1 WSSU shook hoop world in '67
] p* Members of Winston-SaJem States NCAA College division nati?*alckmrnpitnukip toam.
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By SAM DAVIS
Chrontcle Spon Edutir
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The accomplishment was seem
ingly impossible when it happened. A
tiny teachers' college, a school with
fewer than 1,000 students, shook the
basketball world by winning the
NCAA College Division champi
onship in 1967.
When the Winston-Salem State
University team gathered to com
memorate the 30th anniversary of
their feat, it was once again an emo
tional scene. This group had secured a
place for themselves in American
sports history when they became the
first team from a predominantly
African-American college to win an
NCAA championship.
Eleven players from the team
were honored at last week's C1AA
Tournament.
The team included Earl "The
Pearl" Monroe, who was the team's
superstar. Monroe, who led the nation
and the team in scoring during the
4
1967 season with a 43.4 average, went
on to a long professional career in the
NBA with the Baltimore Bullets and
New York Knicks. Monroe was
named one of the SO Greatest Players
in the NBA earlier this year.
Bighouse Gaines was the team's
coach. Gaines, who retired four years
ago, was the all-time winningest
active coach in college basketball his
tory before he resigned. He still ranks
Please see page 5
I Winston-Salem Chrc '~ ?
660SiT5TSNTY PUB LIB nee for African-American News and Information from thls library
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Segregation not unlawful, says school attorney
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Parkland parents file appeal
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tigainst teacher i reinstatement
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: * By BRIDGET EVARTS
' Community News Reporter
?#
Parkland High School parents are appeal
ing Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools
Superintendent Don Martin's decision to rein
.state teacher Charles A. Schoderbek. The
.group, represented by attorney and Parkland
' ^parent Jasper Brown, filed the appeal March 4.
On Jan. 9, Schoderbek was suspended
without pay for striking a student, and was
later removed from his position as Parkland
boy's varsity coach. The .group of parents and
students approached Principal James Brandon
with a list of 22 allegations. These charges
stated that Schoderbek used profanity, made
sexually suggestive remarks and touched stu
dents inappropriately.
Schoderbek went against Superintendent
Don Martin's instructions to stay away from
school grounds and avoid contact w\|h stu
dents, say parents. During the period in which
he was instructed to stay away, he was
allowed to administer SAT and ACT tests to
Heme seepage^
By BRIDGET EVARTS
Community News Reporter
i
It is not "inherently unlawful" for a local
school board to restructure schools in a way
which results in racially identifiable schools,
said Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools
attorney Doug Punger, so long as segregation is
not the intent.
There are laws on the books against discrim
inating in schools, said Punger. However, he
added, "There are no federal laws, per se, that
say schools have to be 'integrated.'"
Plaintiffs who have filed a complaint against
the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools with
the Office of Civil Rights in Washington, D.C.,
must prove the Board of Education intended to
segregate schools by redistricting.
In the early 1970s, the remaining primarily
segregated schools were ordered by higher
courts to comply with the 1954 public school
desegregation order. Schools had to meet a
"unitary status," a set of criteria established in
i !
the 1968 ruling of Green v. New Kent. In
Green, the Supreme Court decided that ''freedom
of choice" plans were not in conformity with the
landmark Brown v. Board of Education, nor
were any plans that did not reduce segregation.
Though the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County
Schools' choice plan indicates that the school
system is becoming more segregated. Punger
says that today's plan differs significantly from *
those in the past.
"The difference between the 1950s and now
is that African Americans didn't have a choice,"
said Punger. "They didn't have the political
power to elect their representatives." Formerly,
he added, the presence of racially identifiable
schools used to create a "badge of inferiority"
for African-American students.
"What we're doing here is substantially dif
ferent," Punger said.
Some critics don't see the local school
board's choice plan as much different from the
Please see page 4
Democrats pick Johnson to fill seat on school board
A
By BRIDGET EVARTS
Community News Reporter
The Democratic Party once again
looked to Walter Marshall and sup
ported his favored candidate as their
choice for the Winston-Salem/Forsyth
County Board of Education.
Victor Johnson took 60 percent of
the votes when the Democratic
precincts met March 4 to choose Mar
shall's replacement. Last month, the
party overwhelmingly supported Mar
shall as successor to the late Mazie
Woodruff's county commissioner seat.
Traditionally, when a vacancy opens
on a board or commission, the members
of that entity honor the party's choice.
Johnson, a retired administrator,
pledged his commitment to youths who
have been separated from the school
system by suspension, expulsion or
dropping out. He pointed to the high
percentage of African-American males
in that category.
"Mr. Marshall and I have been out
here for years working with black males
on the front lines," said Johnson. "He
knows my record." Marshall, in Wash
ington, D.C., attending a national
county commissioners convention,
voted for Johnson by proxy.
All but 16 of the Democratic
precincts were represented in the vote.
Northwest Child Development
director Paula McCoy Corbin received
47.5 votes. Corbin said she was satis
fied with the outcome. "It's a democra
tic process. It's fair. I think Victor will
keep his promise and do what's right for
children," said Corbin.
School board member Geneva
Brown was also pleased with the vote.
"You have two good candidates," said
Brown. "1 think Vic Johnson will do a
credible job."
"He'll get in there and study those
issues before the board," she added.
Former school board member Beau
fort Bailey came in third with two
votes.
Victor Johnson addresses the
Democratic Party.
Opening the Door: Administration holds Gulf War Syndrome Forum
By BRIDGET EVARTS
Community News Reporter
Like many of his fellow Marines, Alvin D.
Knickerson was sent to the Persian Gulf in
December 1990. And also like so. many of his
fellow service people, he came back a changed
person.
Shortly after the air war began, a SCUD
missile exploded next to the base where Knick
erson, a battalion supply chief, was stationed. A
chemical alert sounded, and the troops scram
bled to cover themselves with protective cloth
ing.
On that day and most other days, said
Knickerson, "the air was filled with a light gray
smoke" from Kuwaiti oil wells torched by the
retreating Iraqi military. In the space of air not
occupied by smoke, sand fleas jumped and
swarmed. They bit the U.S. troops, who were
required to follow a daily regiment of immu
nization shots and pills.
In May 1991, Knickerson reported to sick
bay with reoccurring stomach cramps. He
returned to the United States a month later. By
July, this young man, who prior to the Gulf War
had been able to run three or four miles easily,
could not finish the first mile mark.
Soon, he lost partial use of his left shoulder.
A lump appeared on that shoulder, and rashes
spread across his skin.
"Over the next four years, I had a host of
maladies," Knickerson told the audience gath
ered for the Persian Gulf War Veteran's Forum
at the Radisson Marque Hotel, Feb. 27.
Knickerson and five other Gulf War vets sat
on a panel with representatives from veterans'
service associations as a part of the Department
of Veteran Affairs' series of forums held this
month around the country.
Secretary of Veterans Affairs Jesse Brown
and Deputy Secretary Hershel W. Gober are
soliciting input from Gulf War vets, in order to
reexamine the two-month presumptive period
for undiagnosed illnesses presumed to have
resulted from service in the Gulf War. Brown
was unable to attend the Winston-Salem forum,
which was the last of six forums organized
nationwide.
Please see page 4
Alvin Knickerson has suffered from undiagnosed
illnesses since the Gulf War. M
Welcome to Walkertown or Insult to African Americans?
By BRIDGET EVARTS
? Community News Reporter
Some residents of Walker
town are afraid that the signs
marking the town's limits could
become a bit unwelcoming to
? African Americans.
A local chapter of the
National Sons of Confederate
Veterans wants to include its
insignia on Walkertown's wel
come signs. African-American
residents say displaying that
insignia, the Confederate flag,
would be an insult to the com
munity.
"To me. that would be just a
slap in the face." ?aid Billy
Hairston. Hairston and others
are upset that the town council
is even considering the Sons'
request.
A representative of the
Sons, John R. Woodard, went
before the council recently to
place his group's fourth request.
Woodard. an historical archivist
at Wake Forest University, was
not available for comment.
Councilman D. Alan Home
said he initially leaned away
from allowing the insignia to
join the others, such as the
Lion's Club's, on the welcome
signs. Now he feels he knows
more about the Sons and is
Please see page 4
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