Page 4-Saturday, June 16, 1979-The Michigan Daily

"Michigan Daily
Eighty-nine Years of Editorial Freedom
420 Moynard St., Ann Arbor, MI. 48109
Vol. LXXXIX, No. 33-S News Phone 764-0552
Edited and managed by students
at the University of Michigan
Bir Zeit 'U'
should reopen
T HAT THE State of Israel has a right to
exist without danger and constant challenge
is recognized and understood. But the indefinite
closing on May 2 ofBir Zeit University and sub-
sequent prohibition of protest at the Palestinian
institution seems overt and problematic.
Bir Zeit is the foremost center for higher lear-
ning in the Israeli occupied territories. It has been
characterized as a Mideast Berkeley in the
tumultuous sixties, due to continuous violent
disturbances. The University's 1,100 students are
forbidden to enter the campus. Town and campus
telephone lines have been severed, and shops on
the main street have been closed by the territory
government.
May 2, Israeli Independence Day, mili-
tary vehicles were stoned and one
student was shot in the chest. The
Israeli Government claims all students there are
against Israel and committed to destroying it. An-
ti- Israel protests at a Catholic school were
greeted with a four-day closing.
The government shuns the freedom of speech
defense, claiming it masks true intentions of the
university community's members.
It is unfortunate that the 'Israeli Government is
taking such drastic steps to protect its own
security. Free speech and academic freedom are
sometimes painful to uphold when their
proponents extoll views which are contrary to the
prevailing ones.
Democracies must tolerate opposition, not
stifle it. Many American universities could have
been shut down in the sixties if the U.S. subscribed
to the Israeli method. This point is not made to
deem us holier than other governments, but to
illustrate the degree of opposition which should be
endured, despite the costs.
Closing Bir Zeit does not solve the problems of
Palestinian dissent or the aims of the Palestinian
Liberation Organization (PLO). The action, in-
stead antagonizes the situation and casts the
Israelis in an offensive role. This behavior injures
the cause of peaceful coexistence, and makes the
Israelis appear the extremists.
Bir Zeit's doors should be reopened, and free
speech restored.
BUSINESS STAFF
LISA (CLBERSON ......................... Business Manager
ARLENE SARYAN. ............ ........... Sales Manager
BETH WARREN.............. Display Manager
BETH BASSLER.......................Classified Manager
STAN ERENIAN ........Nainai Adeisig Maage
B AN :KEL .EY . ... .. (peratis Superisor
PETE PETERSEN ................... Advertising Co-ordinator

I

THE WEEK IN REVIEW

Black English case
THE U.S. District Court in
Detroit is in the process of
deciding whether black English
differs enough from white
English to impede the speakers'
public school education. The first
week of deliberations in the lan-
dmark case were completed
Thursday following testimony
from the 11 plaintiffs.
The issue at hand is whether
cultural differences, and the
resulting language
dissimilarities form obstacles in-
surmountable to students without
special help. The case is an
outgrowth of previous debates
aver cultural handicaps which
"white" I.Q. tests do not take into
account.
THE SUIT was filed against the
Ann Arbor Board of Education in
1977, and alleges that 11 children
fromethe all-black Green Housing
Project near North Campus are
not treated equally in school
because of a language barrier.
The plaintiffs, who attend the
city's Martin Luther King, Jr.
Elementary School, have been
treated as emotionally disabled
or mentally handicapped by the
school, according to the suit.
Twelve schoolchildren testified
wednesday, ranging in age from
6 to 13, responding to questions
about their school.
Their ardswers were brief, the
witnesses appeared to under-
stand the questions, and their
responses were intelligible.
Both sides claimed later that
their testimonies supported
their cases.
The plaintiff's lawyer, Gabe
Kamowitz, asserts that the
children are either "functionally
illiterate or in danger of
becoming so-They are
stigmatized because of the way
they talk." Linguistics experts
will examine the childrens' voice
tapes next week. The suit asks
that the children's language dif-
ferences be regarded as
significant as those of students
who speak Spanish or French and
tutoring be provided.
DEFENSE Attorney John
Weaver said the fact that the
childrens' courtroom responses
were understandable proves that
the language barrier is not for-
midable enough to justify special
tutoring efforts by the school
system. He deemed the
childrens' claim "worthless."
weaver said the plaintiffs must
prove the language barrier im-
pedes their participation in
school programs, and that the
Board has not tried to reduce that
barrier. He also contends that
they must prove that the Board
failed to act because of race.
Coaching test scores
HETHER it's an attempt to
improve scores on the
LSAT, THE MCAT, the GMAT, or
the GRE, 300,000 students enroll
in private coaching schools each
year. And even though some of
the agencies which administer
the tests claim "cramming"
cannot significantly improve
student's scores, spokespersons
for coaching services boast in-
creases of 50 to 100 points for test
repeaters who take their course.
-The Stanley H. Kaplan Center,.

one of the largest coaching Kaplan.
schools in the nation, has adver- 'U'hospital plans
tisements which proclaim the mHE UNIVERSITY Board of
great success rate of its course. Regents voiced concern
But, the Educational Testing yesterday over criticism and
Service, which administers a publicity surrounding the new
number of different aptitude UniversityHospital proposal,
tests, says significant point gains following Tuesday's $3 million
cannot be obtained through cut in the plan.
taking such courses. The The Regents appeared distur-
National Educational Association bed by public and media charges
(NEA) maintains such tests are of politicking and pushing for an
not valid if it can be shown that over-sized plan.
coaching affects scoring."I'm disappointed with the
BUT KAPLAN, founder of the editorial in the (June 15 Detroit)
Kaplan Educational Centers, Free Press suggesting that the
said he disagrees with the NA's s University is, quote, arrogant,
stance on the issue. "The test still unquote regarding its attitude to
has its validity, " he said. "Ap- the hospital," said REgent David
titude is not an innate ability." Laro (R-Flint).
Kaplan also said he feels his "WE HAVE a special kind of
coaching course is important hospital, which series a special
because it improves the skills of need not only for Ann Arbor, but
its students. "My kind of also for the state," he added.
program produces not just better University officials have said
scores, but better students," said they think critics of the plans
Kaplan. -have not considered the
A Federal Trade Commission educational nature of the hospital
(FTC) office in Boston conducted or its service to the entire state.
a study in 1976 to determine On Tuesday, University
whether coaching agencies were Hospital and Michigan Depar-
engaged in deceptive advertising tment of Public Health (MDPH)
practices. It found that coaching officials announced reductions in
may help certain students im- the proposal at a regional health
prove their scores on the planning meeting in Detroit.
Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT). They offered a $3 million cut from
However, the FTC itself ('aes not the $244 million project. Chief of
endorse the conclusions reached the Hospital Administration
by the Boston staff in its report. division of the MDPH, Dr. Her-
EVEN THOUGH many studen- mann Ziel said the University
As said the courses'are grueling also had agreed to reduce the
and rigorous, they said they felt number of beds from 923 to 900.
obligated to take them because Critics have blasted the Univer-
they wanted to score as well as sity for requesting 923 beds and
other students. claim southeastern Michigan
"It's (MCAT) so competitive," already is swamped with space
said LSA Junior Alan Jacknow for patients.
who took Kaplan's course. "You Ziel said the hospital planning
can't afford not to take it (the process would be delayed another
course)." 30 days, moving the MDPH ap-
The courses range in price proval deadline to August'a.
from $200 to more than $500, and Mel Ravits of the Comprehen-
the FTC and NEA have said sive Health Planning Council for
coaching schools discriminate Southeastern Michigan (CHPC)
against students who cannot af- Tuesday alleged that the MDPH
ford the tuition and thus receive and the University violated the
lower scores than wealthier test intent of the health planning law
applicants. by not submitting the altered
However, Kaplan said he sends plan to regional planners to
letters to every college counselor examine. CHPC in March
asking for names of qualified recommended the MDPH reject
students who cannot afford to pay the new University Hospital
for his service. These students proposal.
are then given full scholarships to Week-in-review was written by Edt
Kaplan Centers. "We have never tor-in-Chief Elizabeth
turned down anyone who doesn't Editorial ircctorbJudy ko
-have the ability to pay," said- ' and fnagin Editor John Sink(rw$.

SPORTS STAFF

GElSOFFARC ........
DAII PEIiRIN.

............ Sports Editor
.ealuise Sports Editor
_Managing Sportsls dise
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