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"The Voice Of The Black Community"
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13, WlUBber 13 > l * : _the CHARLOTTE POST - Thursday. August 27, 1987 Price: 50 Cents
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t Barnes’ Exclusion
; uy uajyne strong
Poet
Dr. Audrey Fisher-Brown,
NAACP Education Specialist for
the southeast region, called the
case of Derek Barnes a "bad
dream'* the Charlotte Mecklen
burg School Board would like to
see go away.
; "But it is not going to go away
until something is resolvsd,"
Fisher-Brown assarted.
She had been called to Charlotte
from Atlanta to specifically look
into the the Derek Barnes story
and the Charlotte charters of the
National Junior Honor Society,
In general. Derek, now a ninth
grader at McClintock Junior
High School had been excluded
from the school's charter of the
NJHS at the end of the last echoed
year. After looking into their
son's situation, Derek's parents,
Richard and Mamie Barnes, pro
tested the school's decision. Fur
ther investigation into the matter
led the Bameses to conclude that
their son had been discriminated
•gainst in die NJHS selection
process and, moreover, that
McClintock had violated several
of the NJHS policies and proce
dures. 'V.
Although the Bameses had tak- '
•ft their concerns te the school's
Mecklenburg School Board these
segments of the school system all
denied that Derek had been treat
ed unfairly and they all upheld
McClintock's selection commit
tee's decision to exclude the Mack
youth from the honor society.
The Bameses finally went to
Kelly Alexander Jr., Executive
Secretary of the Charlotte Branch
NAACP and State NAACP Presi
dent. Alexander secured Dr.
Fisher-Brown's assistance.
She arrived at the Hilton, Uni
versity Place, on Monday and
spent the balance of the day inter
viewing concerned parents,
teachers and educational profes
sionals..
"I’ve come to the conclusion
there'* evidence of discrimina
' ~ —
Dr. Audrey Fisher-Brown
._NAACP Education Specialist
uon, said Fisher-Brown, citing
Dsrek's case. “I will Continue to
talk with parsons involved
expert witnesses; continue to
monitor practices that have oc
curred; and investigate the dad
fiissfessr** •*
Fisher-Brown also commented
that discriminatory practices in
NJHS charters appear to be syste
matic in Charlotte schools. She
explained, "Since the public
learned the NAACP was looking'
into this situation, we have been
beeoeched with calls from parents
and concerned persons in refer
ence to the frequency of such prac
tices, especially in junior high
and high schools.
"Even though strides have been,
made to eliminate discriminato
ry practices in Southaastern
schools," continued Fisher
Brown. "this is 1987 and no sig
nificant differences have been
made."
• This fact, alluded Fisher
Brown, had much to do with the
formation of her position with the
NAACP. She informed that an
Educational Specialist post with
the Southeast Region (NoS) of the
NAACP came out of a need that
was assessed. Tile Southeast has
so marj^*Krimin^tion ii| edu
cation complaints,'' she pointed
out. Pisher-Brown works lHth At
torney Paula Bonds on most of
her cases.
She will be working with Bonds
on the Barnes case. About Der
ek's particular case, Dr. Fisher
Brown expressed, "I heard a lot of
reactions about this issue, espe
cially disappointment. People are
appalled that such a thing could
happen in 1987—and to a child.
"The national and local
NAACP is disappointed that the
Board of Education and the school
system stood ground on someth
ing that was obviously wrong,"
said Fisher Brown, who claims
that "sticking together" was a
professional tactic on the part of
the school system and school
board. "But not a sound one," she
. na
Monday, thafb^g
day of aohool la Charlotta -Moeklonburg.
Few Hitches, New Hopes For First Day
By Herb White
• Poet Staff Writer ftS*
Sumner vacation officially
inded Moltday for thoueanda of
Dharlotte-Kacklanburg atudenta
u tha flrat week of echool began.
Hallway* at the 102-echool aye
cam rumbled Monday with the
tounda of atudenta eearehlng to
rat to olaee on time. Moot of them
made it in pratty good ahape, ac
cording to Myra Joinoo, Public
information Coordinator for tha
Ichool ayatam.
"Thera la no euch thing aa a
perfect opening day* with 19 of 680
buaaa delayed boeauae of machan
ical trouble and eevaral student#
missing rides, she commented.
"What you hope far is an opening
day with minor problems you run
handle."
Jctnes reported that 70,27* stu
dents were in school Monday, but
mors are expected. The projected
student total for Charlotte
Mecklenburg this year is 73,201,
543 above the 1934 total. The in
crease is the fourth in a row far the
nation'# 29th largest school sys
tem.
At West Charlotte High, prin
cipal Louis Layne literally had
mors on his hands than expected.
f y “ r
Instead of tha 1656 projected atu
danta, thara war* 1760, many of
tham newcomer* to tha achool aya
tam. 1 • 5 ,
”W» had a aitabla number of
atudanta who cam* In with no
achadul* whataoavar,’ Layna
aUtad. "It would b* a lot batter if
parent* and atudanta would con
tact the achool.'
Layna, who i* beginning hia
third year at Waat Charlotte,
characterized tha drat day aa run
of-the-mill, with aoma minor
problama toaaad in for good maaa
Saa Find Day On Paga 4A
remarked.
"We also feel this act is devas
tating to Derek and to other black
- children as well. We feel this
could affect the attitudes of chil
dren who have high expectations.
They may develop a defeatist atti
tude and ask themselves, 'Why
try?’"
For this reason, Dr. Fisher
Brown is glad the Bameses have
waged such a battle in support of
their son. "I admire the Barne
ees," she related. "There should
be more informed parents who
take the time, interest and find
the resources to let the world know
what is happening.
"I hope they will continue to
speak out and not be discouraged
by criticism. The NAACP will
support them in every way possi
ble."
Fisher-Brown revealed that
several persons employed with
, the school system have spoken out
against the treatment of Derek
and similar discriminatory
practices occuring in the school
system. She said these individu
als expressed appreciation that
the NAACP had taken on the is
sue. They now feel they have a
support system, one that was real
ly needed. They feel punitive ac
tions would be taken if they spoke
out and they've encouraged con
tinuous involvement from the
NAACP."
"NAACP involvement in the
school system is necessary and
should have been done earlier,”
commented Fisher-Brown.
After she interviewed Derek
and his parents Monday evening,
Fisher-Brown said the next step
would be to confer with NAACP
attorneys. She stated emphatical
ly, "We know there is a problem.
And, we want everyone to
know, the fight has just begun. It
will continue until we have suc
cessfully moved young black
Americans forward."
f
I
«J.C. Smith Hosts Relic Banouet
Chari otte-Mecklenburg, North
Carolina'* largest school district is
still enjoying its honeymoon with
the system's new school superin
tendent, Dr. Peter Relic. Everyone,
from school board members,
teachers and the community at
large, is excited about the refresh
ing approach the seasoned educa
tor brings to his new job as head
master of the country's 29th larg
est school system. Relic’s overall
acceptance by the community
may explain the grounds well of
excitement on the campus of John
son C. Smith University to the
news that Dr. Relic will be the fea
tured speaker at the Friends of
Johnson C. Smith Annual Banquet.
The banquet will be held Septem
ber 11,1987 at 6:30 p.m. in Grimes
Lounge, at the University Memori
al Union. All friends and support
ers of the University are invited to
attend the annual event
Relic, who began his new por
tion July 1,1987, comes to Char
lotte-Mecklenburg from the West
Hartford, Connecticut School Sys
tem where he served as Superin
tendent. The West Hartford
School System regarded as one of
the best systems in the country,
currently serves nearly 8,000 stu
dents.
The 50 year old grandson of Yu
goslavian born immigrants, ap
parently set his sights on being an
educator early in life. Soon after
graduating with honors (Phi Beta
Kappa) from Bowdoin College he
began his career, teaching three
subjects and coaching three sports.
Later, he taught school in Turkey,
West Germany, Peru and Puerto
Rico. In 1963, he was appointed as
a school principal in his hometown
of Cleveland, Ohio. The rest, as
the saying goes, is history. Relic's
notable track record includes:
earning a doctorate in education
from Harvard, working as super
intendent of a school system in Ja
pan, and serving as Deputy Seers
Ixrc^zjy Transit For Tlie Elderly
Effactiva August 26,1987, Char
lotte Transit bagan a onca-a-wsak
transit route to tha Krogar 8av-On
Sterras in Dilworth and on Wando
var Road. Npmed Route 99
Krogar, tha route will sarva aldar
ly rasidants of Charlottetown Tar
raca, Addison Apartmants, Rad
Carpat Inn, Parktown Tsrraca,
Strawn Apartmants, Edwin Tow
ars, Booth Oardans and Hall
House. Tha route will operate on
Wednesdays from 9 a.m. until 3:80
p.m.
for almost three years, Kroger
chartered a City bus to transport
elderly intown shoppers left with
out a neighborhood store whan a
grocery store at Charlottetown
Mall (now Outlet Square) closed
in 1984. However, on June 16 of
this year, a change in Federal reg
ulations prohibited City buses
sfrom providing charter service.
Service is being resumed, but as
an official Charlotte Transit route.
Elderly and handicapped persons
may ride the bus for 26 cents with
a Charlotte Transit I.D. card; the
general public may catch the bus
at the above housing develop
ments and ride for 70 cents. All
service defidte will be underwrit
ten by Kroger 8av-On.
For specific Route 99-Kroger
information or a printed schedule,
call the rider information line at
sae-sue.
tary Tor Education in the U.S. De
partment of Health Education and
Welfare.
In addition, Dr. Relic led school
desegregation efforts in Chicago
and Cleveland. His views on a
wide variety of subjects can bo
found in an array of professional
publications and journals. %