Description: Marcus Jones reports on the Ninth Annual Black-Jewish Seder held in Roxbury. Jones reports that the audience at the Seder honored civil rights workers Andrew Goodman, James Chaney, and Michael Schwerner. Jones notes that the three civil rights workers were murdered in Mississippi during the civil rights movement. Jones notes that family members were present at the Seder to talk about the men on the twenty-fifth anniversary of the murders. Jones' report includes footage from the Seder supper. Charles Stith (Union United Methodist Church) talks about the sacrifices made by the three men. Family members Ben Chaney, Carolyn Goodman and Cassie Schwerner talk about the three men. Ben Chaney announces a freedom ride from Mississippi to New York planned for the summer. Chaney, Carolyn Goodman and Cassie Schwerner talk about the need to continue the struggle for civil rights. Jones reviews the events leading up to the murder of the three men. Jones' report also features clips from Eyes on the Prize and Mississippi Burning. This edition of the Ten O'Clock News also included the following item: Christy George reports that the Boston School Committee held an executive session to make a decision on the renewal of the contract of Laval Wilson (Superintendent, Boston Public Schools)
1:00:17: Visual: Footage from a trailer for the 1988 film, Mississippi Burning. Shots of official FBI posters with head shots of three missing men. Marcus Jones reports that the film Mississippi Burning is based on the murders of civil rights workers Andrew Goodman, James Chaney, and Michael Schwerner in Mississippi during the civil rights movement. V: Shot of a newspaper article with a headline reading, "Three men reported missing in Mississippi rights campaign." Jones reports that African Americans and Jews gathered in Roxbury last night to honor the three men and their family members. V: Shot of a flyer for the Ninth Annual Black-Jewish Seder. Footage of Charles Stith (Union United Methodist Church) speaking at the Ninth Annual Black-Jewish Seder. Stith talks about the sacrifice made by Goodman, Chaney, and Schwerner. Shots of audience members, including Leonard Zakim (Director, Anti-Defamation League of B'Nai B'rith) Jones reports that the twenty-fifth anniversary of the murders will be marked in June. Jones notes that relatives of Chaney, Goodman, and Schwerner are traveling across the country to enlist people in a major demonstration planned for the summer. V: Shots of black and white photos of the three men which are displayed at the Seder gathering. Footage of Ben Chaney (brother of James Chaney) saying that racism and anti-semitism are not a regional problem. Chaney says that a group of demonstrators will depart from Mississippi on June 21; that the demonstrators will travel to New York. Chaney says that the demonstrators want to send a message about the national importance of civil rights. The audience stands to applaud Ben Chaney. Jones reports that Ben Chaney was eleven years old in 1964; that Ben Chaney began to work with James Chaney and Michael Schwerner to register African Americans in Mississippi to vote in 1964. V: Shots of black and white photos of James Chaney and Michael Schwermer. Black and white footage of a white man approaching the home of an African American man; of a body being put onto a stretcher. Footage of Ben Chaney saying that he used to attend demonstrations with James Chaney and Schwermer; that Chaney and Schwermer would bail him out of jail when he got arrested. Ben Chaney says that he did not believe that any of the demonstrators would die as a result of their actions until his brother was found dead. Footage from Eyes on the Prize of the Chaney family at the burial of James Chaney. Black and white footage of Mr. and Mrs. Goodman (parents of Andrew Goodman) speaking to the media in 1964. Mr. Goodman says that he is proud of his son's commitment and the commitment of Chaney and Schwarmer. Shots of an audience listening to Goodman. Jones reports that the anniversary of the murders brings back disturbing memories for Dr. Carolyn Goodman (mother of Andrew Goodman). V: Footage of Goodman at the Seder gathering. Goodman says that there are civil rights issues which still need to be addressed. Footage of Goodman being interviewed by Jones. Goodman says that the families of the victims wish to perpetuate the work performed by the three men. Goodman says that young people need to be made aware of the events of the civil rights era. Footage of Cassie Schwermer (niece of Michael Schwermer) at the Seder gathering. Schwermer says that the murders of the three men were meant to discourage northern volunteers from participating in the Mississippi Freedom Summer. Jones reports that Cassie Schwermer never knew her uncle; that she has come to understand his beliefs. Jones reports that Cassie Schwermer is a social activist. V: Shot of a black and white photo of Michael Schwerner. Shot of a newspaper article with a headline reading, "Three in rights drive reported missing." Footage of Schwermer being interviewed by Jones. Schwermer says that she would like to see a renewed commitment to activism by young people today. Black and white footage of Fannie Chaney (mother of James Chaney) speaking in 1964. Fannie Chaney says that the three men died to help African Americans achieve equal rights. Footage of the Chaney family at the funeral of James Chaney. Footage of Carolyn Goodman saying that the work of civil rights activists is never finished. Goodman says that there will always be threats to our freedoms. Black and white shot from 1964 of James Chaney's coffin.
Collection: Ten O'Clock News
Date Created: 04/11/1989
Description: David Boeri reports that the Massachusetts Advocacy Center released statistics indicating that the student failure rate in the Boston Public Schools has increased by 24 percent. Boeri notes that school officials have raised promotion standards but that students are unprepared. Boeri interviews Anne Wheelock (Massachusetts Advocacy Center) and Robert Schwartz (Director, Boston Compact) about the failure rate in the schools. Wheelock says that the schools must create a climate which allows all students to succeed. Wheelock says that non-promotion will cause an increase in the drop-out rate. She adds that schools must provide remedial services for at-risk students. Schwartz says that a high school diploma must signify a minimum amount of achievement on the part of students. Schwartz admits that schools need to do more to help at-risk students. Boeri analyzes that failure statistics for African American and Latino students. Boeri's report is accompanied by footage of students exiting a school and by footage of students in a classroom.
1:00:16: Visual: Shot of a memo from the Massachusetts Advocacy Center. David Boeri reports the Massachusetts Advocacy Center has released troubling statistics about the Boston Public Schools. V: Shot of students in a classroom. A white male teacher stands at the front of the classroom. Boeri reports that the group found that one of every six middle school students was kept back last year; that one out of every eight middle school students was kept back three years ago. Boeri notes that the failure rate has increased by 24 percent. Boeri reports that the largest increase in the failure rate took place among Latino students. Boeri reports that the number of failing African American students is not out of proportion with the student population. Boeri notes that the number of failing African American students is vastly out of proportion with the student population at some schools. Boeri reports that African Americans made up 78% of the failing students at the Wheatley Middle School; that the school's African American population is 58%. Boeri says that Anne Wheelock (Massachusetts Advocacy Center) believes that the failure rate stems from low expectations, racial climate, and staff composition. V: Shot of students of diverse races exiting a school. Shot of the exterior of the Phillis Wheatley Middle School. Footage of Wheelock being interviewed by Boeri. Wheelock says that something must be changed in schools which hold back a disproportionately high number of African American students. Wheelock says that schools must create a climate which allows all students to succeed. Boeri asks why the failure rate has increased. Wheelock says that present promotion policies have imposed tougher standards on students without increasing additional services. Footage of Robert Schwartz (Director, Boston Compact) being interviewed by Boeri. Schwartz says that a high school diploma must signify a minimum amount of achievement on the part of students. Schwartz says that students must be promoted for achievement instead of "time served." Boeri says that school officials raised standards; that some students are not prepared. V: Shots of white female students in a classroom. Footage of Wheelock being interviewed. Wheelock says that non-promotion has a huge effect on the drop-out rate. Wheelock says that a recent study shows that being held back one grade increases a student's chances of dropping out by over 40%. Wheelock says that the study shows that being held back two grade increases a student's chances of dropping out by 90%. Footage of Schwartz being interviewed by Boeri. Schwartz says that the drop-out rate could be decreased if the schools promoted all students regardless of performance. Shwartz says that the schools are not performing their jobs if students are promoted regardless of perfomance. Boeri remarks that it is irresponsible to raise standards without preparing students. Schwartz says that there is a possibility that the schools have not done enough for at-risk students. Footage of Wheelock being interviewed. Wheelock says that students should be promoted with remediation and special attention. Wheelock says that the best teachers should be working with at-risk students.
Collection: Ten O'Clock News
Date Created: 06/20/1986
Description: Rudolph Pierce, Mickey Roache and others hold forum with students at Humphrey Center on "stop and search" tactics by Boston police. Rebecca Rollins reports that Boston lawyers and police officials participated in a forum with students at Madison Park High School. Rollins notes that the topic of the forum was gang activity and the Boston Police Department's stop-and-search procedures. Rollins notes that students and community members have complained about unreasonable stop-and-search procedures by police offiicers. Rollins' report includes footage from the forum. Panelists include Rudolph Pierce (Boston Bar Association), Joan Stanley (Colette Manoil Law Offices) and Francis "Mickey" Roache (Police Commissioner, City of Boston). Pierce says that police have the right to stop a person if there is reasonable suspicion of guilt. Dennis Jean (senior, Madison Park High School) talks about his experiences with police officers who have stopped him. Candido Brown (junior, Madison Park High School) asks why police should be able to search him if he is innocent. Roache tells students that the police department is obliged to protect the rights of citizens. Rollins reports that the forum will help to improve communication between youth and police. Rollins' report includes footage of police officers arresting an African American man. This tape includes additional footage of the forum at Madison Park High School.
1:00:10: Visual: Footage of Rudolph Pierce (Boston Bar Association) speaking at a Madison Park High School. Pierce talks about gang members in Boston. Footage of Joan Stanley (Colette Manoil Law Offices) speaking at the press conference. Stanley says that neighborhood residents are fed up with the activities of some gang members. Rebecca Rollins reports that Boston lawyers and police officials talked about gang activity with students at Madison Park High School. Rollins notes that the lawyers and police officials read fictional scenarios about confrontations between gangs and police. Rollins reports that lawyers and police officials met with students to discuss their differences over the Boston Police Department's stop-and search procedures. V: Shots of the students in the audience at Madison Park High School; of an African American female student addressing the panel of lawyers and police officials. Shot of Francis "Mickey" Roache (Police Commissioner, City of Boston) addressing the students. Footage of a white police officer arresting an African American man. The police officer puts handcuffs on the man, who stands next to a red sports car. Footage of Pierce addressing the students. Pierce says that a police officer has the right to stop and frisk someone if they have reasonable suspicions about the person. Pierce says that the "reasonable suspicion" must be based on facts. Footage of Dennis Jean (senior, Madison Park High School) saying that he and his friends would be stopped and searched almost every day by police. Pierce says that police officers once forced him to drop his pants in public. Pierce says that police officers force people to remove their sneakers; that his friends have had their money stolen by police officers. Pierce says that police officers harass people when they stop to search them. Footage of Roache addressing the students. Roache says that the police often want to act on information that they receive. Roache says that police officers are obliged to protect the rights of citizens. Shots of students in the audience; of the lawyers and police officials at the front of the room. Rollins reports that Roache told students that he investigates every complaint about the improper treatment of citizens at the hands of police officers. Rollins notes that students and police officials cannot agree on what constitutes "improper treatment." V: Shot of two white police officers searching a young African American male on the street. Shot of the lawyers and police officials on the panel at Madison Park High School. Footage of Candido Brown (junior, Madison Park High School) addressing the panel. Brown asks the panel why police officers should be allowed to bother him when he is not doing anything. The students applaud. Shot of a white official addressing the students. Rollins reports that the forum may not resolve the stop-and-search controversy; that the forum will improve communication between youth and police. V: Shots of students at the forum. Footage of Jean saying that the police should be investigating "gang territory." Jean says that police know where the gangs are and what the gangs wear. Jean says that he is not wearing any gang insignia.
Collection: Ten O'Clock News
Date Created: 05/08/1990