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Volume 103, Issue 100
102 yean of editorialfreedom
Serving die students and the University community since 1593
The Chapel Hill-Carrboro school
\ I system is one of the best in the
\ 111 state, but black students as a
i|j Ifl group consistently score below
average on proficiency tests.
Educators and Board of
IS Education candidates are facing
JJ ILLUSTRATION BY DANIEL NIBLOCK
Testing Turmoil
BY JULIE CORBIN
STAFF WRITER
Fifty percentile points.
Not the amount that SATs have
dropped lately. Not the difference in
scores after taking the latest LSAT prep
course.
Black stu
dents in the
Chapel Hill-
Carrboro
City Schools
score about
50 percentile
Todbqn The Problem
Friday: Candidate
m : ■
points below the average standardized
test scores.
Board of Education candidate and
member Bea Hughes-Wemer said low
test scores of minority students were
one of the most significant problems
facingthe system. “That’sprobably the
thing that worries me the most about
the school district.”
Overall, the Chapel Hill-Carrboro
school system, which governs nine area
schools, is one of the best in the state.
At least 80 percent of its students score
above the national norms on all stan
dardized tests.
The other 20 percent, the majority of
which is black, score slightly below the
Court of Appeals Upholds
Ruling Against Kirk Aune
BY JAMES LEWIS
UNIVERSITY EDITOR
After losing in the state Court of Ap
peals, former associate dean of the School
of Medicine Kirk Aune said Wednesday
he would appeal his civil suit against the
University to the state Supreme Court.
Aune, who had a contract as an admin
istrator of the UNC medical school’s com
puter system, filed a lawsuit three years
ago alleging his contract was not renewed
because he had reported potentially un
ethical and illegal activity within the school
to the University’s internal auditor.
Earlier this year, a lower court ruled
against Aune after the state asked for a
summary judgment. Aune appealed the
ruling to the state Court of Appeals.
In September, Aune’s legal counsel,
Chapel Hill attorney Alan McSurely, and
the state’s Special Deputy Attorney Gen
eral Thomas Ziko presented arguments to
the three judges on the appellate court. On
Oct. 17, the panel issued a unanimous
decision affirming the lower court’s ruling.
In the court’s opinion, written by Judge
K. Edward Greene, the court concurred
with the summary judgment in favor of the
University. It upheld the lower court’s find
ings that Aune had not presented substan
tial evidence to support the allegation that
his contract was not extended because of
iNmfi
Money, Money, Money: In an
emergency meeting, Student Congress
funds several campus groups.
University News, Page 3
#
AIDS Conspiracy? A UNC professor
polled 1,000 blacks, asking them some
touchy questions about AIDS and race.
State 8 National News, Page 11
Weather
TODAY: Rainy; high mid-70s.
FRIDAY: Rainy; Chance of t-storms;
high near 80.
national average on all standardized
tests.
Of the 177 students at Chapel Hill
High School who met the requirements
for admission into the UNC system in
1992, none were black.
Candidates for the upcoming Board
of Education elections identified the
gap between test scores of black stu
dents and other students as one of the
most important issues in the Nov. 7
elections.
■ I vTvVpilM Ol Ur 6 iTvSVvflt
While the test score disparity is in
dicative of greater problems, educators
agree race is only part of the issue.
William Ware, a professor in the
School of Education, attributed lower
proficiency test scores in part to a lin
gering racial bias in the tests.
“The test has been recently rede
signed, but the history of the test is that
it was designed for the middle- and
upper-class white population since the
late 1930s,’’hesaid. “Different cultures
value different things. The test-taking
population is more diverse now than it
was.” -
Kinnard White, another professor
See SCORES, Page 2
his “whistle-blowing” activity. In his re
ports to former University Internal Audi
tor Edwin Capel, Aune reported potential
conflicts of interests for several fellow em
ployees and possible misuse of state prop
erty for personal gain.
Contacted in Oregon on Wednesday,
Aune said he thought the appellate judges
did not thoroughly review his case before
making their ruling. “I find it a peculiar
finding, ” he said. “Part of it is they did not
pay close enough attention to detail.”
Aune said the court did not give the
proper attention to the link between his
reports ofpossible wrongdoing and the fact
that his contract was not extended. Aune
said he thought the judges paid more atten
tion to depositions given by medical school
personnel denying allegations that he was
dismissed because he filed reports.
In the ruling, Greene stated there was
no direct link because Capel had no super
visory authority over Aune.
Aune said although McSurely would
file an appeal in the state Supreme Court,
he did not think the court would hear his
case. Aune added that he was looking into
potential avenues for relief in the federal
court system.
A spokesman for the attorney general’s
office in Raleigh said Wednesday the of
fice had no comment because the case was
still in court.
Totally '80a: Put on your hot pink
jellies as Diversions takes a look back
at the decade when the New Kids
rocked and parachute pants were hot
Diversions, Page 5
The only way to succeed is to make people hate you.
Josef von Sternberg
Chapel M, Iwth CaralM
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 2,1995
Test Scare Disparity
Black students in the Chapel Hill-
Carrboro City Schools score well
below average in Algebra, English
and other subjects.
H" AfricanAmerican oudents B-Almdanu
so English
10 jl HI ||
° 1992-93 1993-94 1994-95
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1982*93 1993*94 1994-96
SOURCE CHAPEL HILL CAWffIORO DTH/DANIEL NIBLOCK
OIY SCHOOLS
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Franklin Street was jolted back to the disco era on Halloween night as this group of™cooTcats ER ° N
danced their way through the crowd. Rainy weather didn't dampen partygoers' Halloween spirit
ALE Pleased With Few Arrests
BY JENNIFER ZAHREN
STAFF WRITER
Despite the large amounts of contro
versy generated by Chapel Hill’snew open
container law, Alcohol Law Enforcement
agents found more to focus on in the bars
of Franklin Street than on its sidewalks.
“I don’t think we gave out a single
citation for violation ofthe open-container
ordinance,” said John Simmons, ALE
district supervisor. “Education has also
been an effective tool in getting the mes
sage out and reducing violations.”
Simmons said the success of Tuesday’s
event was the culmination of many factors
for which his department had been wait
ing.
During the Halloween festivities ALE
agents made approximately 40 arrests,
inclusive of 55 charges. Simmons said the
Williamson Acquaintances
Testify About Mental State
BY WENDY GOODMAN
CITY EDITOR
AND LAURA GODWIN
ASSISTANT CITY EDITOR
HILLSBOROUGH The man who
has admitted to shooting and killing two
people on Henderson Street in January
visualized images of a “fire-breathing
dragon” and an M-1 rifle to stave off voices
in his head, his former girlfriend testified in
court Wednesday.
Wendell Williamson’s mother also tes
tified in her son’s trial that he began to
exhibit signs of mental problems during his
last year at the law school and that she did
not think he was given adequate support.
Anna McKellar, Williamson’s girlfriend
from January 1993 until just after Christ
mas of the same year, testified he told her
about the voices in his head following her
discovery of his outburst in the law school
parking lot. “He told me about this con
stant voice that was very sarcastic and
degrading that spoke to him directly,”
McKellar said.
Williamson explained to her that in
order to combat the voices he became fix
ated on visions in his head, McKellar said.
One of these images was a medieval dragon
that he intricately described “scale by
scale.” The other image was that of an M
-1 rifle, the same weapon Williamson used
in his Jan. 26 shooting spree on Henderson
Street.
“He would just picture it in his mind
and notice every detail, every line,” she
said. “It was a very extravagant image.”
McKellar said she broke up with
Williamson when he did not seek help.
Other acquaintances friends, class
mates and professors also testified about
Williamson’s demeanor while he was a
law student at UNC.
Jeannie Miller, a classmate of
Williamson’s during his second year of
testified, about-a- classroom
outburst that leffTus peers "stunned." On
March 2, 1994, before one of his classes,
Williamson stood up at his seat and began
raising his voice.
“He said he was telepathic and that
majority of arrests were in response to
underage possession of alcohol and un
lawful consumption.
“On the whole we were extremely
pleased," Simmons said. “If I could I
would reach out and shake everyone’s
hand.”
Agents also issued several warnings to
local bars.
“The new open-container law and the
high presence ofthe ALE probably hurt a
lot of businesses on Franklin Street and
especially in a lack of business in the
bars,” said Steve Woodam, Players’ man
ager.
Woodam also said the largest problem
is not underage drinking in the bars on
Franklin Street but the fact that the ALE is
damaging their maximization of profit.
SeeAlE,Page2
Mhe Day in Court
Excerpts from the fifth day of testimony in the Wendell WWiamson
JL. double-murder trial
; I Williamson’s former girlfriend, Anna McKellar, testified that he would get fixated on a
visual image in his head and explain it One of these images was the M-1 rifle used in |
the Jan. 26 shootings.
■ Winston Crisp, the assistant dean for Student Affairs at die law school testified flat
Williamson told him in November 1994 that he 'was going to stop taking medication
because he was better.'
■ Williamson's mother, Fonda Williamson, testified that her son told her he could read 1
other people's thoughts and other people were reading his mind. Williamson told her
other people were using his thoughts to hurt him.
■ UNC law Professor Caroline Brown testified that after reading WHEamson's final paper
she thought he was a student in trouble.
people didn’t believe him and he had the
video to prove it, but no one would watch
it because people were scared to see the
troth,” Miller said.
Winston Crisp, the assistant dean for
Student Affairs of the law school, said
when he walked in the room and asked
Williamson what the problem was,
Williamson said, “‘You know, you know
the telepathy.’”
Crisp said he allowed Williamson to
stay in the classroom under the condition
that he come and speak with him following
class. It was at this time that Williamson
expressed his belief that he was a telepath
and Crisp suggested to Williamson he
needed to be treated.
“He wasn’t willing to accept the possi
bility he was sick unless somebody was
willing to accept the possibility he wasn’t
sick.”
When Crisp realized this, he said he
decided to watch the videos that
Williamson was so convinced would prove
he had telepathic powers. Following the
viewing of the tapes, Crisp suggested for a
second time that Williamson go see a doc
tor, which Williamson agreed to do.
-In November 1994,-Williamson came
to Crisp again, this time to inform him HS
was better and it was time for him to stop
taking the medication doctors had pre
scribed for him. Crisp did not see or hear
from Williamson again until the beginning
BY JENNIFER ZAHREN
STAFF WRITER
Despite damp weather, spirits ran high Tuesday
night at the annual Halloween gathering on Franklin
Street.
Ranging from 18,000 to 20,000 people, the crowd
on Franklin Street was supervised by 75 law enforce
ment agents from the University Police, the Chapel
Hill and Carrboro Police Departments, and the Alco
hol Law Enforcement agency.
“It was a much better time this year, ” UNC senior
BrookConnellsaid. “Honestly, I’ve been really scared
in the past because of all the freaks in freaky costumes
who come out, get wasted and act gross.”
Chapel Hill police spokeswoman Jane Cousins
said the primary difference in this year’s festivities
was the lack of alcohol consumption on Franklin
Street. “In our perception the crowd appeared less
intoxicated, and the street was a lot cleaner, ” Cousins
said. “We had no reports of any violence from bottles
or cans, as we have in the past.”
“It was a lot friendlier without the alcohol,”
Carrboro police Capt. John Butler said.
Sanitation director Bruce Heflin said cleanup went
more smoothly than it had in the past, due primarily
to the massive reduction in waste generated by the
crowd as well as a significant drop in participation.
As to whether the open-container law was respon
sible for the decrease in participation from last year,
officials were noncommittal. “I don’t think the open-
See HALLOWEEN, Page 2
v x '4i/ --v"
y wP #
DTH/IOHN WHITE
Among the thousands celebrating Halloween on Franklin Street were
characters from Alice in Wonderland and comic book superhero Wolverine.
News/Features/Asts/Spofts
Business/ Advatismg
C 1995 DTH Publishing Cop. AD rights moved.
of the spring semester.
“I was alerted to the fact that Wendell
was not attending classes... so I called him
and left a message the Monday or Tuesday
the week of the shootings,” Crisp said. He
also added that Williamson’s mother had
called the law school both Tuesday and
Wednesday to ask if they knew where her
son was.
Fonda Williamson, Williamson’s
mother, testified that her son had always
been a committed, successful student who
thrived in academic settings when he was
younger. She said she noticed something
was wrong with her son in the summer of
1992, just before he entered law school,
because he said he had lost his power of
concentration.
Fonda Williamson said she did not see
him again until October, when he was
committed after witnesses saw him in the
law school parking lot hitting himself and
talking to himself. Fonda Williamson told
the court that after she arrived at UNC
Hospitals and saw her son, she thought the
incident was not handled well. “After I
realized that he was calm and lucid in the
room, I really thought that someone over
reacted,” she said. She said that at that
time, sfie was fold tier son had a serfous
thought disorder, and they decided to take
a wait-and-see attitude.
See WILLIAMSON, Page 11
962-0245
9621163