1986_04 The Daily Collegian April 1986

              CSU, Fresno
The-
Daily
nan
Vol. LXVI, No. XXXII
Tuesday, April 1,198*$
Battle lost,
moral win
is comfort
Famed case
turned down
by high court
SACRAMENTO - The first thing
people ask when Christine Craft's name is
mentioned is. "What doc* she look like?"
The former news anchorwOman's looks
became an issue less than five years ago,
but now the court battles are all over. The
Supreme Court refused lo bear her case
March 3. Ironically, it was the first day of
National Women's History Week and
Justice Sandra Day CConner w« the
only one who voted to hear the case.
Now Craft is trying to pay the legal bills
and focus on her news anchor job at
KRBK-TV in Sacramento.
"It was something worth fighting for."
she said. "1 hope that what 1 have done has
made a difference."
\    In 1981 she was demoted I
n KMBC
consulting arm had A
not pretty enough and
it deferei
Rather than become a reporter, she
headed back lo her old job in Santa
Barbara and filed a suit against KMBC's
owners. Metromedia Inc. She said Metromedia told her she wouldn't be able to fight
them in court. But she did, and she won
Her battles received national attention,
but she hasn't received a penny. The moral
victories are enough for her.
"I sought to fight discriirunpticn and
injustice at one station," she said. "If you
don't stand for something, you're liable to
fall for anything."
The moral victories can never be taken
away by judges the way the jury decisions
"If you're always afraid to take the
risks, you'll never get anywhere, I took the
risks. I feel better for that. I feel wiser
because 1 took that chance."
But the anger is obvious as she talked
about the final court battle. Craft won Her
first trial and was awarded a $500,000
judgment bythejury.bat the judge overruled the decision. Another jury awarded
her 1325,000 but a three-judge panel on a
federal court of appeals overruled that
Her last chance was in December when
her lawyers appealed to the Supreme
Court, but when the court refused to hear
The appeal to the Supreme Court was
on a Seventh Amendment appeal. The
amendment says, "No fact tried by a jury
shall be otherwise re-examined in any
court of (he United States, than according
other
leofth
Craft believes everyone's right to trial in
civil cases is in jeopardy because of the
court's decision not to hear the case.
"They were afraid to open a Pandora's
box," she said.
She said that 13 Yale University law
students worked on the brief for the
Supreme Court. They found that in cases
involving a large corporation and a private
citizen, the 8th Circuit Appelate Court
overruled 60 percent of jury cases.
One of the reasons for her demotion at
*.. CRAFT, page *
OOPS! INTRAMURAL SOFTBALL BEGINS
Fumbling her way through tht first practice al the season, Shelly Wilson, of the Sequoia Hall B.B.S.
r/ The Daily Collegian
Meeting draws students
In New Orleans this week 10 CSUF
graduate students are attending an international conference sponsored by the
Council for Exceptional Children. Four
students will present information they
have researched and compiled before the
conference attendees.
Maria Zendejas, Frankie Sylvester.
Cynthia Morrison-Cherney, and Raquel
Rodartc will be the discussants. They'
received the funding for their trip through
the campus Instruction Related Activities   will continue through April 5. It is an
(IRA). - annualevent. All 10 students attended the
The other six students from the School   conference held hi Anaheim last year.
tmmwmjmtmwaammama/mm^^   Next year it will be in Chicago.
All of the students are members of tr
"It* * very active group of Ommra^jm^afjfmS
of Education raised money for the trip
through a ticket raffle.
The conference started March 39 and
organization for students and adults
interested in working with handicapped
— physically, emotionally or mentally —
and gifted children.
Professor Janice Chavis said it is the
College graduates reap benefits
By8wahWNwM
Steff Writer caseofnWn,iobautooomya?ndauthortty." generally leave high school before grad-
College graduates earn an average of 54 said University of Michigan Professor uating. U.S.workers spend an average of
percent more than high school graduates. Willard Rodgers in a March 19*2 article J 2.8 years in school.
report that they are happier people and in "Social Foroes" magazine. While malecaaliegcgraduatescotinue to
find their jobs or careers more rewaniing, Stwitfics reported in the same story cam larger salaries than all other esjaca-'
according to a recent study. indicated that college graduates art con- tional levels. Weave* with four or more
Men with college degrees earn snavemge sisseiuly in high income leva* and report yearj 0f college Kit earn less than meat
median income of $34,709 as opposed to they are hasapscr and more coMent than who have only completed eVcmeatary
men with high school diplomas who nam groups frasnaay other educational fcack- school.
$18,883 yearly. Statistics show that the ground. The same surveys indicated, however,
more years of school completed, the more The majority asfaeastewkmal and technical that women with eoMtsse degrees derive
money people earn. workers are coHeje graduates. Sales and more satisfaction from their aooa thaa
Higher education pays off "through clerical worlrcii av*rage approximately men with the a
earninp, occupation, prestige and in the 13 years oT schooling and aervice workers ground.