Hide Article Text (OCR)
W% *By WALTSTEGMtER}Press-Courier Staff Writerequality and justice for all of *Ramona. Before the 1071 inLOS ANGELESOxnard’s elementary school „ tegration order “few so-calledhiCourt- children.” Oxnard, along with. Anglo youngsters ever attendedstordered integration of the San Francisco and Pasadena, these two segregated barrioscOxnard elementary schools, continue to be the only three schools,” the judge said.carried out primarily by cross- California cities under federalThatUtown busing of students, will integration plans.open discriminatory.V•N Vintent0 of the 1930s and 1940sitcontinue. U.S. District CourtJudge Harry Pregerson ruledThe judge said in his decision’'extended in more subtie formsv*Tuesdaywhile he saw some signs ofinto the 1950s and 1960s,1MThe judge, in apagedeliberate segregation intentAdecision, ordered the inwhen he found, without a trial,He cited the testimony ofCitegration plan first adoptedthere was de * facto (actually ^thato be continued after wasXIvi^ce whkh *»id same mentallty thattofinding previous Oxnard schoolmotivated the school boardal•«*r.rw-*--«r*= SSlSUSToUS SSSKiKiSrSdSipurposefullyadoptedapolicy of racial segregationschools.1940s ... existed into the 1960s.sr“Although De Pue wanted toThis racial and ethnic This new evidence, Pregerson integrate the Oxnard schools,segregation was ‘’blatant” in said, came from school board he testified that the board chose1930s and 1940s, continued in minutes of the 1930s introduced • to follow a ‘do nothing’ policy,more subtle formsf fthe at the September trial by the judge said. “The conflict in1950s and 1960s and board Nowlin and Edelman showingmembers followed a44dothe “Oxnard school board not Pue’s departure from his postresulted in De ^nothing policy? in correcting only established and main* as superintendent/' the judgelt;%Segregation, Pregerson found, tained segregated schools, but added.The judge, in ruling for the a^s0 established and main“The existence of this 4do-plaintiffs, rejected the Oxnard tained segregated classrooms nothing' policy to preserveSchool District position it did within a school.*segregation spawned in thenot carry out a deliberate policyThe judge cited the “odiousIt1930s is corroborated by other/of racial and ethnic segregation school board minutes of Nov. 4, witnesses,” the judge found.v .Vbut took positive steps towards 193$ which read in part:Pregersoncitedtheending 40 years of segregation “President Dockstader stated testimony of former Supt. Dr;in the elementary schools * Instead, Pregerson foundthat the board was in favor of Richard M. Clowes, who servedA Vthe principle of segregation,the mid-1960s, “under the guise although it might not be entirelytestified the school board “tookof pursuing a neighborhood practical at this time.Ifschool policy, the board ^Thejudge found, based on the schools or relieve segregationno action to integrate thesituated three new schoolsschool board minutes of 1938 during his.ten 88 Oxnard’sSierra Linda, Marina West and and 1939, “the board superintendent.ftRose Avenuewithin the tobeobsessedwithHie judge noted in the 1960sdistrict so that these schools segregation plans to separate “* number of desegregationwere segregated on the very Mexican-American and Anglo Plans;which wereadday they opened their doorschildren.ministrativelyandPregerson said he based his i„ mo, when the board built educationallysoundandruling on evidence presented Ramona School “for the con- feasible, were presented to-theduring the three-day trial in venience of the Mexican board and rejected.IfU.S. District Court from Sept. population, the judge notedEven board member Thomas14*27 and on final written “its conveniences were few.Kane, who served from 1963 toarguments submitted later by “its floor consisted of “admitted the board tookplaintiffs' attorneys Herb blacktop rolled over bare earth,and Joel Edelman and its illumination came from alittle positive action to correct segregation diving the 1960s,school district attorney, Asst single bare bulb, its roof leaked, the judge said.County Counsel Tony Waters, its toilet facilities were conclusion, the judge saidIn ordering the July 1971 deplorable,” Pregerson noted. “the segregation which in factintegration plan continued, the Eleven years later Juanita - existed inthe district’sjudge noted the plan is School was built in the Cokmia elementary schools prior to the“fulfilling its promiserelieve overcrowding atimplementation of the court»-ordered desegregation plan,was caused by the schoolboard's intentional, deliberateand purposeful policy of racialsegregation.IfThe judge did not only rule forthe plaintiffs, 10 Coloniachildren who first brought thesuit, on the basis there was a•N-.N*deliberate intent to segregate,Three Ventura 5 County speculate about Schmidt’s vote causingaconstitutionalSheriff’s officers, who wanted or the role his feud with Conlan violation of the right to. equalthe county to pay nearly lt;23,000 played in it.education.in legal bills they ran up“There has been some byplayHe also found the schoolfighting for their jobs, lost their between two of theboard was in violation of thebid Tuesdayvisors,” Regniersuper-said to Civil Rights Act of 1964 and ofBy a 3-2 vote, the board reporters. “You would have to *be state l»w outlined by theturned down Chief Deputy be deaf not to notice that”State Supreme Court in the 1963Merle Hollis, who sought Supervisors, with Schmidt’s Pasadena case.$15,596; Chief Deputy Al Miller, support, orderedCountyUnder the Civil Ritfits Act,who requested $3,709, and Sgt. Counsel Dorothy Schechter last because the school districtDaniel Galitz, who sought- week to draft a policy under receives federal funds, the$3,500Hollis was fired by Sheriffwhich the three officers could ^ud8e found the ad*00! boardbe reimbursed, although few*4has the affirmative duty toWilliam E. Hill a year ago, but other county employes would be ■ overcome the effects ofwas exonerated by the county’s likely to be eligible for «imilar ‘“•crimination, even if theseCivil Service Commissionpayments.were the result of no purposefulv*Miller and Galitz were Schmidt contended that the lt;fe8n to segregate or were thedemoted and then reinstated by policy should have been more result of prior segregationHillgeneralBoard Chairman John Conlan- had opposed lastsomething Conlanof Thousand Oaks and SuperwingweekUnder state law, Pregersonregefound the board in violation,Flynn said he couldn’t unnoting the law requires thevisor John Flynn of Oxnard lt;Jerstand how Schmidt could *cho°* board to alleviate racialfought for the reimbursement of have supported his motion last et”nic imbalance, as far asthe officers. Bid they were Week to have the policy drawn reasonably feasible, regardlessoverridden by Supervisors and then turn around and vote cause of imbalance.Ralph Bennett of Ojai; Frank against it Tuesday. Schmidt In 1971, before the integrationJewett of Ventura; and Glen claimed there was a difference order was in effect, nine of 12Schmidt of Simi Valleybetween the two actions.Oxnard elementary schoolsSchmidt’* vote triggered the After Flynn and Conlan failed were racially and ethnicallyfastest of a aerie* of clashes to get the policy drawn by Mr* «*h*lanced, the judge noted j ”t * ' * * The evidence also snowsbetween him and Conlan. It also Schechter approved, the boardsurprised and angered at* chairman asked Schmidt if his though reasonablyiorney * for Hollis and Calit*. vote was cast because he feasible desegregation plan*itvery difficult to know disapproved of the policy or waswere available to the schoolwhat he’s doing, Allan Git* against reimbursing.hoard, it foiled to act on thorn,”term an, who represent* Galitz14votedeclared following the4’Maybe he doesn’t know whathe’s doing. • ’•I don’t think I qwe you anthe judge said.explanation,Hped.sThe judge complimentedformer - superintendentRichard Regnier. Conlan retorted that Schmidt leadershto to the inwho bwed something tqthe. three £SSL, r.LiivTregarthen for giving “inart presented Hollis on behalf of officer*.tegration plan finally adoptedunder court order ui July 1971.vvfrom 1949 to 1961 and who** OS• VV.SSy*v'\JF'*$•»--4;%the Sheriff's Association, an Jewett made the motion to , jregarthen was not rebired as ^mploy* bargainingftriiBnizAtion. declined todeny the claims and that passed ua June
Newspaper Details
Oxnard Ventura County Ad Visor
Oxnard, California, US
Thu, Dec 19, 1974
Page 100
Full Page
Clipped by
California S.
CA, DZ 29 Mar 2022
Other Publications Near Oxnard, California
Oxnard Press Courier
Ventura County Classified Pictorial
Oxnard Ventura County Ad Visor
Oxnard Daily Courier
Oxnard Courier
