Urgent: week of December 10

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Messages which absolutely need to be seen today due to time constraints or breaking news. Remember to check the"new answers" link for the most active topics. This topic will run for a week, and then we will start a new dated "urgent" file.

-- Anonymous, December 11, 2000

Answers

Sorry for the delay in the updating for this week, I spent 7 hours on Sunday at the Benedictine ER being checked out for some phlebitis that suddenly flared up. May not be on the board that much this week, unless I can figure out if I can keep my leg elevated up on my printer without falling out of my chair.

-- Anonymous, December 11, 2000

I have a question that has been bugging me since Lucia's family residency has been made an issue. How has her residency issue with the OCS been made public information? It has always been my understanding that addresses of children are confidential info not to be made public. As someone who occasionally has my name out there in the public view, I am very sensitive to this issue. So how did Rose and CARE find out about this issue??

-- Anonymous, December 11, 2000

If Lucia no longer has a child in this district, shouldn't she be able to get any files on her children that the district has?

-- Anonymous, December 12, 2000

My point is ... what is CARE doing with private files on a student's address? That sounds illegal to me. Just try to get an address of a child from the school as a third party.

-- Anonymous, December 12, 2000

I think Rose is using a "Freedom of Information" request to get the "file" on lucia, since she was found not to live in the district. I guess Rose feels that makes it public info! Probbaly a case for the school's attorney to decide. T.

-- Anonymous, December 12, 2000


If Rose is seeking a file on Lucia she needs to put the district on notice and it would seem this is private inforamtion and releasing the information would violate most privacy laws. Might want to take some action before it is necessary to take action as a reaction to Rose's actions-this might be the way to take down Doan.

Charles

-- Anonymous, December 12, 2000


There is a confidentiality policy in the district as I ran up against this when Nick Maoris's wife secured my home address. She sent a letter home to plea for her father, a bus driver, who was relocted to another route because a child alleged that he intentionally injured him. The child suffered a broken collarbone when the driver slammed on the brakes in frustration to the child's behaviour. At least, those are the allegations. I was upset that she found my street address from the distrcit (as opposed from the mailing address).

On another note, before I left for a business trip last week I happened to run into our old, disabled friend Fred Perry. He said to me, in front of my children (bad habit of his), that my ears must have been ringing. He said he was at a meeting in West Shokan where my name came up. Seems a few of my neighbors saw me on TV BOE meeting and were surprised and upset at my points of view. Fred claims to have defended me as just having a different opinion (if you believe him). But he did suggest to me that I may not want to go out at night in my neighborhood. Backwoods buddy-type of veiled threat, you know, just doing me a favor... I told him THEY better not come out at night as I lurk at night as well.

Just thought I'd mention it if I suddenly disappear! :-) No worries.

-- Anonymous, December 13, 2000


HIAWATHA -- The Hiawatha School Board has voted to stop the use of American Indian mascots at the three schools in the district.

The board voted 4-3 Monday night to approve a committee's recommendation that the high school, junior high and elementary drop the Redskins, Warriors and Braves mascots respectively.

The district's schools already had stopped using Indian symbols and representations, and were using the mascots in name only, said superintendent John Severin.

A 12-member review committee of parents, teachers and students had studied the issue for six weeks. The board-appointed committee voted 9-3 last week to ask the board to retire the mascots.

"We feel we can't accept a mascot that would be disrespectful of the students," said Hiawatha High School principal Rick Johnson, who was a member of the committee. "We want to eliminate mascots that insult a race or another culture. The Indian mascot just doesn't fit the mission statement of the school."

Severin said the board will likely create a committee to nominate new mascots in January with a recommendation expected by the end of the school year.

Board members who voted against the changes said alumni and most students, including American Indians, had no problem with the mascots. A school survey showed seven of about 50 Indian students objected to the mascots.

Board members who voted to drop them said they were derogatory and didn't fit with the district's mission.

"It's a stereotype. Redskins are not what the Native Americans are today," said board member JoAnn Noll.

Board member Steve Lock, who served on the committee, said he believes students should have a mascot they can use in posters and on uniforms. He also said that if the district didn't change its mascots it may have been faced with a lawsuit.

Joni Tucker-Nisbeth, a member of the American Indian Movement Kansas Support Group, filed a complaint on Dec. 1 asking the U.S. Justice Department to force schools in the Little River School District to stop using the name Redskin.

-- Anonymous, December 13, 2000


For a change from the usual, new ethnic stereotypes for 2001 from The Onion.

-- Anonymous, December 14, 2000

Subject:

Months after our September 11, 2000 letter was sent to New York Commissioner of Education Richard Mills we have received a response

"Once again , thank you for your patience in working with us on such an emotional issue. The Commissioner has met several times with members of his staff in recognition of the importance of this issue. A final determination has not been finalized. We anticipate a decision to be made in the near future."

Seems to me this is about the same thing Robert (Eurich) was told years ago.

Charles Yow Tobe

PS anyone notice the way the Freeman still uses "Indians" and Redskins" all over their sports pages?? letters anyone?

-- Anonymous, December 16, 2000



first politician to response to my mailing about the "hate article" came today from State senator Bonacic. It reads:

Dear Tobe: Thank you for your e-mail regarding hate groups and the Onteora School District.

I join your repudiation of hate groups and do not believe that they represent our Senate District, State or Nation.

If there is anything I can do for you in the future, please do not hesitate to contact my office.

Sincerely, John Bonacic State Senator

-- Anonymous, December 16, 2000


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