Negro Youths Charge Discrimination At AAHS

turned to a discussion of why soni.? Negroes feit alienated from the Vehoil and offered evidence of positive relationships existing between Negro and white students. "The Negroes in Ann Arbor High School would find it hard to get along with white students if they are not taking part in any activities," Payne declared. I He said there is no discrimination in the school's athletic program. Reminded by the reporter ,that membcrs of the NAACP i'Youth Council said Negroes feel excluded from extracurricular I activities, Rod Colts, an 18-yearold senior, and a Negro, said: L "I've been here just one se[ mester and I've found all doors I open in any f the clubs or I activities." Rod is a member of 1 the track teatai, the Interna tional Club. thi Modern Dance ."I wi.h I didn't have to go." A 16-: sar-old Negro girl- with jiain ar tl sincerity in her voice - blurte rl those words as she aiid four other Negro youths destribêd what they perceive as discrimhatory treatment by white students and teachers al Ann Anor High School. The jouths, all members oi the Yoi.th Council of the local ujiit of the National Association for the dvancement of Colored People, described for this week's inquiring reporter how they had become alienated from the schi ol because of the color of their skin. "Do ou feel a part of Ann Arbor ' igh?" the reporter asked. ■'No, 'ou're just there," said Othelia Brown, a 16-year-old junior ' ho uves at 603 Spring. "L do i't even feel like I belorg to my homeroom," added Sh iwn J [art i, 18, a senior who livrs at )05 'ountain. "You ust 'on't know some of the thi gs hat go on over there," aid ihelia Srnith, a 16year-olc' jun r who lives at 121 Hil'. "1 i.' ve to be there to fee. it.' í'-'ai1 :c d was the girl who -[ had blurted her wish never to enter the doors of Ann Arbor ' High again. She and the other i students described how Negro : students feit generally discrimi nated against in extra-curricu- lar activities. i "I was elected Student Coun' cil representative for my homet room," began Jean, who lives at 620 N. Fourth Ave. "I was [ the only Negro in my home[ room." i Anxiously awaiting her chance 1 to particípate in the student govi ernment, Jean was informed 1 later that a class schedule change had created a conflict ' with the meeting time of Student Council- she wouldn't be able to represent her homeroom. I1 "Did your counselor or anyone offer you an explanation for the schedule change?" the reporter asked. "Not any real explanation," j Jean responded. Even if there had been a good i reason for the schedule shifting, it had not been adequately j municated to Jean. She was left ! with the impression that she had been excluded from Student , Council because she was a Negro - an impression shared by other members of the Youth Council. The Negro youths said they sensed prejudice in the teachers- prejudice that is often implied and sometimes direct. "Sometimes the teacher might say something . . . that could be offensive - something that could be taken two ways," Ophelia said. "Usually, if you're a Negro, you would take it one way. "If you talk to a teacher about it after a class he will start out with 'I'm sorry.' The teacher just says it before he thinks and he thinks it is funny. . . . If this statement offended you, there is no way you can erase it," Ophelia said. "Seemingly at the high school the teachers seem to be trying to bait the Negro students," Shawn added. "They are looking for some kind of reaction." Cheryl related second-hand an incident in which a teacher showed more than implied prejudice. Students in a boys physical education class were choosing teams, she said. The instructor was dividing the class alphabetically. Looking at a small group of Negroes in the class, he said: "All right, all A's- like in Africans - over here," Cheryl related. Shelia remembered an incident in which a teacher referred to a Negro boy as having a "dark, dark tan." Do the students report these incidents? The reporter asked. "Negro students don't have anyone to turn to," Shawn declared. "When you don't have anyone to turn to . . . it can be very discouraging." "The Negro students can't get close to the officials at the high school," Shelia added. won't be SLSSÍ8& that Hl Cheryl Smiüfeá sophomore 1 and Shelia's lS&year-old sister, 'I expresscd conèpitfaat few 'I gro girls ever "make the AAHS I cheerleading squad. "We try out and everythingll and it seems like we just never II make it," Cheryl said. "Some of them (Negro girls) I have really been good, too," I Jean added. Negro athletes enjoy a I er degree of acceptance while I they are participating in a I sport, Cheryl said. "When the I season is over they aren't I ognized anymore." The young Negro students I lectively agreed that they sensejl prejudice in about 40 per cent I of the white students with whom I they come in contact at AAHS. I "Sometimes it (Negro - white I relationships) is pretty good," il Shelia commented. "Sometimes 1 jit's pretty bad. It depends on I Ithe kind of white student you're 1 Italking about."