Description: Archival soundbites of civil rights activists Martin Luther King Jr., Stokely Carmichael, H. Rap Brown, Malcolm X. Interviews with Robert Moses and Alvin Poussaint, who say we should not celebrate MLK alone, but remember the whole history of the civil rights movement. Sammy Davis Jr., Leonard Bernstein, James Baldwin, Harry Belafonte participating in march.
Collection: Ten O'Clock News
Date Created: 01/20/1986
Description: Hope Kelly piece on the closing of the Boston office of the US Commission on Civil Rights. Interview with head of the office, Jacob Schlitt. History of the Commission, and discussion of it's current state and future under the Reagan Administration, including Reagan's appointment of ultraconservative Clarence Pendleton. Scenes from the farewell party held for the office, and remarks by many New England civil rights activists on the closing of the office, including long time office worker David Harris. Discussion of the role the office played and the reports it produced.
Collection: Ten O'Clock News
Date Created: 11/19/1986
Description: Christopher Lydon reports that Mayor Ray Flynn is requesting the creation of a Boston Employment Commission in order to boost the number of Boston residents working in Boston jobs. The Flynn administration would like the Boston work force to be 10% female, 25% minority and 50% Boston residents. Interview with Flynn about employment in Boston. Interview with City Councilor James Kelly, who says that sanctions will be imposed unfairly on the construction industry. Interviews with Mel King and City Councilor Thomas Menino. Lydon notes that critics believe that compliance with the ordinance would cost jobs. Brief interviews with construction workers and white-collar workers about the proposed ordinance. This edition of the Ten O'Clock News also included the following item: Minister Don Mohammad speaks out against drug traffic in Roxbury
1:00:02: Visual: Footage of a white male construction worker being interviewed on the street. The man says that he is from Boston. Hope Kelly (WGBH reporter) asks him which neighborhood he is from. The man says that he is actually from Billerica. The man says that he avoids telling people that he is not from Boston. Christopher Lydon reports that Ray Flynn (Mayor of Boston) is requesting the creation of the Boston Employment Commission; that the Commission's goal would be to boost the number of Boston residents working on Boston jobs. V: Footage of Flynn being interviewed. Flynn says that Boston is experiencing a significant growth period; that there are plenty of opportunities for everyone. Flynn says that people are not fighting over crumbs. Footage of a white male construction worker being interviewed on the street. The man says that Flynn wants to put the "outsiders" out of work; that the "outsiders" are the true professionals who have been in the union for over ten years. Footage of another white male construction worker being interviewed. The man asks where he is supposed to go to work. The man says that the work is in the city of Boston; that he should be allowed to work there. Lydon reports that many construction workers fear displacement by the goals set by the Flynn administration. Lydon reports that the Flynn administration would like the Boston work force to be 10% female, 25% minority and 50% Boston residents. V: Shot of Boston City Hall. Lydon says that the present work force does not resemble Flynn's proposed work force. V: Footage of Hope Kelly interviewing construction workers at International Place. Two white male construction workers say that they are from North Attleborough. Another white male construction worker says that he is from Canton; that ninety percent of the workers on his job are not living in the city. Footage of Hope Kelly interviewing white-collar workers in Post Office Square. A white male says that he is a commuter. Another white male says that he is from Walpole. A white female says that she is from Newton. Another white female says that she is from Brookline. A third white female says that she is from Quincy. Lydon reports that Flynn's proposed ordinance would change the demographics of the work force in the public and private sectors. Lydon says that the greatest opposition so far comes from the unions; that the construction unions say that their field is being singled out. V: Shots of corporate workers crossing the street near Government Center; of a man carrying a brief case as he crosses the street. Shot of two white corporate workers conversing on the sidewalk. Shot of an African American construction worker talking to white colleagues. Shot of the State Street Bank building. Lydon reports that the unions have a political ally in James Kelly (Boston City Council and Sheet Metalworkers Union). V: Footage of James Kelly being interviewed. Kelly says that Flynn's ordinance talks about good faith efforts and voluntary agreements between the city and major corporations. Kelly says that sanctions will be imposed on construction companies. Lydon reports that the sanctions include potential fines against developers whose hiring practices do not meet the standards of the ordinance. Lydon notes that the mayor has issues two previous ordinances with similar goals. V: Shot of a backhoe excavating dirt at a construction site. Footage of Mel King (candidate for US Representative) being interviewed outside of his campaign offices. King says that the mayor has been unable to put "teeth" in the ordinance. Lydon reports that Flynn supporters point to progress. V: Footage of Thomas Menino (Boston City Council) being interviewed. Menino says that some trades are up to 20% and higher. Menino says that progress is being made. Menino says that the city has not yet imposed any sanctions on the construction trades. Lydon reports that King believes that sanctions are necessary. V: Footage of King being interviewed. King says that the ordinance needs "teeth." King says that there is no real monitoring process. Lydon reports that critics believe that compliance with the ordinance could cost jobs. Flynn disagrees with critics. Flynn says that at least six major public works projects are imminent. V: Shot of Flynn. Lydon reports that many workers do not believe Flynn. V: Footage of a white male construction worker being interviewed by Hope Kelly. The construction worker says that he does not believe Flynn. He asks Hope Kelly if she believes Flynn.
Collection: Ten O'Clock News
Date Created: 07/24/1986
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