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One hundredfve years of editonal freedom
Tuesday
October 17, 1995
Vol lvI 14. 3-"hg
eT "
to
ducation
Zachary M. Raimi
ally Staff Reporter
As lawmakers continue to debate the
ffects of welfare on children as part of
n attempt to overhaul the system, Uni-
ersity researchers have added a twist
o the discussion.
Researchers Becky A. Smerdon and
alerie E. Lee, in the University's
chool of Education, have concluded
fter years of research that being on
elfare does not hurt and may even
elp the academic achievement of high
chool students.
The researchers tracked 5,283 Ameri-
an high school students between 1988
nd 1992- from eighth grade to their
igh school graduation - assessing
their achievement
on the basis of stan-
dardized tests de-
They veloped by the U.S.
ered,. Department of Edu-
cation. The students
he came from welfare-
receiving families
me aS andmodest-income
families.
ther "Theylearnedthe
same as other kids
ds and and in some cases
learned more," said
n 50M1 Smerdon, a third-
year doctoral stu-
aISeS dent.
Smerdon said
that the results dis-
pel the myth that
oreM welfare creates a
Becky A. dependency for
SmCryo. children that hin-
Smer ders their educa-
Researcher tional performance.
"I'm still puzzled
ythe expectation that welfare would
urt. The fact is that the program is
esigned to help families and kids."
Smerdon and Lee, an associate pro-
essor of education, concluded that
he welfare recipients may be helped
y their status because of their char-
cter.
"We do have students who are excep-
ionally resilient and can cope,"
merdon said.
In addition, Smerdon said the gov-
rnment program is designed to help
amilies pay rent and purchase food
nd other essentials that allow the chil-
ren to pay more attention to their
ducation.
toLee was unavailable for comment
esterday.
Smerdon and Lee presented their find-
ings last month at the National Associa-
tion for Welfare Research and Statistics
in Jackson Hole, Wyo.
The researchers looked at 377 chil-
dren who received welfare for two years
or less, 94 students who were on wel-
fare continuously over a four-year pe-
riod and 4,812 who never received wel-
fare, but whose families earned modest
incomes.
Due to the technically-complex sta-
tistics of their research, Smerdon said
that data would not be released.
She also was unsure of how welfare
in block-grants to the states would af-
fect high-school students on welfare.
Men__rch,
pledge peace
I
Farrakhan,
400,000
gathereon
From Daily Wire Services
WASHINGTON - In an unprec-
edented gathering amid the nation's
monuments, hundreds of thousands of
black men shouted promises to renounce
violence and improve their lives in a
revival-style chant led by Nation of
Islam leader Louis Farrakhan.
"1 pledge that from this day forward,
I will never raise my hand with a knife
or gun to beat, cut or shoot any member
of my family or any human being, ex-
cept in self-defense," they chanted yes-
terday at the climax of the daylong
gathering ofblack men amid the nation's
monuments.
Farrakhan's "Million Man March"
called together black men for a peace-
ful day of praying, singing and reveling
in racial unity. The throng, estimated
by the U.S. Park Police at 400,000,
stretched for 12 blocks down the grassy
expanse, from the foot of the Capitol to
the Washington Monument. March or-
ganizers asserted the crowd numbered
2 million.
By mid-morning, co-organizer Ben-
jamin Chavis Jr. said the crowd had
passed the 1 million mark. The Na-
AP PHOTO tional Park Service said it would pro-
vide its own estimate in the afternoon,
using pictures taken from helicopters.
During the rally's dramatic finale,
Farrakhan spoke for 2 1/2 hours, often
addressing white America. "White su-
premacy," he said, is the root of
America's suffering.
"That makes you sick," Farrakhan
said, "and you produce a sick society
'rye and a sick world."
III Farrakhan urged the men to go home
and join black organizations- even
those that refused to endorse his rally
Mall in - to take hold of political power, unite
'throngs against racism and cleanse black com-
o whites munities of crime, drugs and violence.
merican He brushed aside critics who have
elves of condemned his inflammatory state-
ments about Jews, Catholics, gays and
nton told Asians, saying he had divine guidance
remarks in bringing to Washington the largest
h began. assemblage of black Americans since
ols ofthe the 1963 March on Washington.
han, and "Whether you like it or not, God
n - got brought the idea through me, and he
y name. didn't bring it through me because my
personal heart was dark with hatred and anti-
ight one Semitism," he said.
,inaline Participants said the march was
rakhan's peaceful.
n, whose "There is no violence here, no rac-
ivotal in ism," said Omar Holt of Detroit. "It's
es, "The very moving."
utrage." Young men dressed in jeans,
hat aides sweatshirts and jackets dominated the
night - crowd. But men ofall ages werejammed
:ks have shoulder-to-shoulder in front of the
easoned, stage. Others climbed onto statues, light
e. posts and trees for a better view. A few
ton said, waded through the Reflecting Pool, one
Fmodern wearing few if any clothes.
d to talk Scores of Nation of Islam members,
See MARCH, Page 7
A participant in the Million Man March raises his hand in a salute before the start of the rally yesterday.
March
Reactions
Black women
and whites
reacted in
many ways to
yesterday's
march. Some
recalled the
O j. Simpson
trial and
acquittal while
others hoped
the would
start to heal
wounds
opened by
racial
differences.
Stories,
Page 7
President urges all
Amnericans to rid
themselves of racis
AUSTIN, Texas - A thousand miles from the
Washington, President Clinton yesterday said the'
of men" gathered there could serve as a reminder t
"that most black people share their old-fashioned A
values," but only if people of both races purge thems
prejudice.
"America, we must clean our house of racism," Clir
students at the University ofTexas yesterday morning, in
shortly before the main programatthe Million Man Marc
Two men who for many Americans are potent symb
house's soiled condition - march leader Louis Farrak
former Los Angeles Police Detective Mark Furhma
prominent attention in Clinton's speech, though not b
"One million men are right to be standing up forI
responsibility, but one million men do not make r
man's message ofmalice and division," Clinton said.
that aides said was intended as a rebuke to Far
history of anti-Semitic remarks. Turning to Furhmar
taped interviews laden with racial epithets became p
the O.J. Simpson murder case, Clinton lectured whit
taped voice of one policeman should fill you with o
Yet the mood of the president's address - one th
said he and speechwriters labored over through ther
was not so much judgmental as empathetic. Blac
some reason for mistrusting white justice, Clinton r
just as whites have some reason to fear black crim
It's not simply racism that's dividing people, Clin
but the "different ways we experience the threats of
life," as well as "the fact that we still haven't learne
frankly, to listen carefully ... across racial lines."
President Clinton gives the "Hook 'em Horns" sign to the crowd at the University
of Texas after his speech yesterday.
I
5th Ward City C
focus on wide sp
By Maureen Sirhal
Daily Staff Reporter
In the City Council's 5th Ward, which covers
the northwest side of town, the spectrum of issues
is a little wider than the other races - the third-
party candidate would like to legalize marijuana.
The three candidates running for the council
seat include incumbent
Democrat and Mayor Pro-
Tem Christopher Kolb, Re-
publican John Ballew and O nC I
Libertarian Renee Emry.
Emry, who was arrested
on two felony counts for sell-
ingmarijuana to undercover
ouncil candidates
ectnum of issues,
AmeiCorps' fate not
completely finished
sources and setup policies to promote accountability.
Kolb supports addressing budget problems with
the recommendations made by the Budget Review
Committee - which he sponsored to study ways
the budget can be trimmed to maximize revenues.
"The good news is that the audit shows there is
$10.9 million in the general fund," he said. "That is
5 million more than this year's budget projected."
Emry said she is tired of seeing waste in city
government and wants to improve the quality of
city services, such as garbage collection.
Public safety is also a strong election issue with
recent break-ins and campus violence.
"I like the idea of the Community Oriented Polic-
ing," Ballew said. "I want to see that continue."
SHoekstra expects
Republicans will have
to compromise
By Ronnie Glassberg
Daily Staff Reporter
Despite votes in the Senate and House
to eliminate funding for the AmeriCorps
national service program, Michigan
Rep. Peter Hoekstra said Republicans
will probably need to compromise on
the issue.
Hoekstra, who chairs the oversight
.,.. .>- . #:rr .n y.n~v ~ t n n t
arm, that found the average AmenCorps
participant is supported each year by
$25,000 in federal funds.
"AmeriCorps doesn't appear to be a
very efficient way to get money to kids,"
Hoekstra said.
Hoekstra said he wants to compro-
mise and will offer a plan to expand
work-study programs to include com-
munity service. He said this would al-
low the funds to serve five or six times
more students than AmeriCorps.
"I really think the opportunity of do-
ing work study and those types ofthings
I -' ~.r