University of Virginia Library

County Schools Attacked
By University Professor

By Bill Fryer
Cavalier Daily Staff Writer

Albemarle County's School
Board was again charged with
maintaining racist policies at its
monthly meeting held in
Charlottesville in the County Office
Auditorium September 8.

Wesley L. Harris, Sr., associate
professor of aerospace engineering
at the University, as spokesman for
the Black citizens of Albemarle
County, denounced the Board as
"racist and irresponsible." Mr.
Harris had previously leveled the
charge at the Board's August
meeting. After failing to receive the
actions the black group had hoped
for, they returned to again present
their grievances to School Board
Chairman Thomas H. Jenkins and
the rest of the Board.

At the Board's August meeting,
the black citizens presented two
major recommendations:

"That the Albemarle County
Board of Education substantially
increase the number of Negro
principals of public schools in
Albemarle County by September
1969."

Full-Time Blacks

"That the Albemarle County
Board of Education make use of its
resources in a sincere and vigorous
effort to employ more full-time
Negro office staff in the public
schools of Albemarle County. We
further urge that this effort be
undertaken immediately."

Board Chairman Jenkins
defended the policies of the Board,
reminding the group that the hiring
of school employees is done
without regard to race. But Jenkins
was quoted in the Charlottesville-Albemarle
Tribune as admitting
that "Maybe we don't make an
effort to encourage Negro teachers
to come. We just don't make an
effort to recruit by race. It's not
our policy. Maybe that's a
mistake."

Missing Teachers

Several members of the audience
inquired as to the whereabouts of
the teachers who had previously
taught at the segregated schools in
Albemarle County. Board Chairman
Jenkins explained that there had
not been any conscious effort to
get rid of the black school faculties.
He explained that many individuals
on these faculties had not been
qualified to continue their
profession in the newly-integrated
schools. The rest were either serving
the county in the integrated schools
or had found jobs elsewhere.

A woman in the audience then
asked, with reference to Mr.
Jenkins' explanations: "You mean
that the Negro teachers were good
enough to teach our Negro kids but
are not good enough to teach white
kids?"

Before Integration

Mr. Jenkins noted "that before
integration, it appears that the
standards in some Negro schools
were allowed to slip in quality of
instruction."

"Regretfully," Jenkins continued
in the Tribune, "there were
quite a few Negroes who taught in
segregated schools who are not
qualified to teach in integrated
schools according to the demanding
standards that are required to teach
the subjects today that were not
required then."

Excellent Work

Julian King, Assistant Principal
at Albemarle High School,
said, "Qualified Negro educators
formerly teaching in the county's
segregated schools are now doing
excellent jobs as some of our top
teachers in the integrated system."

Hope for action from the Board
appeared rather slim since members
of the Board felt that there was just
not time to really implement a
policy of recruiting black employees
for the school offices and
teachers for the schools. Mr.
Jenkins noted that "It is very
unreasonable to expect the Board
to fire teachers and employ others
at this time. To come here and
pounce on the Board, and stir up
racism is not fair when personnel
employment is virtually complete."

Law suit Threatened

The black citizens have
threatened a lawsuit if action is not
taken by the Board immediately.
Mr. Harris was quoted in the
Tribune as saying. "This is the last
time we are going to approach you
in this mild and gentle way." He
remarked that the concerned black
citizens would keep all evidence of
the Board's policies for
investigating teams of the
Department of Health, Education
and, Welfare. He also noted that the
group had already collected ample
evidence demonstrating the nature
of the Board's policies.

When contacted by The Cavalier
Daily, Mr. Harris refused to elaborate
on any plans the group might
have for future action. When asked
whether the group was satisfied
with the explanations of the School
Board, he replied that "the implications
are there of who was satisfied
at the meeting."