Readers Lend Their Voices...
Dear Customers
As of June 30, 2012, Grammy’s
Used Books in St. Helens will be going
out of business. As valued customers
we wanted to inform you that we will be
holding closing sales starting June 1st. In
an effort to clear out the inventory we will
be offering ongoing discounts on books,
continuing until June 30th. All sales are
final.
We also wanted to take the time
to thank you for all of your past business
and support.
Please check in often to take
advantage of our sales through closing
day.
If you have any comments or
questions regarding the sale or business
closure, please feel free to contact me
by phone (503-366-3517) or via e-mail
grammysbooks@comcast.net.
Darcy Vandehey
Owner and Sole Proprietor
To the Editor,
It is amazing to me the amount
of parents that sit quietly because they are
afraid of being ostracized. I am guilty as
well. It is sad we live in a community that
chases out its members because of issues
at the school with staff. So many families
move out of town, choose to send their
children to Jewell, Banks, Mist, do online
or home school.
Do you really think that this
shiny, new school is going to bring
people to our town? I think you will be
sorely disappointed if you do. I am not
saying what hasn’t already been said
by so many of our citizens. I am just
saying it a little louder because no one
is listening. The damaging words and
complaints are so powerful that it doesn’t
matter how pretty the school is. Wake up!
People are leaving and their words are
being taken with them to spread to the
outside world. No one is going to move
here if things don’t change. If you want to
blame me because you are a staff member
that got in trouble, then fine, blame me.
I’m guilty for sticking up for the very
children that will some day make up this
community. Do my complaints mean I
hate the school? Absolutely not. I was a
student at the school, played many sports,
belonged to many clubs, came back to
volunteer and was employed as a coach
after graduating and currently drive a
school bus. Am I saying that all the staff
is horrible? Absolutely not. I’ve had the
opportunity to work with some brilliant,
loving staff members. But on the flip
side, there have been some horrible ones
that have left us doing damage control.
I know this is a mutual feeling of many
K-12 parents. Am I perfect? Nope. Do I
make mistakes? I wouldn’t be human if
I didn’t. But the staff members that are
making the same mistakes over and over
are not being held accountable and it’s
affecting our children. If you choose to
live in the “everything is perfect” world,
then you really aren’t seeing the whole
picture.
There are real issues here people.
I know it’s everywhere, but why do we
choose to allow it to continue? We’re not
just raising kids, but husbands, wives,
fathers and mothers. If people choose to
beat them down at a young age, what is
that doing for their future? I don’t gripe
about my situation to upset anyone. I do
it because I’m not the only one griping.
It’s time that the staff hears what we
are saying and stop sweeping the issues
under the rug. I have worked with them
for 5 years. I’ve sat in on countless
meetings, not opening my mouth the way
I should have. Why? I didn’t want to hurt
anyone’s feelings. How many parents
are doing the same? How many children
are suffering, feeling worthless, being
set up to fail? Who is responsible? I am
100% responsible. And if I don’t hold
the others that work with my child 100%
responsible, how am I being responsible?
I hope that this letter shows
others who remain quiet that it is OK to
come forward. We’ve gone to the teachers
and principals and now it’s time to go
higher. If you don’t, my words mean
nothing.
Please speak up for our
kids and their future. Document your
issues, frustrations, suggestions, why
you moved away, why you pulled your
kid and send your e-mails and letters to
the district superintendent (ken.cox@
vernonia.k12.or.us) (Dr. Kenneth Cox-
475 Bridge Street, Vernonia, OR 97064)
so something can be done. If he doesn’t
listen, we go higher.
Do we have what it takes to be
one of the best districts? Absolutely! With
a little more compassion, communication
and consistency we can bring people to
our town. But if nothing changes, nothing
changes.
Thank you for your help!
Amy Barton
Vernonia
To the Editor
I have had children in this school
district actively since March of 2001. I
could and still might possibly put down
on paper some events that have happened
involving my daughters but for now I am
going to focus on the events concerning
letters to the editor
my son and the reasons I feel he has been
treated unfairly in this school district and
why I feel that he is not the only one.
My son is now 12 years old
and has been in this school district from
the beginning of his education. His first
couple of years he had great teachers
with my only complaint being his teacher
saying just how cute he was in front of
my boy. He was pretty cute though!
His 3rd year was really rough
and seemed to be the beginning of the
end.
His 4th year I had no real
complaints for his teacher who stood
strong against the wrong and did not
neglect praising the good.
His following years have been
real rough but this year seemed to be
better until some bumps towards the end.
My son has been labeled a mean,
angry, unmanageable child.
Here’s my story!
My son has learned that the
school staff will not help him. He has to
fight his battles himself.
Not one staff member has seemed
to look at Trevor for Trevor!
This is what other kids see.
He has always been either the
shortest or second shortest boy in his
grade and this makes him smaller than
many other girls also which makes him
an easy target for both boys and girls. The
boys try to knock him around to make
them feel more tough and strong as boys
do and the girls knock him down because
it’s fun knowing a girl can knock down a
boy.
For Trevor’s 2nd, 3rd and 4th
grades I had a parent come to where I
work and tell me how their daughter
was shoving Trevor down to the ground
at school very regularly. This parent
thought it was funny and since I was
at work I could not really say much.
Trevor struggled with this for a long time
obviously because he has been taught not
to hit girls and so he would try to stay
clear of her as much as possible. Why
none of the staff ever saw this happening
I do not know!!
This size issue also gets the
names attached like shorty, shrimp, tiny,
etc. None being ego boosters for a boy.
Trevor has red hair that makes
him stand out in a crowd and the eye
naturally goes to him first just for the
difference in color. This also brings on
the names like Leprechaun, Ginger, Cone
Head, Carrot Top, etc.
Then Trevor had to have on
glasses so bring on the classic Four Eyes
name and the boy is overwhelmed.
So now here is Trevor wearing
june12
2012
3
Publisher and Managing Editor
Scott Laird
503-367-0098
scott@vernoniasvoice.com
Contributors
Lynn Berry
Mark Brown
Dr. Ken Cox
Dr. Carol McIntyre
Wolfgang Rotbart
Michal Smith
Photography
Megan Baker
Ya Ya Denysenko
Tracy Easlon
Scott Laird
Jon Steward
Eric Weller
Want to advertise?
Have an article?
Contact: scott@vernoniasvoice.com
One year subscriptions
(24 issues) $35
Vernonia’s Voice is published
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Vernonia’s Voice, LLC
PO Box 55
Vernonia, OR 97064
503-367-0098
www.VernoniasVoice.com
glasses being knocked down to the
ground by girls regularly and being called
Tiny Leprechaun repeatedly and when he
would go to a staff member for help he
was told to quit complaining and figure
out how to handle it on his own.
Over time he would get so fed
up that he would be overly angry for
good reason and frustrated and then his
behavior was so bad that he stood out
and would get into lots of trouble. The
other kids began to see how they could
tease Trevor and not get caught and get
him in trouble when he got so angry and
they thought it was funny. Where was his
help??
At no point in time have I felt
that a staff member has looked at Trevor
and tried to figure out what has made
him angry. Why wouldn’t he be? He sits
continued on page 4
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