WWW . THESKANNER . COM
O CTOBER 3, 2012
S EATTLE , W ASHINGTON
V OLUME XXXIV, N O .
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C HALLENGING P EOPLE TO S HAPE A B ETTER F UTURE N OW
TA S T Y !
GOP
Feud
Resolved
Claim against Sen.
Pam Roach alleged
‘hostile workplace’
PHOTO BY SUSAN FRIED
By Rachel La Corte
The Associated Press
Alonzo Moreno, a kindergardener at Dearborn Elementary School, enjoys some locally-grown pluots on Taste
Washington Day. The annual celebration of Washington-grown foods served in school meals is a partnership
between the Washington State Department of Agriculture’s Farm-to-School program and the Washington School
Nutrition Association.
Native American Mascot Ban?
State tries to encourage schools to get rid of offensive images
By Donna Gordon
Blankinship
The Associated Press
SEATTLE (AP) — The state
Board of Education is making
another attempt at encouraging
Washington schools to replace
their Native American mascots.
In the past decade, about 10
schools have given up their
Indian mascots. But another 50,
including tribal schools, are
holding fast to their nicknames
as warriors, braves, redskins
and red devils.
The state board passed a reso-
lution on Wednesday urging dis-
tricts to stop using Native
American mascots, but as board
spokesman
Aaron
Wyatt
acknowledges, it does not have
the authority to mandate this
change.
There are no consequences for
schools that do not voluntarily
choose a new mascot, Wyatt
said Friday.
Oregon’s state Board of Edu-
cation voted in May to ban
Native American mascots, nick-
names and logos. Schools in
INDEX
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Bids/Classifieds............3
that state have five years to
comply. Eight Oregon high
schools are affected.
Washington’s
resolution,
which is similar to resolution
passed by the board in 1993,
was inspired by research by the
American Psychological Asso-
ciation citing the adverse effects
of Native American mascots on
students.
The resolution also mentions
the widening achievement gap
between Native American and
other students and the call by a
number of national organiza-
tions and tribes for this change.
``We are in the business of
educating students,’’ Board
member Bernal Baca said in a
statement. ``We need to remove
any barrier that will impede stu-
dent success.’’
Marcus Morgan, superinten-
dent of the Reardan-Edwall
School District near Spokane,
said the issued hadn’t been
raised during his tenure with the
school district but was open to
the idea of discussing now.
All of Reardan’s sports teams
See MASCOTS on page 3
OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) — The Wash-
ington state Senate will review its work-
place policies and has reaffirmed its
sanctions against a Republican senator
under a settlement announced Friday.
Mike Hoover, a senior Republican attor-
ney for the Senate who had originally been
seeking $1.75 million from a hostile work
environment claim he filed earlier this year,
did not receive any money under the settle-
ment.
However, under the terms of the agree-
ment dated Wednesday, in return for Hoover
dropping the complaint, the state reaffirmed
its commitment to its policies addressing a
respectful workplace, as well as reaffirmed
sanctions against Sen. Pam Roach, R-
Auburn, that limit her interactions with
staff.
``Some things are more important than
money,’’ Hoover wrote in an emailed state-
ment. ``Among them, treating people with
decency and respect.’’
Hoover, who has been on leave since
April, says he was subjected to a hostile and
abusive workplace because of Roach. She
was banned from the Republican caucus
two years ago after an investigation deter-
mined that she had mistreated staff.
GOP leaders implemented policies bar-
ring Roach from the caucus room and
deemed her ineligible to participate in cau-
cus votes. The Senate Facilities and Opera-
tions Committee, which oversees personnel
issues, issued a reprimand on behalf of the
entire Senate in early 2010, and ordered that
Roach should have no direct contact with
most Senate staff.
While Roach had received prior repri-
mands for her interactions with staff, the
January 2010 punishment followed numer-
ous incidents with Hoover, culminating with
an ``unusually vicious attack’’ in 2009,
according to the 15-page complaint Hoover
See COMPLAINT on page 3
Secretary of State Candidates Spar
Traditionally Republican seat up for grabs as incumbent retires
By Chris Grygiel
The Associated Press
SEATTLE (AP) — Washington has a
reputation for electing Democrats to
statewide office, but the party hasn’t pro-
duced a secretary of state in nearly 50 years.
Former state Sen. Kathleen Drew hopes to
become the first Democratic secretary of
state since Vic Meyers, who lost a re-elec-
tion bid in 1964. Republican Kim Wyman,
Thurston County’s auditor, is looking to
maintain the GOP winning streak in
November.
The secretary of state oversees state and
local elections and registers and licenses
private corporations. Longtime incumbent
Sam Reed, a Republican, is retiring.
Wyman and Drew say the election comes
down to a choice between experience and
new ideas.
Wyman says she has conducted more than
80 elections and will work to modernize the
registration process, with the goal of mak-
ing it more automated and maintaining a
balance between security and access. She
also aims to run the system more efficiently
in an era of tight budgets.
See ELECTIONS on page 3