will become teenage parents;
65% of black adults believe half or more
effects of that fear, not only on himself, but also
on our children. "There was a time when I
thought 1 didn't have a future. 1 know what it
feels like." he said. "When 1 was coming up, 1
always thought my life expectancy was about 45,
but to be 14 and 15 and thinfc you ain't going to
make it to 19 ? that's real serious."
- ? We know our children are in trouble. Byt
rather than surrender to the gangs and drugs and
hopelessness, we must embrace our children's
hope and give them the love, support, and guid
black children will be"
denied important oppor
dice;
62% of black adults
think at least half of
black children will have
their lives destroyed by
drugs;
CHILD WATCH
By MARIAN WRIGHT
EDELMAN
44 % of black adults think at least half of
black children will get involved with gangs.
~~ Many parents expect the worst, seeming to
feel it is only a matter of time until their child
becomes a victim. In fact. 82% of caregivers and
77% of black adults say they worry a great deal
about their own children or children they know
becoming victims of violence. When asked to
speak about the situation in their community.
64% consider violence and 72% consider the
presence of guns to be a serious problems.
Black adults also fear the influence of drugs
and gangs and even that their children won't
grow up to be adults. One father revealed the
ance they need to achieve their dreams. As
adults we must concern ourselves with the prob
lems that face our youth and we must he realistic.
But let's not rob our children of their dreams in
the process.
Black adults and children agree that times
are bad. But our children haven't given up on us.
Let s not give up on them,
(Marian Wright Edelman is the president of
the Children's Defense Fund \ a leading voice '
for children , and a leader of the Black Commu
nity Crusade for Children. For information
about the Crusade , call 1H00-ASK-RCCC)
VOICES IN THE COMMUNITY
This week, the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County school system will name a superintendent from a list of six white male semifinalists.
Chronicle staff intern Beth Glen asked city residents if they felt. this area would be receptive to a black superintendent. Here are their
responses; .
Carl Miller
"The community is
| probably too conservative
for that right now. The fact
j that we had to fight so hard
to get blacks on the school
board indicates that there
would be resistance to con
sidering a black superinten
dent regardless of his quali
| fications."
Charlie W. Fields
"Not at the time being
because there is too much
prejudice in this city. They
don't like to see blacks in
high positions."
Dorothy B. Jordan
"Yes, because we certainly
need a black one and we
have some people who are
above and beyond qualified.
We're a growing commu
nity and we need the youth
to see a positive role model
in a black superintendent."
Donnie James
- "We need to be recep
tive because it would give a
lot of black students a more
positive attitude and some
one to look up to."
Millicent Lemon:
" It think the city should be
ready, though I'm not saying
that it is, because we have
enough qualified people in
this system to fill the posi
tion."