European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - May 24, 1989, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Wednesday. May 24, 1989 the stars and stripes Page 5 trial on 73 Bias suit against Navy starts Jacksonville. A. A testimony began monday in Federal court on a lawsuit filed in 1973 alleging thai the Navy discriminated against Black civilian workers in promotions at Jacksonville naval air station. . District judge unwell w. Melton is presiding Over the non Jun trial which May involve up to 450 witnesses and 4.000 exhibits in a Case that became a class action suit alter it was filed. Attorneys for both sides estimated the trial May take up to 12 weeks. Melton said if it is not Over by the end of june he will have to recess it until september be cause of other court business. The lawsuit was filed h six Blacks in 1973 after their complaints were rejected by their Bosses. One of the six workers has died since the suit was filed. Ten years after the Case went to court it was declared a class action with the outcome potentially affecting 1.200 to 1.700 Blacks who work or have worked at the Navy aviation depot formerly the naval air rework facility. To win lawyers for the naut Legal defense and education fund inc. Must prove there was a sweeping pattern of sometimes Subtle personnel decisions that promoted while workers ahead of More qualified Blacks. We think the promotion process is a largely Subjec Tive procedure. When Vuu have that kind of subjective decision making discrimination can enter the pro  said Clyde Murphy one of the lawyers with the National association Tor the advancement of coloured people. The Navy has denied any discrimination and also has defended its system for evaluating and promoting civilian workers. If Mellon decides the Navy has discriminated an other trial would be needed in determine which employees were treated unfairly and How they should he compensated. The plaintiffs could then seek Back pay and promotions. Murphy said. It s a big Case and when you litigate against the Federal government they have a lot of  be said. A variety of reasons Are behind the 15-year delay since the original 1974 trial Date. A major Issue has been the changing nature of How civil rights employment Laws apply to the Federal government. That resulted in years of delay until the supreme court clarified the application of the Law Mur Plu said. In addition the two sides haggled for years Over what information they were required to give each other. Government attorneys aggressively litigated the Case. Murphy said. And for several years Only one Federal judge was available in Jacksonville and he was required to put criminal cases ahead of civil actions. Teachers continue strike in l a Settle in Boston by the associated press a teachers strike in los Angeles went into a second week monday with 11 arrests and a break in talks while negotiators in Boston agreed on a contract school officials called a landmark in educational Reform. The arrests were the most in one Day during the walkout that has crippled education in the nation s second largest school District. They occurred after a rally at which More than 10.000 teachers hoisted picket signs and cheered wildly when United teachers los Angeles president Wayne Johnson called school Hoard members desperate despicable  Johnson accused Hoard members of lying when the say the District cannot afford to meet teachers demands for a 26 percent raise Over three ears including 10 percent in the first year. In Boston the Boston teachers Union and superintendent Laval s. Wilson tentatively agreed on 7 percent pay increases for teachers for each of three years despite warnings from officials that the City can not afford it. The contract which requires ratification by the school committee and the Union comes Al a time when Massachusetts gov. Michael s. Dukakis has proposed tax in creases and spending cuts to balance the stale budget. Mayor Raymond Flynn said he did not believe Money would be Avail Able to support the contract but he sup ported provisions aimed at decentralizing school management. Wilson and a Evvard Doherty presi Dent of the 6.000-Memhcr teachers Union said the contract would give teachers greater control Over the schools would reduce the Power of seniority and a los Angeles policeman hauls away a  luring a rail outside school District Headquarters where ii people were arrested. Would hold teachers More responsible for the performance of their students. In a joint statement. Wilson and Dougherty called the pact a  Union and school officials noted however thai in was modelled after teachers contracts in Dade county Fla. And Rochester. . Which gave teachers a greater slake in How school systems Are run. In los Angeles school District police arrested 11 people for investigation of Roadway obstruction and trespassing during a sit in outside District Headquarters Fen teachers including two Union vice presidents were arrested along with a 17-year-old, said District spokeswoman Tammy Sims. School Hoard president Roberta Weitraub said after the breakdown in talks that the District had boosted its offer of a 21.5 percent pay raise Over three years to a 24 percent raise Over three years contingent on extra stale funding. Superintendent Leonard Brillon said he did not know Why talks collapsed Sun Day night. I am led to the conclusion Hal the Union and its officials particularly were looking for any reason to break it off he said. Education in the District has slowed to a crawl since the Union representing 22.000 of the District s 32.000 teachers Counselor nurses and librarians went on strike May 15. The District claimed a Small gain in student attendance monday following a week of losses. There were 293,482 Stu dents in class up 34,362 from Friday. The District has More than 550,000 Stu dents. Jury chosen in rep. Lukens trial Sands of time Columbus Ohio a a jury was seated Mon Day for the trial of . Rep. Donald a Lukens who is accused of having sex with an underage girl. Prosecutors and defense attorneys spent seven hours selecting the jurors who will hear evidence on a Mise Meanor charge of contributing to the delinquency and Una ugliness of a minor. Prosecutor Rila Mangin challenged defense Altor nay Thomas Tyack in court to explain his decision to excuse the Only Black potential juror. The girl who made the allegations against Lukens is Black. Tyack said he excused the woman because her Hus band works for the state there were other jurors who he believed would be More appropriate from the de sense s Point of View and because the potential juror appeared to be Liv ing in a  Tyack was referring to her statement that she had absolutely no knowledge of the Case despite wide spread Media coverage. Lukens a 58-year-old conservative Republican was elected to Congress in 1986, and previously served from 1967-71. In Between he ran unsuccessfully for governor and served in the slate legislature. A source speaking on condition of anonymity told the associated press that Lukens. Indicted feb. 23. Had offered to plead guilty to the charge but the prosecution would not agree to his condition that references to any sexual Contact Vilh the girl be removed from court documents. Judge Ronald Solove said he would consider re quests by Mangini that Only limited testimony be Al Lowed from the girl regarding two other cases in which she is involved As a witness and that her juvenile re Cord not be introduced. The defense maintains the evidence is needed 10 establish or question the girl s credibility. Lukens who has repeatedly denied the allegations and accused the girl s Mother of Selling him up for extortion did not comment to reporters monday. Columbus television station a sex on feb. 1 broadcast a secretly recorded videotape that showed Lukens apparently offering a government Job to the girl s Mother Anna Colfman after she asked him Why he was Messing around with her daughter. In the tape Lukens told Coffman he did not know her daughter was a teen Ager. If convicted he faces a maximum sentence of 180 Days in jail and a ,000 Fine. In the stars and stripes 40 years ago today. May 24. 1949 representatives from the United Stales Britain France and Russia meeting in Paris agreed on a four Point Agenda to solve the problems of Zierman Unity and Berlin. 30 years ago today. May 24. 1959 president Eisenhower s science advisory committee issued a report entitled Educa Tion for the age of science which stated that the american education system needed to be strengthened in the Sei citric area. 20 years Ogo today. May 24, 1969 two Apollo 10 astronauts re turned to their command ship after flying their lunar Lander module to within 9,4 Miles of the Moon s sur face Man s closest approach to the Moon Ihus far. ? 0 years ago today. May 24. 1979 Joe Clark Leader of Canada s progressive conservative party became prime min ister designate after prime minister Pierre Trudeau and his Liberal party lost their majority in parliament