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About Appeal tribune. (Silverton, Or.) 1999-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 7, 2016)
S ERVING THE S ILVERTON A REA S INCE 1880 50 C ENTS Ԃ A U NIQUE E DITION OF THE S TATESMAN J OURNAL V OL . 135, N O . 51 W EDNESDAY , D ECEMBER 7, 2016 SILVERTONAPPEAL.COM Schools try to reduce bullying Principal says ‘discriminatory, racist, intimidating words are not acceptable’ CHRISTENA BROOKS SPECIAL TO THE APPEAL TRIBUNE “Moving forward … together,” was the message Silverton High School staff wore on their matching T-shirts when classes resumed after Thanksgiving break, three weeks after Election Day sparked cases of bullying among stu- dents. The message was simple enough, but news that a handful of students made threatening statements such as “Pack your bags, you’re leaving tomorrow,” and “Tell your family goodbye,” to Latino students at election time has a provoked community outcry and a multi-layered response at the school. “Discriminatory, racist and intimi- dating words are not acceptable and will be dealt with very seriously,” said Princi- pal Justin Lieuallen. A total of 10 students received refer- rals, he told the school board on Nov. 28, and the pair that initially came to admin- istrators’ attention for comments made near a pro-Trump rally in the parking lot on Nov. 8 was suspended. That discipline was a start – but only a start – said the group of parents who packed the school board’s earlier meet- ing on Nov. 14. Several urged the board and administrators to crack down hard- er on racism and commit to long-term change. “People turned free speech into rac- ism,” said student Gabriella Rodriquez, explaining some students asked whether she was “ready to go back to Mexico.” “It’s not a one-and-done. It’s not an as- sembly and then everyone’s fine,” testi- fied Elizabeth Neves, a resident who works as a mental health specialist. At the meeting, board members and administrators quickly agreed, saying they’re committed to taking an in-depth look at the high school to make sure stu- dents feel safe. “This is distinctly not a one-and-done situation,” Supt. Andy Bellando replied. “Discrimination of any sort is not accept- able in any of our schools.” Silverton High’s immediate response to the bullying that occurred at election time was intercom announcements en- couraging respect, an automated call to all parents of high-schoolers, and four emergency assemblies, Lieuallen said. The next weeks saw the beginning of support and training for employees, starting with a session led by Rodney Dean, a member of Willamette Educa- tion Service District’s school safety team. Staff then met with John Lenssen, See BULLYING, Page 2A Salem man arrested after fatal hit-and-run LAUREN E HERNANDEZ STATESMAN JOURNAL A North Salem man was arrested after a fatal hit-and-run crash near Silverton High School on Friday morning. Dillon Van Diviner, 22, was driving on the 400 block of Grant Street when he hit a construction worker who was working on a driveway project of a new home, according to a statement released by Silverton Police Chief Jeff Fossholm. Van Diviner continued driving after hitting the construction worker, identified as Bradley Goad, 45, of West Salem. Goad was pro- nounced dead at the scene. Van Diviner abandoned his vehicle at the dead end section of Grant Street and ran into a nearby large farm field, Fossholm said. Silverton and Mt. Angel police offi- cers set up a perimeter and found him running down Hobart Road near North James Street. Van Diviner was arrested without incident. Van Diviner faces one charge of failure to perform the duties of a driv- er. Fossholm said there is an active and ongoing criminal investigation into the incident. The Marion County Crash Team, comprised of Marion County and Keizer personnel, responded to the reconstruction of the crash scene. PHOTOS BY SHELDON TRAVER/SPECIAL TO THE STATESMAN JOURNAL Marion County sheriff’s deputies investigate the scene of a fatal hit and run outside Silverton High School on Friday Dec. 2. The Marion County Sheriff’s Department says there is an active and ongoing criminal investigation into the hit-and-run incident. A medical examiner inspects a car allegedly used in the hit and run death of a man in Silverton on Dec. 2. School official in social media flap CHRISTENA BROOKS SPECIAL TO THE APPEAL TRIBUNE What one Facebook user says is “a difference of opinion,” another calls “cyber-bullying,” and now the debate’s gone public because one of them is an elected official. Silver Falls School Board mem- ber Todd White has come under fire from members of the public and several fellow board members for the Facebook posts he made on Silverton Community Rejects, a 3,200-person closed group dedicat- ed to freewheeling local discourse. “Mr. White has been long known among Silverton area Facebook us- ers to be a cyber-bully, calling peo- ple names and using threatening language when he does not agree with a person’s point of view,” said Silverton resident Shelly Nealon, who proposed White resign from his volunteer position on the school board. “People are emotional about the results of the election and don’t like my opinions on stuff,” White countered. “How I voted has noth- ing to do with me being on the school board. It’s my own private Facebook page. I’m not posting as Todd White, board member.” One of the posts in question was White’s response to news that pro- testers were blocking traffic and smashing windows in Portland fol- lowing the election of Donald Trump as president. He wrote, Top 3 Listing Agents for November 1 $1,200,000 2 See FLAP, Page 2A $445,000 Online at SilvertonAppeal.com NEWS UPDATES PHOTOS » Breaking news » Get updates from the Silverton area » Photo galleries 3 INSIDE Briefs ......................................3B Classifieds..............................3B Life..........................................4A Obituaries.............................2A Police logs ............................3A ©2016 $825,000 Expansive Farmstead! Organic, excellent soils! Two home sites! 2bd/1ba ~ 960 SqFt ~ 93.16 ac MLS#711843 Lebanon Mike Gerig 503-510-5041 Impressive Spaces! Open and Inviting, Custom Accessibility! 4bd/2.5ba ~ 3129 SqFt ~ .46 ac MLS#708163 Mt Angel Valerie Boen 503-871-1667 Room to Roam! 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