Human Relations Aides Begin School Patrol Duty

Following the outbreat of racial incidents in the Ann Arbor schools last - November, both black and white parents and students urged the Board of Education to employ groundsmen to assure safety in the school buildings. This recoramendation was approved by the board and today nine Human Relations Workers began their duties at Huron, Pioneer, Slauson and Forsythe schools. Additional workers will be selected for Tappan and Scarlett later this month. Because these workers are employed "for the purpose of promoting a safe and humane environment in the schools," they will move throughout the school during the day to prevent personal encounters and to detect trouble before it starts. . "The workers will assist in the effort to encourage students to attend classes 'J LT , C-' l_. Y ' "V and to be at their assigned activities," said Dr. ïlobert Potts, Human Relations Ombudsman for the schools. The human relations workers are directly responsible to the principal oí the school to which they are assigned in conjunction with the school bi-racial committee, which serves as a continuing policy-advisory committee on matters pertaining to human relations and conflict resolution. An in-service preparation day was held yesterday, which included informatioiron school program and schedules, techniques of conflict resolution and basie guidelines on positive inter-group relations. The human relations workers are: Philip Anderson-Huron, Alfonse Erwin and Jan Kaulins-Pioneer; James Curry and Richard Hodges-Slauson; LaVern Neuman, Melanie Wimberly, ames Berbic-i chi and William Brennan-Forsythe.