Post by Okwes on Jun 2, 2008 11:01:33 GMT -5
Warriors Speak Up
Hundreds Pack Meeting to Discuss Carp High Symbol
Thursday, May 15, 2008 By Adrian Castañeda
<http://www.independent.com/staff/adrian-castaneda/>
www.independent.com/news/2008/may/15/warriors-speak/
<http://www.independent.com/news/2008/may/15/warriors-speak/> The
five-member school board of the Carpinteria Unified School District
voted unanimously on May 13 to approve a motion to establish a
board-appointed committee that would analyze and evaluate Carpinteria
High's use of Native American imagery and determine which emblems
are offensive. Neither side of the dispute was awarded a clear victory
at the board's meeting, and many of the 900-plus attendees in the
crowded gymnasium—the meeting was moved to accommodate the large
number of attendees—expressed mixed feelings toward the ambiguous
result.
The meeting marked the culmination of weeks of bitter words and
outspoken opposition to the board's 3-2 ruling on April 22 that all
Native American imagery be removed from school property. Once again,
throngs of Carpinteria Warriors, past and present, arrived to show their
support for their beloved mascot.
[On April 22 School Board Members (L to R) Amrita Salm, Leslie
Deardorff and Beverly Grant voted to remove the Native-American Icons
from the high school]
<http://www.independent.com/photos/2008/may/14/8430/> [Click to
enlarge photo] <http://www.independent.com/photos/2008/may/14/8430/>
Photo: Paul Wellman
On April 22 School Board Members (L to R) Amrita Salm, Leslie Deardorff
and Beverly Grant voted to remove the Native-American Icons from the
high school
After a suggestion from Superintendent Paul Cordeiro that a committee be
formed in the fall to determine which emblems were derogatory, the board
voted on the idea. The measure failed to pass because one member, Leslie
Deardorff, abstained from voting, giving neither side the majority it
needed to win.
Boardmember Amrita Salm said she felt that forming the committee in the
fall was not timely enough and she altered the previous motion,
stipulating that the committee would be board-appointed and would begin
its work in the summer. This second measure passed unanimously after
some modification as to exact dates.
[Superintendent Paul Cordeiro]
<http://www.independent.com/photos/2008/may/14/8428/> [Click to
enlarge photo] <http://www.independent.com/photos/2008/may/14/8428/>
Photo: Paul Wellman
Superintendent Paul Cordeiro
What had been a peaceful forum for citizens to air their complaints to
the board turned into a madhouse of shouting when the board members gave
their reasoning for how they voted. The crowd grew rowdy when Beverly
Grant began to defend her decision. Using a racial slur to make her
point incensed the assembly and many stood up and turned their backs
toward her while she spoke. Continuing to speak, Grant made allusions to
the Holocaust and Nazism, further aggravating the assembly. Many of the
parents and alumni present began to discuss efforts to have Grant
recalled. "Never in my life have I heard the 'N word in
Carpinteria," one parent said. Deardorff, who voted to ban the
images on April 22, said, "We are here to educate children without
racial bias."
Before voting, the board heard dozens of citizens, both for and against
the ban, pleading their respective cases. The overwhelming majority of
the crowd was in favor of keeping the Native American images. Many felt
that regardless of the board's decision the issue was that the
public was not consulted. Former school board member, Mike Damron,
accused the board of putting too much emphasis on the opinion of one
student, saying, "I guess the other 700 kids don't matter."
To raucous applause Craig Price, a Santa Barbara lawyer who serves as
legal advisor to the board, said he felt there was no legal basis for
the board to make their decision unless there was substantial evidence
that the imagery created a hostile environment or prevented students
from utilizing district services.
The assembly was less jubilant when Elias Cordero, the 15-year-old
sophomore whose complaints began the controversy, stepped to the podium
and told the board he felt the school emblem was wrong. "I've
lived with the pain and happiness of being Chumash," Cordero said as
some in the crowd booed.
The issue of Native American ancestry was hotly discussed by many of the
attendees. Some argued that the emblem depicted a member of a plains
tribe, not a Chumash Indian, and therefore was not offensive to the
Chumash culture. Tom Macias, a Carpinteria High senior, said,
"Chumash isn't the only Native American in our country."
Melinda Powell responded to arguments that the images were symbols of
honor and courage not of mockery saying, "I'm surprised that
people who aren't Native American feel they can speak for Native
Americans when Native Americans say it is offensive."
[This Mural outside the Carpinteria High School auditorium is one of
the controversial icons on campus
] <http://www.independent.com/photos/2008/may/14/8422/> [Click to
enlarge photo] <http://www.independent.com/photos/2008/may/14/8422/>
Photo: Paul Wellman
This Mural outside the Carpinteria High School auditorium is one of the
controversial icons on campus
Others sought to discredit Cordeiro and other Native American speakers
by speculating about their Chumash or Native heritage. "Just because
you stand up at this mike and say you're Native American,
doesn't mean you are Native American," said Damron, who is also
an alumni and the booster club president.
To members in support of the board's original decision, such as
Monique Sonoquie, a Chumash and Apache lecturer in the UCSB Department
of Indigenous Studies, the issue does not revolve around Chumash Indians
in particular but respect for all Native Americans and their images.
"We're people, not mascots," she told the crowd.
Hundreds Pack Meeting to Discuss Carp High Symbol
Thursday, May 15, 2008 By Adrian Castañeda
<http://www.independent.com/staff/adrian-castaneda/>
www.independent.com/news/2008/may/15/warriors-speak/
<http://www.independent.com/news/2008/may/15/warriors-speak/> The
five-member school board of the Carpinteria Unified School District
voted unanimously on May 13 to approve a motion to establish a
board-appointed committee that would analyze and evaluate Carpinteria
High's use of Native American imagery and determine which emblems
are offensive. Neither side of the dispute was awarded a clear victory
at the board's meeting, and many of the 900-plus attendees in the
crowded gymnasium—the meeting was moved to accommodate the large
number of attendees—expressed mixed feelings toward the ambiguous
result.
The meeting marked the culmination of weeks of bitter words and
outspoken opposition to the board's 3-2 ruling on April 22 that all
Native American imagery be removed from school property. Once again,
throngs of Carpinteria Warriors, past and present, arrived to show their
support for their beloved mascot.
[On April 22 School Board Members (L to R) Amrita Salm, Leslie
Deardorff and Beverly Grant voted to remove the Native-American Icons
from the high school]
<http://www.independent.com/photos/2008/may/14/8430/> [Click to
enlarge photo] <http://www.independent.com/photos/2008/may/14/8430/>
Photo: Paul Wellman
On April 22 School Board Members (L to R) Amrita Salm, Leslie Deardorff
and Beverly Grant voted to remove the Native-American Icons from the
high school
After a suggestion from Superintendent Paul Cordeiro that a committee be
formed in the fall to determine which emblems were derogatory, the board
voted on the idea. The measure failed to pass because one member, Leslie
Deardorff, abstained from voting, giving neither side the majority it
needed to win.
Boardmember Amrita Salm said she felt that forming the committee in the
fall was not timely enough and she altered the previous motion,
stipulating that the committee would be board-appointed and would begin
its work in the summer. This second measure passed unanimously after
some modification as to exact dates.
[Superintendent Paul Cordeiro]
<http://www.independent.com/photos/2008/may/14/8428/> [Click to
enlarge photo] <http://www.independent.com/photos/2008/may/14/8428/>
Photo: Paul Wellman
Superintendent Paul Cordeiro
What had been a peaceful forum for citizens to air their complaints to
the board turned into a madhouse of shouting when the board members gave
their reasoning for how they voted. The crowd grew rowdy when Beverly
Grant began to defend her decision. Using a racial slur to make her
point incensed the assembly and many stood up and turned their backs
toward her while she spoke. Continuing to speak, Grant made allusions to
the Holocaust and Nazism, further aggravating the assembly. Many of the
parents and alumni present began to discuss efforts to have Grant
recalled. "Never in my life have I heard the 'N word in
Carpinteria," one parent said. Deardorff, who voted to ban the
images on April 22, said, "We are here to educate children without
racial bias."
Before voting, the board heard dozens of citizens, both for and against
the ban, pleading their respective cases. The overwhelming majority of
the crowd was in favor of keeping the Native American images. Many felt
that regardless of the board's decision the issue was that the
public was not consulted. Former school board member, Mike Damron,
accused the board of putting too much emphasis on the opinion of one
student, saying, "I guess the other 700 kids don't matter."
To raucous applause Craig Price, a Santa Barbara lawyer who serves as
legal advisor to the board, said he felt there was no legal basis for
the board to make their decision unless there was substantial evidence
that the imagery created a hostile environment or prevented students
from utilizing district services.
The assembly was less jubilant when Elias Cordero, the 15-year-old
sophomore whose complaints began the controversy, stepped to the podium
and told the board he felt the school emblem was wrong. "I've
lived with the pain and happiness of being Chumash," Cordero said as
some in the crowd booed.
The issue of Native American ancestry was hotly discussed by many of the
attendees. Some argued that the emblem depicted a member of a plains
tribe, not a Chumash Indian, and therefore was not offensive to the
Chumash culture. Tom Macias, a Carpinteria High senior, said,
"Chumash isn't the only Native American in our country."
Melinda Powell responded to arguments that the images were symbols of
honor and courage not of mockery saying, "I'm surprised that
people who aren't Native American feel they can speak for Native
Americans when Native Americans say it is offensive."
[This Mural outside the Carpinteria High School auditorium is one of
the controversial icons on campus
] <http://www.independent.com/photos/2008/may/14/8422/> [Click to
enlarge photo] <http://www.independent.com/photos/2008/may/14/8422/>
Photo: Paul Wellman
This Mural outside the Carpinteria High School auditorium is one of the
controversial icons on campus
Others sought to discredit Cordeiro and other Native American speakers
by speculating about their Chumash or Native heritage. "Just because
you stand up at this mike and say you're Native American,
doesn't mean you are Native American," said Damron, who is also
an alumni and the booster club president.
To members in support of the board's original decision, such as
Monique Sonoquie, a Chumash and Apache lecturer in the UCSB Department
of Indigenous Studies, the issue does not revolve around Chumash Indians
in particular but respect for all Native Americans and their images.
"We're people, not mascots," she told the crowd.