Huron High Debate Bitter

Several bitter and fiery exchanges punctuated last night's two-hour talk session between the Ann Arbor Board of Education and representatives of the Huron High Black Student Union and Bi-Racial Advisory Committee. Most participants seemed to feel little was accomplished by the session. Trustee Paul H. Johnson angrily walked out shortly after the meeting began when a black Huron High athlete called remarks made earlier b y Trustee Ted Heusel "insulting. . . bigoted. . . words that should be kept in your pocket." No action was taken last night on any of the remaining demands of the Huron Black Student Union, since the meeting was only a briefing session. But School Board President Harold J. Lockett promiserl that if board action isneeded on any matters, it will be taken at next Wednesday's meeting. The session was called by tne school board to discuss the events at Huron High during the past 10 days and to hear recommendations to alleyiate and elimínate racial problems at the new high school. The issues of the black athletes' boycott, cheerleading, "white backlash" at Huron, and the lack of power of the Racial Committee received the most discussion. The fireworks began when Trustee Heusel berated the black athletes for their boycott of all athletic events unül one of the black students' demands - that three black junior varsity and three black varsity cheerleaders be put on the cheerleading squads - is met (Both squads contain nine girls each.) Heusel termed the black letes' course of action "inconsistent , ' ' and said college coaches don't want athletes they "can't depend on." The trustee added that the Huron High football team did fine in last week's Homecoming game without the black athletes. (There are three black varsity and seven black junior varsity football players. All are taking part in the boycott.) One of the black athletes angrily answered Heusel, saying the boycott was planned only after talking to Coach Jay Stielstra about it. He also retorted that Heusel's remarks were "bigoted" and '.'insulting." At that point, Johnson walked out. Heusel, news editor of a local radio station, defended his statements, saying: "I only know what I read in the newspapers.' Florence Anthony, a DiacK junior varsity cheerleader told of threats on her life and other forms of "white back lash" this week at Hurón High because of the cheerleading demand. Miss Anthony said she heard white athletes saying they didn't want black girls cheering for them, and that black girls weren't qualified for the positions. Miss Anthony, Black Student Union President Ferrie Camp bell and other students also told of about 100 white student "taking over" the auditorium yesterday afternoon in protes of the cheerleading demand. Miss Campbell expressed fear that the gap between black and white students at Huron "widened" after yesterday' confrontation. - Ssked by Trustee Cecil W Warner why the Black Student Union did not take up their grievances with the Bi-Racial Committee instead of making demands, several students and Bi-Racial members responded that the committee is powerless. "If the Bi-Racial Committee had gotten anything done, we wouldn't be here tonight," said Fred Sargent, member of the Black Student Union. Mrs. Rosemarian Blake, a black mother on the Bi-Racial Committee, emphasized to the trustees that the committee has no power, but can only recommend. She added that many of the committee's recommendations of last spring- such as the need for a black counselor at Huron - were apparently ignored. The hiring of a black counselor is one of the "11 demands" of the Huron black students. The blame for the racial problems at Huron was put squarely on the shoulders of the administration during the discussion by Human Relations Director Ronald R. Edmonds. If the administrative response to student complaints had been "fast enough and strong enough," Edmonds charged, the problems at Huron might have been avoided. Edmonds said the black students are responsible only to the extent "they were unwilling to accept the delay that characterizes ' institutions oí this kind." "The responsibility belongs with the administration," Edmonds declared. School Supt. W. Scott Westerman Jr. commended the black students for their "orderly and disciplined" forms of protests so far, and expressed the hope that the schools can "move ahead very constructively" to solve the human relations problems. Three parents in the audience spoke about the Huron situation before the special session bagan. Tvvo were very critical of the black cheerleading demand that a certain number of places be set aside according to race. John Ogden also blasted the board for its "condescension" to black student demands, and said demands "shouldn't even be listened to." Joseph Anthony, a black father, criticized the board for not taking effective action on the demands. "You're stalling again," he declared. Anthony also threatened to form a Black Unión of parents to "get some voting power" and recall elected officials who are incompetent.