Watt ready to run in new 12th District
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By HERBEKT L WHITE
Md Watt represents a different kind
of 12th congressional district than the
one that sent him to Congress six years
ago.
A federal court approved the
redrawn 12th last week, clearing the way
for a Sept. 15 primary in a district that
has changed dramatically since 1992.
Instead of a 53 percent Mack majority,
the district is 33 percent African Ameri
can. It's still heavily Democratic, bowev
et, which favors Watt. Filing for office
begins July &, the general election is Now.
"I intend to be a candidate in the
newly approved 12th District," he said,
"and I will teach out to every voter in
the new district and challenge them to
look beyond race and any factor other
than qualifications and experience as
they decide who to support."
The 12th is one-third Republican, a
third white Democrats and a third Mack
Democrats, whch opens the possibility
of reduced Mack congressional repre
?rotation, m Ted Arlington, chairman
of UNC Charlotte's political scirocc
department. Although incumbents such
as Georgia Democrat Cynthia McKin
ney have won in redrawn districts that
went majority-white, that doesn't guar
antee stHTftt for black candidates
"Usually a black Democrat, especial
ly an incumbent, can count on being
elected," he said. "It's not a sure thing,
though. It presents a possibility that a
white Republican could beat him, but
it's just a possibility. If there's a white
Republican who is a good, strong candi
date, he could five Mel a run for hi*
money."
The Supreme Court ruled in 1993
that the 12th'i terpentine chape amount
ed to racial gerrymandering; a federal
appeals panel declared the redrawn dis
trict made race an overriding factor in
its creation.
"What they're saying is that you cant
provide representation for the black
community in this district," Arlington
said. "Everybody in the state should
5m IMMM
75 cents WlNSTON-SALEM GREENSBORO HIGH POINT Vol. XXIV No. 44
The Chronicle
?
The Choice for African American News and Information e-mail address: wschron6netunlimitcd.net
' \
Joyner says
W to head
coaching job
;B? SAM DAVIS and HERBERT L. WHITE
?CONSOLIDATED MEDIA GROUP
; * It doesn't appear that Steve Joyner will becoming
to Winston-Salem State as the Rams' new head bas
ketball coach.
7 Joyner, a Winston-Salem native, was the choice of
a* search committee put in place by Anne Little,
WSSU's athletics director. But he has turned down
tfSSU's offer. He said unless something drastic hap
pens in the next couple of days he won't be coming
?%aToi5Rfs t!Wi^ftr' Ricky Ducfcittrfttfrt
teville State University's
head coach to become
WSSU's next men's bas
ketball coach.
Duckett, who has
compiled a 73-62 record in
five seasons as the head
coach at Fayetteville State,
was out of town and was
unavailable for comment.
But The Chronicle sources
said Duckett would be
offered the position if
Joyner and WSSU are
unable to come to terms.
Joyner said Wednesday
that he is staying put as
Joynmr
Johnson C. Smith basket
ball coach.
I After meeting with Winston-Salem State officials
Saturday, Joyner withdrew his name from considera
tion earlier this week. The Winston-Salem Journal
reported Wednesday that Joyner would take over for
Sam Hanger, whose contract was pot renewed at the
end of the season.
"I did have some conversation with them, but at
this point, my plan is to stay at Johnson C. Smith,"
Joyner said Wednesday, "It's unfortunate that I didn't
get a chance to deliberate more before word got out,
but I like the situation we're in now."
Joyner, who led the Golden Bulls to a 22-9 record
and a berth in the Division II tournament last season,
said family considerations played a part in his decision
to stay at Smith. Joyner has three children, and one
son, Steve Jr., is a Bulls point guard.
"On an emotional level, my family and (their)
being comfortable and stable (determined) that we not
move right now," he said.
There's also the team, which returns four starters
next year and would likely enter the season as a
favorite to win the CIAA's Western Division title.
On the other hand, Winston-Salem State is coming
off a 15-15 season and the Rams lost four of its top
seven players on the team. WSSU basketball has also
been in a constant state of upheaval, having gone
through four head basketball coaches in five seasons.
, Joyner said he likes his situation at Smith and isn't
Set WSSU on A4
\
A history lesson
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Children learn about contributions
of African Americans in programs
By KEVIN WALKER
For THB CHRONICLE
When 31-year-old Cheryl Johnson received her
diploma from East Forsyth High School in 1983,
she graduated with extensive knowledge of
George Washington, Abraham Lincoln and
Thomas Jefferson. But the history lessons cover
ing the contributions of Malcolm X, Nelson Man
dela and other black luminaries never came.
Johnson, a married mother of four, says she
does not want the same fate for her young chil
dren.
"Our kids need to know where they came
from, " she said. "In school I learned nothing
about black history, nothing about our people and
how important they are in history."
Johnson's experience is not unique. Pluralistic
learning, multiculturalism, diversity programs,
over the decades the names have changed but the
issue has not: the need for a more inclusive, less
European-centered education.
Last week, that issue took center stage at a
Winston-Salem/Forsyth County School Board
meeting, where board members, under pressure
from citizens, reinstated the coordinator's position
for the African American Infusion Project.
The coordinator's job was meant to be a tem
porary one and infusion efforts would have con
tinued on schedule, according to Superintendent
Don Martin. But supporters feared their six-year
effort would have fallen flat without a coordinator
guiding its way.
AAIP was first conceived in 1992 when profes
sors from Winston-Salem State University, Wake
Forest University and Salem College undertook
the task of developing texts on black history to
add to the school system's social studies curricu
lum.
The program was first introduced into schools
in 1994, but 11 of the system's 64 schools have yet
to start the program.
In a nation that is becoming increasingly more
brown and black, changes in the way we teach
children will not only help them become smarter
but more tolerant of others, says school board
member Geneva Brown.
Set Walker raiAU
Black fanners
*
get relief
from Congress
House waives statute
of limitations on
discrimination claims
By DAMON FORD
THE CHRONICLE
The door that was once slammed in the faces of
black fanaMsit now open thanks to the U.& House
of Representatives.
In a meeting last week, House members voted to
waive the federal statute of limitations on the Equal
Opportunity Credit Act for farmer discrimination
complaints filed between 1983-1996. The federal limi
tation statute had served as a blockade to civil rights
discrimination complaints being processed by U.S.
Department of Agriculture on behalf of thousands of
black farmers across the nation. >
The complaints allege the USDA discriminated
against black farmers for 20 states, including North
Catolina. Attorney General Janet Reno issued an offi
cial Department of Justice opinion April 1998 inter
preting the statute "as barring" many of the claims
backlogged at USDA.
"The Congress has sent a clear unambiguous sig
nal to both the courts and the Clinton administration
lawyers at the Department of Justice that real consti
tutional rights don't have a statute of limitations," said ?
Sam Taylor, a member of the farmers professional
team.
Black farm activists said the ruling was a blessing.
"Of course, now we hope the administration will
use this opportunity to finally acknowledge in court
and comply with Judge (Paul) Friedman's request to
settle the case," said Gary Grant, the National Black
Farmers and Agriculturalist Association president.
The suit, Pigford vs. Glickman languished in fed
eral district court in Washington, D.C. Friedman
admonished the government for not reaching a medi
ated settlement in a timely manner. The legislation
passed by the House as a provision of the House Agri
culture Appropriations spending bill must now go to
the Senate for conferencing.
"Black farmers have been losing land at the rate of
9,000 acres per week and find themselves now less
than one percent of the U.S. agriculture community,"
Grant said. "Figures like these indicate that we are
? destined to be extinct by the turn of the century. If the
present trend is allowed to continue, black people for
the first time in their more than 400-year history in
this nation will not be an internal part of the agricul
ture food producing system of this nation."
I
Stt Formers on A4
Charter schools face off to end quotas
By DAMON FORD and JERI YOUNO
THE CHRONICLE
A small group of people turned out Tuesday
morning to laud a bill that may save the state's pre
dominantly black charter schools.
"We're here to make a appeal for our concerns
about our charter schools and their progress," said
H.B. Harris, a member of the board of directors at
Woodson. "There's currently a legislation out there
that might keep charter schools like C.G. Woodson
from running in the upcoming year."
In North Carolina, charter schools are public
schools operated by parents, teachers or the commu
nity.
Charter schoor supporters are trying to drum up
support from Senate Democrats to pass House Bill
1739, which will allow charter schools more freedom
.to operate. The bill, which was sponsored by Rep.
Stephen Wood, R-Guildord, would replace language
in the law requiring that the schools reasonably reflect
the racial makeup of their school district with a
achieve racial balance.
The change is important to the schools because
racial imbalance is technically illegal. Yet the racial
quota does prevent a challenge to charter schools.
Proponents worry that schools may lose loans because
a bank loan officer wouldn't grant the money knowing
the school wasn't in compliance with state law and
could be shut down.
The State Board of Education, however, has indi
cated it will not revoke any charters over it.
The bill also provides some much needed financial
support for the schools which often operate with small
budgets.
If passed, it will allow the schools to join the state
retirement's system, which would aid in attracting
teachers. The bill would also waive fees for gasoline
and license plates that aren't paid by traditional
schools and ensure that tax money earmarked for
public schools finds its way into charter school cofferi,
Srt ChcM lM on A4
requirement that they make a good-faith effort to
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