Muncie Times, Muncie, Delaware County, 2 October 1997 — Page 5

The Muncie Times, October 2,1997, Page 5

NEWS IN BRIEF

D.C. women sue Watergate Hotel, National Education Assoc.

Six black women are refusing to let organizations and groups get away with bigotry in Washington, D.C. They are not accepting “token” offerings, and they are having their day in court to fight injustices done to them. Vashti Sherrod has complained against the Watergate Complex. Dr. Valencia Campbell, with four other women in the Research Division of NEA, have carried their civil rights fight to the courts because of the insensitivity toward the situation when brought to the attention of administrators of each organization. Sherod and her husband, Eugene, have filed a $4 million lawsuit, based on the Civil Rights Act of 1964, through attorney Clinton W. Chapman in the U. S. District Court for the District of Columbia against the Watergate Hotel

Partners, et al., to include the Aquarelle Restaurant (formerly the Palladin Restaurant), for its alleged segregated seating act. Campbell, along with four former co-workers—Cheryl Lucas, Tasha McGuthrie, Dr. Deagelia M. Pena and Barbara Valentine—filed a lawsuit, based on the Human Rights Act, through attorney David H. Shapiro in the U. S. Distict Court for the District of Columbia. Later referred to the Superior Court of the District of Columbia Civil Division against the National Education Association (NEA), 1201 16th St., N. W, for its alleged unlawful discriminatory promotion policies and practices and for NEA’s alleged retahatory acts against the women after they filed their court case. In an AFRO interview, Sherrod said May 10, 1995,

started out to be an exciting and memorable Mother’s Day with her family at the Watergate’s Palladin Restaurant, 2650 Virginia Ave. N.W She said they were the first patrons to arrive at the restaurant. They confirmed their reservation and request for window seating overlooking the water. Then, they stood in line from 10:30 a.m. to 10:55 a.m. for the 11 a.m. seating. According to Sherrod, they were told the Palladin Restaurant was not open for brunch as they were being escorted down a long hallway. The room they were led into was being vacuumed, had no flowers on the table and no window view overlooking the waterfront. Through the open door was a concrete wall with the parking lot on the other side. The Sherrods left this seating and went back down the

Two white teens arrested in desecration of black cemetery

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.Two white teen-age males have been arrested in connection with the desecration of an African-American cemetery in Staten Island, N.Y. The two, 17-year-old Alec Real of Staten Island and a 15-year-old, whose name is being

withheld because of his age, are charged with criminal mischief, trespassing and aggravated assault in the Aug. 22 incident. According to report vandals destroyed 25 headstones and trampled nearly 200 gravesites at the cemetery of

the Rossville African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church. The graveyard is in one of the oldest free African settlements in America. Police said they are investigating whether it was a bias crime.

Roland Burris to run for Illinois Governor

CHICAGO—Roland Burris, the first African American to win a state wide race in Illinois, threw his hat in the ring for the second time as a candidate for governor of Illinois.

Burris ran unsuccessfully for the office in 1994, losing in the primary. He says he intends to win his party’s nomination for governor in 1998. Burris, flanked by his wife and two grown children.

promised to run a different and successful campaign this go round. Burris was state comptroller for 12 years and was also attorney general.

“News In Brief” is gathered by Andre Scott for The Muncie Times

long hallway to find the maitre ‘d to let him know that they were not pleased with the room. When they approached the area where they had stood in line, they allegedly found the Palladin Restaurant’s doors open and many whites sitting at the tables. Sherrod said they went inside the Palladin Restaurant and occupied the first vacant seats they saw and proceeded to have brunch through their tears, shock, humiliation, embarrassment and degradation. Ironically her husband and his Masters Craftsman Construction Co. helped build the Watergate. When Mrs. Sherrod protested, the general manager reportedly offered her a trip and a non-expense stay at the Watergate to compensate for the trouble they went through on Mother’s Day. However, after a face-to-face meeting with him, Mrs. Sherrod said she felt he remained insensitive to the significance of the situation. So, the Sherrods decided to sue. The Watergate’s attorney firm of Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer and Feld, of which renowned civil rights attorney Vernon Jordan is a member, tried to have the case dismissed. However, Judge June Green denied the Watergate’s motion and referred it for mediation on Dec. 8. If in 60 days after this date, the case is not settled, the judge will send it to trial. Meanwhile Campbell, et. al., filed a discrimination and retaliation lawsuit in 1991 against the nation’s largest teacher union, the NEA.

On Nov. 21, 1996, the court declared that the discovery phase was completed and that the case was ready for trial. The court ordered that the motion of the NEA for summary judgment be denied. But Judge Thomas Penfield’s invitation to the NEA to seek an appeal derailed the women’s opportunity to present their evidence before a jury at their Dec. 2,1996, scheduled trial date. Campbell said delaying tactics continue to be fostered upon these women. According to the complaint filed, the NEA for years has maintained a discriminatory promotion system within its research division, a system that they say continues today to deprive minority female employees of equal promotion opportunities. Since the women filed their lawsuit in November 1991 the NEA has tried three times to have the charges dismissed on summary judgments. “Not a single minority female has ever been able to reach the highest staff position (including two plaintiffs with Ph.D.’s) until 5 years after the filing of this lawsuit,” Campbell said. Campbell said they are attempting to remedy sex and race or national origin discrimination they have suffered due to unlawful promotion policies and practices within the research division of the NEA. Each woman is asking for $100,000, plus interest in compensatory damages against NEA; punitive and exemplary damages against Nea in the amount of $500,000; and for the court to enjoin NEA from retaliating against the five women in the future.