Blacks-On-Board Control Plan Charged To Dukes

Blacks-On-Board Control Plan Charged To Dukes

BY MARY JO FRANK News School Reporter

The chairman of the city's Human Rights Commission is charging the president of the Ann Arbor Board of Education with trying to determine which blacks serve on the board and when.

David Byrd, a black and chairman of the commission, filed a statement with the city's Human Rights Department Monday following a tete-a-tete with Board President Clarence Dukes at the school district’s "Picnic Pops” Saturday at Pioneer High School. Dukes, who is white, is running for re-election to the school board. The election is Monday.

According to the men, when Dukes asked Byrd to sign an endorsement for him, Byrd asked Dukes if he would support Charles Moody Sr., the only black running for the Board of Education. There are 10 candidates on the ballot.

Byrd said in his statement, which is to be considered by the Human Rights Commission at its regular meeting this afternoon, that Dukes said he is opposed to the candidacy of Moody, a professor of education at the U-M and director of a federally-funded project titled Program for Educational Opportunity.

"He (Dukes) further stated the Black Community would have to forego re-n until the next election as he I the next black Board of n member, but that person was not eligible to run in this election,” Byrd wrote in his statement.

Dukes was quoted as saying he couldn't-support Moody because he had “begged and encouraged" another candidate to run and therefore felt compelled to support his candidacy. Byrd stated.

Dukes agreed that he told Byrd he would not support Moody and that he did encourage John A. Heald, a candidate, to run for the school board.

Byrd said a campaign brochure published by Dukes' campaign man Clement Gill, also features Heald and Trustee Cecil Warner, who is seeking re-election.

In a non-partisan election candidates should run individually, not as a group Byrd said. He added he hopes the Human Rights Commission will decide to investigate the apparent partisanship of the school board election.

"This whole thing ought to be opened up.” said Byrd, a Republican.

Prior to becoming involved in the Board of Education, a non-partisan body, Dukes said, he was a member of the Republican party.

Byrd and Dukes, members of the First United Methodist Church also have served together in their church.

Dukes said his decision not to support Moody was not based on racial considerations.

"I never voted for or against somebody because he or she is black,” Dukes said.

He added he thinks school board members should not be professional educators or administrators. The Board of Education is a lay board. Dukes pointed out.

Because Moody has been a school administrator and is an educator, Dukes said he is concerned he may have a direct conflict of interest.

Dukes agreed he also told Byrd he is not supporting Moody because he wants to avoid making busing an issue in Ann Arbor. He referred to Moody's post as project director of the Program for Educational Opportunity. That project provides in-service training for school districts on a variety of subjects including student rights, multi-ethnic curriculum and desegregation. School districts request the project’s services. Moody said. His office doesn't deal with busing, per se, he added.

Byrd said in his statement to the commission:

"... I would like to point out to the community and Mr. Dukes that the plantation-type paternalism he has exhibited by his statement regarding black representation has been totally, rejected by blacks and enlightened whites. For Mr. Dukes to hold that he has a right or responsibility to determine who represents the black community on the board, or when the black community has representation, on the board raises grave questions as to Mr. Dukes' qualification, to serve the total community as chairman of the Board of Education In a manner that will lead .all board decisions to be consistent with state and federal laws on equal educational opportunity."

Byrd added he also questions if Dukes’ recruitment of a candidate "was not consistent with a desire to create an all-white Board of Education, the only color to be added by his selected black at the time he choses.”

"I sincerely question of the chairman of the Board of Education selecting and recruiting candidates to run for the board and then working for their election. When that effort appears to be an attempt to manipulate the racial composition of the board it can only constitute a backward step in race relations in Ann Arbor," Byrd wrote.

Responding to Byrd's accusations. Dukes said; "I talked to Mr. Byrd in a most direct manner and responded honestly to.his questions. I’m really shocked: • he would turn this into a black, white situation. It was never that."

He accused Byrd of taking what he said out of context and distorting it, adding, “I’m just shocked that someone I considered a friend would resort to this kind of tactic.”