Polk County Education
Polk County Itemizer-Observer • January 27, 2016 13A
JOLENE GUZMAN/Itemizer-Observer
Children listen to musicians perform at Kings Crossing.
Crossing: Students
run cafe, art stand
Continued from 14A
The class teaches business skills, such as counting back
change, accounting skills, serving customers, and working
with craft vendors.
Kings Crossing opened on the Saturday after Thanksgiving
and, although Diana Barnhart and Crowe are on site, stu-
dents have taken the idea and run with it.
“It’s a sense of responsibility, which is fun,” said Nick
Hazelton, a home-schooled student. “We get to have a lot of
say in what goes on.”
That may have been the key lesson Diana Barnhart had in
mind with Kings Crossing — taking an idea and making it a
reality — and not something that could be taught from a
book or lecture.
“That is a life skill that kids get to see,” she said. “This is a
living classroom.”
JOLENE GUZMAN/Itemizer-Observer
People at Dallas School District’s Jan. 19 meeting write questions for the district’s lawyers to answer on Jan. 19
DSD works to accommodate all
Attorneys, parents meet to discuss privacy options for all students
By Jolene Guzman
The Itemizer-Observer
DALLAS — People at-
tending Dallas School Dis-
trict’s meeting about its pol-
icy allowing a transgender
boy to use the boys’ locker
room at Dallas High School
were in search of respect for
all students.
With groups in the com-
munity having differing in-
terpretations of what that
means — and what the law
says — achieving that goal
may prove challenging for
the district.
“Our district has done
what it believes has been
appropriate while adhering
to federal and state law via
the guidance of our attor-
neys,” said Dallas School
District Board Chairwoman
Lu Ann Meyer at the meet-
ing, which drew more than
200 people to the Dallas
Civic Center on Jan. 19.
Meyer said within the
next two months the Ore-
gon Department of Educa-
EMILY MENTZER/Itemizer-Observer
Continued from 1A
Dental, medical, child
care and mental health
needs are offered at the
Central Health and Well-
ness Center across the
street, and now the re-
source center will offer help
with employment, paying
bills, getting diapers and
receiving benefits,
Ainsworth said.
Soon, a mental health
clinic will open at the old
bank on the s-curves in
Monmouth, he noted.
“If it’s available, they’re
going to come,” he said.
Brazeau said Dallas is only
six to eight miles away, but it
may as well be hundreds of
miles away for some.
“It’s a very short trip for
some,” he said. “For others,
it’s a trip they will never
make.”
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February 6 — FREE Concert with "Harmonious" at Faith Lutheran Church
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February 7 — Polk Flea Market, 9 am to 3 pm. Polk County Fairgrounds,
520 S Pacific Hwy W. Rickreall. Polk County's oldest and largest market with
183 tables selling antiques, collectibles, tools, etc. Admission $1. For more
info contact Deb Thomas 503-428-8224
February 14 — Happy Valentine’s Day! From The Monmouth Business
Association
February 15 — President’s Day! No School, grades K-12
February 18 — Monmouth-Independence Chamber After Hours Mixer.
5:30 pm - 7 pm. Main Street Pub & Eatery 169 Main Street W., Monmouth.
Visit www.micc-or.org for updated info.
Feb. 27 & 28 The Mid-Valley Winter Ag Fest is coming to the Polk
County Fairgrounds & Event Center and the Polk County Museum.
This family friendly event will feature a number of Artisan and Farmer’s
Market vendors bringing a wide variety of products. Local 4-H is hosting a
Petting Zoo and a Favorite Foods Contest. There will be Free Face Paint-
ing. Antique Powerland is bringing antique farm equipment. The latest in
Ag Tech will be demonstrated. Additionally, many Agriculture related organ-
izations will have seminars and interactive displays. Organizations attend-
ing the event include Farmers Ending Hunger, Chemeketa Department of
Viticulture, Polk Women for Agriculture, and the Oregon Hops and Brewing
Archive. The weekend will be filled with relevant information for farms
of all sizes. Among the speakers, Dr. Shari Noxel will present on Farm
Succession issues, Dr. Robert Faust of Bio-Ag will discuss Restoring Soil
Health, Amy Garrett with OSU small farm extension will speak on Growing
without Irrigation, and Archivist Tiah Edmundson-Morton from OSU Beer
and Hops History Archive will speak and provide a Beer and Hops History
display. The Polk County Museum is hosting a forum of local authors. Eola
Hills Winery is hosting an Ag themed Sunday Brunch. The Mid-Valley
Winter Ag Fest will run concurrently with the 9th Annual Home and Garden
Show. Noted Idaho author Gretchen Andersen will speak on the Backyard
Chicken movement. Adult admission $5.00. Children 18 and under
Free. Proceeds to benefit local 4-H and FFA.
For more information contact Deb Thomas at
(503) 428-8224 or view at mvwagfest.com.
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mvwagfest@gmail.com, (503) 428-8224
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Attention All Central Panther Students!
Thursdays at the Gate!
From 3 to 5:00 at the Church across the street.
BOARD MEETING
Monday 7:00 p.m.
February 8th
in San Francisco. He said
the Ninth Circuit has inter-
preted Title IX differently
than the other court.
He said adopting a policy
preventing transgender stu-
dents from using the locker
rooms and restrooms of
their gender identity
wouldn’t end well for the
district.
“You could expect a law-
suit, and in my opinion, you
would be on the losing end
of a lawsuit,” Dakopolos
said.
Dallas Parents for Privacy
for All, a group opposing the
policy, say there’s an alter-
native to a lawsuit. The
group wants to work with
district administrators to
find a solution that respects
all students. The group says
it has already happened
Portland and Eugene, which
used creative scheduling
and parent involvement to
address the situation.
The group hopes the
meeting will be just the be-
ginning of the discussion.
Monmouth Area Community Events Calendar
How can we help?
What: Central Community Resource Center.
Where: 1610 Monmouth St., Independence, across the
street from Central High School.
When: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Thursdays. Family and Com-
munity Outreach Manager Brent DeMoe said the center
will open more often if the need is there.
Agencies include: Salvation Army, Fostering Hope,
HALO programs, Mano a Mano, Goodwill Jobs program,
Community Action Agency, resource center programs,
Department of Human Services.
Services available: Help with rent and utilities; birth
certiicates and ID cards; prescriptions, transportation, hy-
giene, diapers, limited clothing; early childhood educa-
tion and care; monthly household budget support and
referrals to inance classes; parenting information and re-
ferrals to classes that support parenting; resume and
cover letter support; job searching support and employer
recruitment support; mentoring services for Spanish
speaking middle school and high school youth; access to
applying for TANF (cash assistance); access to applying
for SNAP (food assistance).
For more information: 503-606-2310.
transgender student re-
quests using the locker
room and restroom of their
gender identity, the district
has to accommodate.
That conclusion is partly
based on a federal Office of
Civil Rights resolution of a
complaint filed on behalf of a
transgender boy attending a
school district in Illinois. OCR
concluded the district com-
pelling the student to use an
alternative changing area was
a violation of Title IX.
Kelly Noor, another attor-
ney representing the dis-
trict, said the situation —
changing in an area re-
moved from the student’s
classes — often made her
late for classes and affected
attendance.
Dakopolos also ex-
plained why a federal court
decision throwing out Title
IX as a defense for a similar
policy in a Virginia school
district may not apply in
Oregon, which is under the
jurisdiction of the federal
court’s Ninth Circuit, based
February 2016
David Clyne and Ramil Meza visit at the open house.
Center: Resources
come to Central
tion will issue guidelines for
school districts.
DHS Principal Steve
Spencer said the school is
working to meet the needs
of both for the transgender
boy who asked to use the
boys’ locker room and for
boys sharing that space
who feel uncomfortable.
“We work individually
with each student to pro-
vide the accommodations
that would allow them to
feel most comfortable,”
Spencer said.
According to the district’s
lawyers, the district must
continue doing that or risk
being sued or enduring a
federal investigation.
“The district can’t dis-
criminate against any stu-
dent,” said Paul Dakopolos,
an attorney with Salem’s
Garrett Hemann Roberson,
who represents the district.
“On these kinds of issues …
we are going to have to do
what is right for all.”
The district’s attorneys
interpret that to mean if a
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