KTLA News: "Black and Jewish leaders speak about public education and busing" (1980)

part of the response has to come from people uh who themselves are fed up in the valley with what is perceived now as an a certain arrogance uh by the majority of the board members and even people in our community who have been against busing uh are now sick and tired of this kind of arrogance and have begun to raise their voice uh in the past they have supported Bobby feedler and bus stop um but this kind of situation must stop and it has to come from uh many people within the community not just this coalition I think what has within recent years tended to create tensions and conflicts and uh serious suspicions on the part of many blacks uh really deals with the question of leadership about women let's change public school system is the Keystone of American Democratic Society blacks and Jews strongly agree that quality integrated public education is essential in a Democratic multiethnic Society recent actions of the Board of Education in particular a majority of of the members of the board have polarized the Greater Los Angeles community perhaps at has NE as it has never before been polarized political posturing over the issues that have confronted us as a community and the lack of responsible leadership on the part of the Los Angeles school board and we're here today to put forth an effort to indicate to the community that we are determined that there must be some changes in the direction of that school board we do not feel that the kind of atmosphere that has been generated in our community by the recent action of members of the board particularly the chairperson of that board will bring about the kind of cooperative and concerted efforts on many segments of our community that will bring us success in alleviating the problems that confront this school system it's my belief that we have a tremendous opportunity here in Los Angeles to accomplish something that will be a model for the rest of the school systems in our nation we have a diversity of people that is Rich and for the school board that we currently have to give us the kind of leadership in light of these facts that they're currently doing today I think is unacceptable and I'm happy to be a part of a coalition like this that goes on record and saying that we're going to put forth every effort that is in our power to bring about a change in the direction that our school board is taking uh here in Los Angeles this time we'll entertain any statements which comes from irresponsibility and the board has clearly been irresponsible I think most responsible people in the Jewish community on either side of the busting issue will acknowledge that we need better leadership on the board uh for carrying out lawful legal sound decisions of the courts and for implementing a positive program to build schools in Los Angeles in the face of the turmoil it's time we had some change in the leadership on the board only the electorate can change the makeup of the board but certainly the board can behave differently in its inter relationships from now on thank you and given the makeup of the rest of the board what realistic Prospect do you see what seem to me that even the present board is uh responsive to some degree or would be responsive to some degree to pressures from the public and the clear indications from other officials and other areas of community life at other levels of government indicating that there's a lack of credibility on the part of board members and what seemed to be clear in this case that even the board is going to recognize the situation in which they're operating hopefully this kind of statement as well as others will induce them to make some changes in their internal structure and then addressing themselves to the problems that are really a movement of people who are basically against School desegregation they may offer all kinds of excuses however in the final analysis anyway you cut it we suspect that uh while some may represent uh the fears and the frustrations of of some parents uh not being sure about the education of their youngsters the quality and being concerned about the possibility of extensive bus rides and what have you but fundamentally we do see it as an anti- uh integration anti black uh sentiment uh to a large extent now regarding the question uh as to whether or not it is perceived as an anti- translated into a a Jewish primarily a Jewish um uh prejudice against the black community or desegregated education uh it's not really perceived