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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (May 8, 1985)
- » **► ■<***■••— > V« f « L* >V 4 * \* <k . Harrison fired by Robert Lothian James Harrison brought a compul er lab and a kindergarten to St A n drew School during his three years Police Chief Penny Herrington listen* Intently at recent Boise Asso ciation meeting where latest account* of Lloyd Stevenson death were ajred (Photo: Richard J. Brown) A new police version by Lam ia Duke C R A S S R O O T N E W S . N .W . — The official police version o f what happened April 20 recently was up dated and caught some residents o ff guard. However, the latest account related at a recent meeting o f the Boise Neighborhixxl Association by Police Chief Penny Harrington, is closer to eyewitness accounts o f the event as reported in the Portlund O b server April 25 and M ay 2. Harrington said there were three telephone calls to the police. The first car arrived at 11:05 and was called away to a higher priority call. "T en or 12 minutes later the store called again and said a fight had broken out with the shoplifter and they needed help now In addition, the service station attendant called juid saic a fight was going on and somebody was going over there with a gun," explained Harrington. She said it officers saw two groups o f people — the shoplifter and the clerks near the store and a, the other end o f the parking lot an other group was shouting and yelling. Harrington said the police noticed Stevenson backhand a service station attendant and Pant ley intervened. "The attendant backed up and was quiet while Stevenson was still pushing in that direction. Officer Pantley pul his hands on Stevenson’s shoulder and Stevenson said some thing to the officers he did not hear. Stevenson kept pushing and hit him (Officer Pantley). Other (three) o ffi cers jumped him from behind and each side. They took him to the ground, put the hold on and hand as principal. He credits the kindergarten with causing a turnaround in declining en rollment at the small Catholic ele mentary school with about 80 students. Harrison said a "team concept" and sensitivity to the special needs o f students, many o f whom come from low income families, has made the school popular with parents. "W e started something here three years ago." he said. " W e like each other, we enjoy working together and that’s bang broken u p." In March, Harrison was informed by St. Andrew pastor James Coleman that his contract would not be re newed, allegedly for refusing to recog nize the authority o f the St. Andrew school board and parish council in a dispute over whether the St. Andrew Clothes Closet should continue at the school. Five teachers and the school secre tary — almost the entire staff — re signed in protest of Harrison's firing, and a group o f parents picketted Sunday services at St. Andrew Church. "Next year, you’re going to have a completely new school,” said H a m - son. He said that if he was offered his job back he would probably refuse because of what he described as in sulting treatment by the church lead cuffed h im ." Edna Robertson, one o f the com munity leaders Harrington called alter the tragedy, immediately noticed ership. Harrison said he is filing a grievance with Portland Archdiocese school the different story. " I dont think the story was related to you correctly. The question in my mind is, here you have a young man who was a karate expert, who knew how to break a hold like that. I have to think someone in the line has lied to you. You did your duty and related to me what was told to you. And a lot of truth was not told to you from the very beginning." One resident left the meeting saying, " I believe she was set up. Some o f those officers didn’t want a woman as chief and gave her a bum officials. The trouble began with the Clothes Closet, which draws up to 150 low- income people to the school on Thurs days for free clothes. Harrison said Clothes Closet clients wait in the hall and roam the school, disrupting classes and bothering stu dents. One little girl went home with wet pants because she was afraid to go to the bathroom, and the kindergarten teacher told him that "Thursdays are wasted" because of the noise, said Harrison. " I don't think (the Clothes Closet) should operate while school is in ses sion,” he said. He offered suggestions, including moving the Clothes Closet to a room with an outside entrance, but his suggestions were ignored, according story. Legislators nix contra aid by Robert Lothuin As President Reagan lobbied for $14 million in aid for the contra rebels fighting to defeat Nicaragua’s Sandinisia government, the Oregon legislature passed a joint resolution calling for an end to the aid. Senate Joint Memorial 3 urges the President and Congress to provide “ no further aid in any form , includ ing but not limited to funds, material, personnel, or operational or policy guidance to counterrevolutionary or other private military or paramilitary forces conducting military activities against the civilian population, na tional territory or government o f Nicaragua." The memorial urges a cut-off ol aid flowing through "any nation, group, organization, movement or individ uals." It also calls for the United States to assist with the earliest possible resolution of armed conflict in the Central America region, "by any means possible.” including through the Contadora peace negotiations sponsored by Mexico and Venezuela. Ttie bill’s language condemns "the campaign ol terror conducted by contra military forces with the finan cial and material assistance of the United Slates government and opera tion and policy guidance by official United Slates agencies and person nel "that has caused thousands of deaths, woundings and kidnappings o f Nicaraguan civilians, including many children, women and elderly steadfastly refused any changes. They say that Harrison has done a good job as principal but that he failed to understand the church's mission to low income people. When Coleman asked Ham son to sign a letter supporting continuance of the Clothes Closet at the school. Harrison refused. He said his refusal was based on Portland Archdiocese regulations which mandate him to protect the educational environment and which stipulate that church lead ership should stay out o f school ad With severe economic problems at home, "the money can be better spent supporting needed programs in this country,” according to the bill. Two Oregon legislators who have visited Nicaragua, Sen. Jeannette Hamby (R Hillsboro) and Sen Margie Hendriksen (D-Eugcnc), sponsored the joint resolution A copy of the revolution was sent to the President, the Secretary of State, Congressional leaders and Oregon's Congressional delegation, most of whom voted against Reagan's latest bid for more contra aid to Harrison. Holding the Clothes Closet out side o f school hours or moving it would be inconvenient for clients suf fering from hard limes, according to the church leadership, who have * IB Special Coupon MOTHERS’ '■ FREES FREE Summit Con- ^ n e r Relax®’ Perrn I I I w ith ■1 ii j! Relaxare Perm 620.00 CURLS s35°° No Check* ministration. " I am irritated that I have been ap pointed as professional to administer the building, and my professional Ì JANAE HAIRSTYLE ism isn't taken seriously," he said. St. Andrew is known for its many programs for low income people, and for offering sanctuary to Central American refugees. But underlying St. Andrew's progressive image, said harrison, is a paternal, "do-gooder" attitude coming from some members of the school board and the parish 4711 N. Interstate I 249-8440 ENROLL NO W FOR Portland Public Schools Fall HEAD START Program council. " I think the school board and the parish council are more concerned with the image o f St. Andrew than the reality." said Harrison. "Nobody talked about the justice o f the de cision. the parents wanted to talk about justice." At one meeting parents were told there was no room on the agenda to discuss th ar concerns, he said, and so they moved to another room and be gan planning the picketnng During another meeting at the end o f April, the church leadership refused to give clear answer about why Harrison wav fired, and 15 people walked out, according to Harrison. Harrison said he has received no writ ten documentation o f the charges against him. " I have been given vague statements but no reasons. . due process was not involved," he said. At Irvington and King Schools, said Harrison, parents agitated to get rid o f teachers and principals they felt were racist At St Andrew, they said, "they are saying l a ’s keep peo ple in the interest of good education." " I think the picketting shows that people believe this is a gcxxl school and an application. A M and PM sessions. and they want to keep it." Harrison lives with his wife Bar bara and three daughters (one attends St. Andrew kindergarten) in the Laurelhurst area He grew up in The Duke Report — Portland's Urban Contemporary News Show. Our journalistic focus is youth, neighborhoods and Portlanders of color. New York City, receiving a B A. from Hunter College before leaving for West Africa and two years as a Peace Corps teacher. He taught at Cleveland High for seven years and at Grant for one year before coming to St. Andrew. Sunday, M onday, Thursday and Friday 9:00 p.m . - 9:30 p.m . 23 CHANNEL NE residents to meet state reps C H A NNEL MRS. C’S WIGS Residents of North and Northeast Portland are invited to have an op portunity to discuss current legislative issues with their State Representatives on Saturday, May 18, from 10:00 to 11:30 a m. M ajor issues to be dis cussed are: fighting Crime — Are We Too Tough or Not Tough Enough?, What is the Legislature Doing?. State Representatives Margaret Carter (Democrat, District 18) and M ike Burton (Democrat, District 17), have set aside this lime for free "Donutes and Coffee" with con stituents. The constituent coffee will be held at the Snack Bar, Portland Community College, Cascade Campus, 705 N. Killingsworth. The public and press arc invited. M»ny wig» priced »1 ® Taka an additio al 10% oft already marked down wig price* M aM ve Betty CiB'n* Proprietor to NAOMI S M S ANOAI OOUOtAS N A T A lK C O U » M C H A Il persons." i i ♦ » » i ♦ i i i ♦ ♦ ♦ i i » i EM M A'S KITCHEN SOUL FOOD T amales Hot dogs Bar B-Que Ribs Hamburger Cheeseburger Homemade Soup French fries Grilled Cheese Sandwich Eggs, Bacon Sausage Fried potatoes Grits Dinners Cook's Choice 1329 N.E. Fremont • 281-2560 Tues S at 6 a .m . 12 a . m . , S u n d a y 1 p .m . - 12 a .m . C lo s e d M o n d a y (Photo. Richard J. Brown) Crisis hotline needs volunteers j M a ro Crisis Intervcntxxi Service is seeking earing, non-judgniental indi viduals to do telephone crisis oxinsciing dunng business hours and on overnight shifts. No experience is needed An ex tensive training program is provided. Training and counseling takes place downtown Portland Registration for the summer session begins immediate ly. Classes begin June I and will be taught Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9:00 a m. to 12:00 noon and some Saturday mornings through July 2nd. Class size is limited, so early registra tion is encouraged. For more infor mation call 226-3099. M a r o is a 24-hour telephone coun seling savice that provides informa tion, referral and counseling at no charge to callers. The agency receives approximately 3,000 calls a month from people with a wide variety of problems such as depression, alcohol and drug issues, parent/child con flict and thoughts o f suicide. All calls are confidential and may remain anonymous. The agency is staffed by carefully screened and well- trained volunteers who are under the supervision o f m a sta’s level crisis team supervisors. The savice was founded in 1979 and is funded by Multnom ah and Washington Counties and is a United Way agency serving the Tri-County area. LAWRA K 1048 $*|K00 Now ■ $?E95 i * m 10% Now 1«. 10% M R S . C *s W IG S 707 N.E. Fremont 2 8 1 -6 5 2 5 Closed Sun. S Mea. 0 F IN Twee, thru tat. 11:30 AM te 6:00 FM