I \-M- .. mJ.
- <«' ' / , .' -"Th6 Voice Of The Black Community"
feum. 13. Number 4 THE CHARLOTTE POST ■ Thur„Uy. Jun. 3», 1987 ^ 50 Cent.
^-- - * ^
> Battle
Muscles His
Way To Top
-- »
Black Ulomen Netiiiorkt Of iuppdH
MLK's Daughter Holds Fast Tfc&reairiv
... __ M.
Derek Barnes' Story
ps The School System
vGuilty Of Undermining
|A Student's Progress?
By JalyM Strong
Post Managing Editor
IIS past, there wasn't much
or Richard and Mamie
to be concerned about their
ducational progress. Four
»ar-old Derek Barnes, a
ninth grader at McClin
unior High 8chool, is an
chiever in academics, an
ind athlete, a popular stu
ivolved in his school s ex
Ticular activities. "He's
very well," his parents
t*
-i, this past May, Derek was
rejected from inclusion in the
National Junior Honor 8ociety
P (NJHB).
And through what is turning
out to be, a long, complicated pa
rental query into the reasons for
Derek's sxclusion. the Berneses
are finding not only do they have
cause for concern but
V ,furthermore, they have cause for
j alarm.
[ They have discovered, al
though Derek has essentially
continued to be an above average
student, there are questionable
procedures going on at his school
which may be undermining his
' JWPUti*r rirrrtt i-’ -■.
Bine* the first weak (n May to
data, Derek'* parent* have writ
ten numerous letter* to the people
involved in the education of their
eon, including McGlintock Jun
ior High School Principal Jama*
Oockerharai Thelma Johnson of
the Equal Opportunity Office of
Charlotte-Mecklenburg School*
(CMS); Andrew Haywood, Area
Superintendent of CMS East
Weet Charlotte Area Center; Sa
rah Stevenson, of the CMS Student
Policy Committee; and Robert
Hanes, acting Superintendent of
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools.
As of June S, by which time the
Bameses had not received what
they Reel are satisfactory answer*
to aueetlon* about their son's re
jection, they sent out a letter to
V Dale Hawley, Director of Student
I Activities for the National Asso
’ elation of Secondary School Prin
B-4—V The letter is an official
lain! against Cockerham
the staff members of the
I selection committee for
"persons responsible far the
I inductions at McClin
In the complaint, the Barneaes
wrote: "Our eon waa denied in
duction into the honor society at
McClintock Junior High al
though he met all criteria for in
duction. Upon questioning
(Cockerham) about what appeared
to be an unfair action, we became
aware of several violations."
Ten specific violations were
cited by the Barneses in this let
ter, including: inconsistent ap
plication of standards; blackball
ing, unprofessional conduct by
committee members; subjective
and personal bias; and unfair
and unusually harsh scrutiny of
Derek.
How Was Derek Judged?
"We had never been led to be
lieve anything other than the fact
that Derek was doing wonderful
in school and there was absolute
ly no problems to speak of," Ma
mie Barnes relates.
Her son's grade point average
for the school year la 8.1, above the
8.0 average required for induc
tion in the honor society. Moreo
ver, Derek scored 84 on the school
system's OAT exam, and his con
duct, according to his report card,
ed to McCIintock's Exeoifjtive
Council for two consecutive years
(88-87), Derek also played foot
ball, basketball and was the re
cipient of the Coaches Award in
basketball.
in met, tha only indication tha
Bameses ever had that than waa
any "problem'’ with Derek'a per
formance at achool aroae out of
hia exclusion from tha honor eod
ety.
Cockerham has said Derek
waa turned down because of "a
lack of aerviee, character or dti
■enship." Ha declines to be spa
dfle about the reasons saying,
"«»e things that take place in the
selection committee meetings are
confidential and I'm not obliged
to discuss them with the parents or
anyone alee.''
As the Bameaea had not been
informed previously by the school
of any infractions by Derek in the
areas of "aerviee, character or
eitiaenehip" they questioned the
validity of this asseeamant and
was referred by Oockerham to
Derek'a school counselor, Daniel
Bhoarer.
Fourteen-year-old Derek Bernes as an eighth grader at Mo Clin
took Junior High 8obool earned above average marks, played all
■porta, and served on the Student Council
Subjective Stereotyping
The parents met with Shearer
with the initial belief they would
hear concrete answers about why
Derek may have ben excluded
from the honor society. Instead,
Mrs. Barnes says, "We only
heard from Shearer his percep
tion of how he felt Derek should
Ilf conference with the counse
lor, Mrs. Barnes reports "Shearer
told u* that Derek was ’overly
confident' and the he 'managed
to get under the sldn of one or two
teachers.' Shearer also said,"
Mrs. Barnes relates, that "Derek
1s a fast talker and a smooth talk
er.
"He eaid Derek 'has never
misbehaved or done anything
that warrants a reprimand' but he
feels Derek 'tries to be slick. "
One thing that struck the Ber
neses as particularly odd was
Shearer mentioning the fact that
one day he had eeen Derek walk
ing with "some undesirable
black boys.”
"Shearer said they were not do
ing anything wrong but he could
not believe he saw Derek in these
boys' company.
"Other things were revealed
during this conversation with
Shearer," maintains Mrs.
Barnes. "But strange at it may
seem, he fkiled to reveal things
about Dersk that would have kept
him off the honor society. He only
revealed many of his own hang
ups and prejudices."
1116 Fairness Factor
Based upon their conference
with Shearer, the Barneses con
cluded, "We are of the opinion
that acceptance into the NJHS is
too highly subjective. We are ad
amant about what seems to be hap
pening to our bWk children
••ibperiaHy our blitklttBtt?
"I believe Derek wok assessed
unfairly because he was per
ceived by a couple of the selection
committee members as being
"arrogant."
Mrs. Barnes also claims her
alarm peaked when she was told
by one of Derek's teachers, who
prefers to remain anonymous,
You better look into what is hap
pening with Derek and the
NJH8."
An added aggravation to the
Barneses predicament was the
fact Cockerham seems uncon
cerned with the whole situation.
"He appears to be mare concerned
with upholding the committee's
decision, than with finding rea
sonable answers about Derek,"
says Mrs. Barnes.
Cockerham does maintain,
"The integrity of the group is hon
ored and what they've come up
with stands. As far as I'm con
cerned everything is above board
and straight. I have not seen any
thing wrong with the decision."
Cockerham pointed out that
Bee Need on page 7A
Martin Proposes
UNCF Support
UNCF Statewide Campaltm Kicked Off
RALEIGH, N.C.- N.C. Govern
or James Martin and the Chair
man of the Board and Chief Exec
utive Officer of TIME, INC. helped
the six North Carolina United Ne
gro College Fund institutions be
gin their 1987 f\ind drive officially
this week, while celebrating the
success of the 1986 drive.
Martin joined with J. Richard
Munro, Chairman of UNCF, to be
gin the 1987 year of the largest mi
nority fbnd-raiser in the United
States.
In hie keynote address Munro
said, "America's historically black
colleges helped redeem the soul of
this country."
He said, "An increasing propor
tion of America's work force will
be black, and unless these people
are properly trained and educated
our country will suffer," he added.
"Corporate support of UNCF insti
tutions is a matter of self-interest.
We need-very badly the talent that
these schools graduate. UNCF col
leges and universities give Ameri
ca a competitive edge, and it in
volves our aoul.”
uovernor Martin, who served
a» the Honorary Chairman of last
year's drive, hosted a reception at
the Governor's Mansion in Ra
leigh for the six N;C. member insti
tutions prior to Munro'a addraea,
and called on Ndrth CaroliniMfo to
•uppprt thiajrUr'i drive Oprthe
-99swari''
lars was raised during the 1986
drive in North Carolina alone.
Martin said, "We as a people can
respond to the need for increased
support."
He praiaed the academic stan
dards of the UNCF institutions.
He said, The special atmosphere,
unique environment and smaller
class sise all contribute to the pre
pared students that these institu
tions graduate."
He praised corporate America,
and corporate North Carolina for
their continued aupport as well as
individual citisens of the state.
Martin presented the coveted
"Patteraon Cup” to Shaw Univerai
ty and Saint Augustine's College in
Raleigh for their exemplary per
formance in the 1986 campaign.
The two institutions Joined togeth
er to raise more than $200,000 dur
ing the 1986 drive. Anheuaer Bush
and their local distributor, Harris
Wholesale, Inc. also received
awards for their major contribu
tions to the 1986 drive.
Nationally, more than $38 mil
lion dollars was raised during the
Gov. Jim Martin
1986 drive. To date the National
UNCF drive has raised more than
$400 million since 1944. These
funds benefit students attending
the 42 UNCF institutions across
the country.
Six of those institutions are lo
cated in North Carolina. They are:
Barber-Scotia College, Concord;
Livingstong College, Salisbury;
Johnson C. Smith University,
See Martin on Page SA
District 3 Race
Gets Another
Candidate
Atototritkltecardand
Scarborough
The race for District 3 has a
new member. Samuel L. Carr will
announce his candidacy for Dis
trict 3 City Council Sunday, Juns
28, 7 p.m., at Village Court in the
Brookhill Community.
On hand will be several noted
guests from ths United House of
Prayer For All People, Including,
Apostle J. C. Crawford, Apostle C.
B. Gibson, Apostls C. Taylor, Rich
ard Malnati, a local music instruc
tor, and James C. Rosa.
Carr made his decision baaed
upon problems surrounding inad
equate housing conditions, benefits
for the elderly, unemployment and
the garbage collection process.
Carr has bsen an employes of
the City's Sanitation Department
for eight years and is spokesper
son for the Concerned Sanitation
Workers. He is married to Arnetta
Robinson Carr, and has nine chil
dren.
Carr asks that you Join him in
this auspicious occasion which will
feature ths McCullough Marching
Band, choirs and refireahments.
Enrollment, Financial Crises Place Catholic School In JeoDardv
our Lady or Coneolation Catholic
School. .
Thl« wona, ropoatod over a par*
lod of thirty yeora haa halped to
oatabllah Our Lady of Oonaala
tlon Catholic fchool aa a tradition
of excrilanea in the North wool
community,
"The achool haa a name of Ita
awn,* proudly announced Alla*
an Connor, principal of Our
Lady.
But, baoauae of financial aria*
h, that tradition of eaeeUenct
and eetahliahad name hang* In
What haa contributed to the fi
nancial difficulty the cehool la
aaporlanalng la a combination of
low enrollment In certain grade*
(fourth grade through eighth) and
a reduction of fiindc foam the
achoel'a principal financial cup*
porter, Diaeaea Of Charlotte.
"In the pact the Dlaaaoa haa cub*
•Idiced 1100,000. They have cut
bach that? aupporttywm, otatlng
0^1 tHronMH
third ware the more critical
wpgJag cVtat nigdiH ammaag.*
With that announcement, par*
ante who wort expecting to enroll
their children in the fourth, fifth
and dxth grade elaaeee at Our
Lady were toeing the grim poeel
WHty of placing their children
eleewherc tor their education.
The Parent*, however, decided
on another plan of atrategy.
Within the ateerlng committee of
the Home School Aeeodation, the
parent# and teacher* formed the
Way* and Meana Committee, de
termined to raiae a minimum of
$185,000, a figure which would
cnaure that their children who
would be in the fourth, fifth and
atxth grade* would be able to con
tinue their education at Our Lady
if enrollment, In theae grade*,
do## not lncreaae thla year.
"The amount of money we will
have to raiae really dependa on
the enrollment,” commented
Jocoo Callia, chairperaon of the
Way# and Meana committee. "If
there ie toll enrollment, then
we're only talking about raialng
$85,000 and if enrollment reache#
to $0« ef capacity, then we will
only need to raiee $40,000."
If the parent* were abl# to
com# up with the money, then w#
would be able to keep thoa* three
(rod** far another year," con.
firmed Mr*. Conner,
"Ae It etande now, it ia Juat too
expeneiv* to maintain thoa*
-- -W ,
ItMm and provide our quality of
edueatlon with aueh low enroll
menta, eepeoiallv without the aub
aldy from the Dioeoee,” ahe add
ed. 'wt-?
Fated with such a tremendous,
financial ehallsnge the Ways
end Means committee has al>
ready launched their plan * at
lash, "Over 100 letters have gene
^ c't ■ ■** tr^uLY'£ ! . P
•ut to Our Lady of OonaoiaUon
CathalU Bthaol alumni aakina
ft* MOO donatiana. W# ara aak
ht^mpapM