Newspapers / The Charlotte Post (Charlotte, … / Aug. 7, 1997, edition 1 / Page 26
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http://www.thepost.mindspring.com 10B York/®F)e Cljarlotte ^osit/Rowan REGIONAL THURSDAY, AUGUST 7, 1997 Open for business Atlantic Beach, S.C., one of the last black beach towns on the East Coast, is looking ■ for investors. Page lOB. Rock Hill expels more black students THE ASSOCIATED PRESS ROCK HILL, S.C. - Area black students are expelled for discipli nary problems twice as often as whites, and community leaders say something is terribly wrong. Two-thirds of expelled students in Rock Hill were black - or 133 of 201 total expulsions. Blacks make up about a third of the dis trict’s 14,000 students. Rock HiU school ofiicials say they want to keep students in school and have launched several pro grams — for all races — to inter vene, but local black leaders say that may not be enough. “We’re breeding criminals by kicking these kids out of school,” said Ernest Brown, president of the Rock Hill branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. “What’s a kid to do without edu cation? What can you do?” Local schools have few black authority figures. And, Brown argues, blacks who enter school less prepared are made to feel dumb, and those feelings of infe riority turn to anger, rage and rebellion. Rock HiU school ofiicials say the expulsions are more closely related to poverty. In other words, poor students who get kicked out are victims of poor preparation, not racism. Their parents did not read to them, and they did not know col ors or numbers when they reached school. The students then misbehaved in class finm frirstration and boredom. “Race is the easy answer, but it’s much deeper,” said Terry Holliday, associate superinten dent for Rock HUl schools. “We want Idds to stay in school. We’re more than willing to work with different churches and groups.” Rock Hill’s problems are not unusual, said Al-lbny Gilmore, senior program officer with the National Education Association. Districts across the nation report a disproportionate number of expulsions of blacks and other minorities, he said. In 1995-96, expulsion proceed- Recalling glory days PHOTO/PAUL WILLIAMS III The Rev. W.T. Massey, a 1962 Friendship College graduate, remembers the Rock Hill school as a place where students could make a fresh start in life. Alumni will gather this week for a school reunion. Friendship alumni rekindle spirit By Gwendolyn Daniels FOR THE CHARLOTTE POST ROCK HILL, S.C. - The vacant lot on AUen Street does n’t begin to teU the story of Friendship CoUege. Many of the junior coUege’s graduates, teachers and friends remember the school as a place of opportunity for edu cation, camaraderie and prepa ration. Friendship closed its doors in 1982, but many hope this week’s class reunion will spark a new conunitment from alumni and the community to build a new facility that will promote education and train ing. The Rev. W.T. Massey, a 1962 Friendship graduate, remem bers the college as a fresh start for local youth. He remembers participating in the sit-ins and civil rights demonstrations of the ‘60s. “The thing I remember most was being a part of the Friendship 9 and the picketing and demonstra tion,” Massey said. “Almost all the students would partici pate.” The feehng of community spirit and the personal commit ment of the teachers and stu dents made campus life enrich ing. “I saw them (teachers) as friends. The teachers were accessible and easy to get along with,” Massey said. With limited educational and economic opportunities for blacks in the Rock HUl area. Friendship offered an afford able route to higher learning. ‘It gave us an opportunity to move on and it wasn’t too cost ly,” Massey said. “Thition was very low and Friendship had a good relationship with S.C. State and Johnson C. Smith (universities) where students could transfer credit.” The Rev. Osbey Roddey, a Rock HiU City Council member and pastor, hopes the reunion will rekindle the fond and posi tive images of the college he graduated from in 1956. “Friendship was a spring board that would enable us to take our places in the expand ing world,” he said. “It was a time of getting motivated.” See COLLEGE on page 11B Food Lion pulls store out of Brookview By Emmanuel Dolo FOR THE CHARLOTTE POST SALISBURY - The Brookview community has lost its supermarket. Food Lion closed its store in the predominantly African American neighborhood last week. Food Lion communica tion director Chris Aheam said the decision was based soley on business considerations, not socioeconomic reasons as sug gested by some community members. The store, located at the inter- Closest locale is Innes Street Market section of Innes and Boundary Streets, was closed along with another Food Lion at Avalanche Drives. Both stores were com bined into a new store at Innes Street Market. Letters were sent to pastors two weeks before closing the Brookview store, Aheam said. Elder R. F. Russell, assistant pastor at United House of Prayer confirmed that his church received the letter. Ahearn said she also spoke with Rev. Leman Brown, pastor of First Calvary Baptist Church, to get a feel for com munity response.. Brown and other pastors were not avail able for comment. Brookview resident J.B. Harris said he and his neigh bors knew about the store’s clo sure. “Most people walk to the store, and moving it will be dif ficult for them,” he said. “We have some handicapped people who live here, and they often ings were started for 6,565 South Carolina students for committing school crimes; 4,313 of them were blacks. Poverty is an issue, but communities should see red flags when middle-class black stu dents are expelled in higher numbers, Gilmore said. “Let’s look at those who made decisions about those getting expelled,” he said. “It may have been a situation where it was easier to expel them rather than change them.” Students relate better to some one in a position of authority who is of their own race, Gilmore said. In Rock HiU schools, though, 88 of the 863 teachers and adminis- ' trators, or 10.2 percent, are black. The number of black prin cipals, assistant principals and . administrators can be counted on two hands. “That’s a lack of sensitivity to ; black students,” Brown said. “There’s a subtle message being sent to the kids that they aren’t good enough to be a teacher or principal.” Durham groups pledge racial cooperation THE ASSOCIATED PRESS DURHAM - Agreeing that people are tired of bickering over race, two of Durham's most powerful poKtical organizations have pledged tf . work together to help the city reshape its image. Leaders of the Friends of Durham and the Durham Committee on ' the Affairs of Black People signed a “memorandum of imderstanding” ’ last week that they hope wUl improve race relations in Durham. Tlie two groups have often benefited from the use of racial politics in the past. The three-page document labels race as the dominant feature of Durham's social and political landscape and says racial animosily has held the communily back. ’;. “We feel this is an historic occasion,” said Kenneth Spaulding, chair- _ man of the Dmham Committee. “.... Many of our citizens are tired of lis ^ fussing and fighting over race.” ? Spaulding was joined by David Smith, chairman of the Friends of Durham. “I think conservatives are often hesitant to deal with race,” Smith said. “But if we can get together on this, then everyone can get togeth- ' er on this.” Within the next month, both organizations plan to schedule forums ' on issues such as health, education, housing, crime, mass media and , reUgion to discuss how race places a role in each area. ' ' The agreement between the political orgardzations could get an early test with city elections this fall, in which it seems likely that two lead- ing contenders for mayor will be a white man and a black man. In addi-'j tion, the city is searching for a pohce chief, a job that has often been a focal point for racial concerns in the past. The choice of a white candidate for school superintendent last winter led to accusations of racism by some blacks. New principal at ^ North Rowan Middle School send some residents to get gro ceries for them. Now, they will have to pay for bus fare.” Ahearn said Food Lion checked with the Salisbury Transit Authority to ensure that pubMc transportarion was available for Brookview and surrounding neighborhoods. Moreover, the Innes Street Market store is less than a mile away, and one of the new larger stores being built by Food Lion around the country. It offers a wider variety of items for shop pers, including an ethnic food section. By Emmanuel Dolo FOR THE CHARLOTTE POST SALISBURY - Lamont Foster was appointed principal of North Rowan Middle School Monday. Foster, who is African American, replaces Jerome Heggins, also African American, who was earh- er transferred to Isenberg Elementary. Heggins’ removal provoked protests by African American sup porters, who said the school board’s decision was racially moti vated. Foster has 15 years of experi ence in education. He was assis tant principal for administration at North Rowan High School. Previously, he worked for the city of Hartford, Conn, as an account analyst, and later for a vocational evaluator. Foster is a graduate a Appalachian State University, where he completed his doctorate in education. He has two mas ter’s degrees from North Carolina Central University in Durham, where he studied agency and school counseling respectively. His imdergraduate education was completed at the University of Connecticut, where he earned f' bachelor’s degree in business administration. Foster, who is divorced, is the father of two: Rashida, 19, and Lamont Jr., 14. For two years, he served as the Director of Livingstone Academy, a program organized primarily to help inner city youth improve their math, communication and science skills." He is also an active member of Sbiloh Baptist Chruch in Mocksville. During the term of his two-year contract, Foster said his primary goal would be to “reestablish and strengthen the partnership between administrations, faculty and parents at North Rowan Middle School, by building a bridge which induces strong com-' munication between tbe various partners named.” His first meeting, Foster said, will be held with the school’s two assistant principals. He will meet with the faculty and staff, includ ing students and their parents. “I want to be a role model to the fac- See NORTH on page 1 2 B Eldridge Williams encourages teens to reach out for their goals By Malcolm Plummer FOR THE CHARLOTTE POST SALISBURY - Viewed as one of Rowan County’s outspoken activists, Eldridge WilUams recently spoke to an audience of teenage workers. He praised their efforts, gave encourage ment, and advice. The Salisbury Youth Corps, a summer program designed to help teens achieve in education and work experience, was the focus of his talk. “This summer was a lesson,” Williams said at Salisbury’s Cone Center. “You may not realize it but the work that you have been doing this summer was really an opportunity for you to help out yourself as well as your commu nity. “Your contribution,” said WfiUiams, “will not go unnoticed.” A member of the Rowan school board as well as assistant to Livingstone College President Burnette Joiner, Williams gave the youth encouragement: “There is a saying: no man is an island. I want you to think about that. Let’s say that you become a lawyer or a doctor or whatever you aspire to be, remember to put something back into the commu nity, it’s not going to be easy but you have to keep on.” More than 25 teenagers and counselors listened to Wilhams’ recommendations. “The first thing you need to think about is making good grades in school,” he said. “In the Rowan County school system, we have what we call a 1999 plan. The overall objective of this plan is simple: higher standards for our children. If you can’t do certain things, such as science and math, we’re not going to pass you. In fact, it is our job to make sure that you know how to do something and you can become a productive member of society. “A company like IBM not onl^ wants to know what you took in school but also how well you did in those subjects. If you don’t See WILLIAMS on page 1 2 B
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