* A P r il 24, m
<;et it,.
/oftteo we
’ee vJee!
ByJEl
ng Service: WaW
available for all ft-
i 1-4:30 p.rn.inU#
Jr. Brian K. Wil)*
ig Service -Caw
and Testing Cent'
r careers and the ' j
I be held form 3:S|
iderson Hall. Calls
ore information,
Wednesday • April 24, 1996
Page 7 • The Battalion
Coaches, school ready to move forward after lawsuit
Two Elgin High School coaches were accused of leading team
prayers, playing Christian music, and posting biblical verses
ELGIN (AP) — Residents in this town of
nearly 5,000 say they are ready to get on
with their lives after two high school coaches
were accused of crossing the line between
church and state separations.
The issue, heated by a lawsuit, was re
solved Monday night when the Elgin School
Board voted to extend the coaches’ contracts
and to settle the lawsuit.
Athletic director and football coach Eddie
Baca’s contract and baseball coach Brad Os
born’s contract were up for review before the
lawsuit was filed last month by the Ameri
can Civil Liberties Union.
On votes of 4-3, Baca got a two-year ex
tension on his contract; Osborn got a one-
year extension.
Both were accused of bringing their reli
gions into the locker room — leading team
prayers, playing Christian music and posting
biblical verses. They also were accused of try
ing to coerce student athletes into attending
church and other religious activities.
Baca admitting using Christian music
and prayer, but said he never coerced any
students to participate in religious activities
or to attend his church.
"We're going to move on. S hope
it's going to die now."
— EDDIE BACA
Elgin football coach
Osborn also denied those accusations.
The ACLU filed its lawsuit against the dis
trict, the coaches and two other coaches on be
half of a group of students and parents. The
school board voted 7-0 to approve a settlement
that means the coaches will stop using Christ
ian music, prayers and biblical verses.
It does not require the coaches to admit
they did anything wrong, said Larry Wright,
an attorney for Osborn.
The settlement in part says the coaches
and school admit the lawsuit was warrant
ed and necessary.
Kaye Stiles, a journalism teacher and
parent who led the group suing the coach
es, said that means the coaches admit they
were wrong.
“I’m proud they agreed to settle this,” said
Mrs. Stiles. “But what kind of message does
this send. It’s hard to tell kids you can break
the law and get rewarded.”
Baca and Osborn said with the settlement
done and their contracts renewed they were
ready to move on and believe the community
would heal from the rift caused by the law
suit and their actions.
“We’re going to move on,” Baca said. “I
hope it’s going to die right now.”
Elgin ISD Superintendent Ronald Brad
ford, said he was happy the lawsuit was
settled and hoped to get back to the busi
ness of education.
Representative’s constituent
communication questioned
WASHINGTON (AP) — Texas
Rep. Steve Stockman is pushing
the envelope with a new House
rule: Using taxpayer funds to com
municate with constituents in
ways beyond the traditional mass
mailing or town hall meeting.
In the past, lawmakers were
limited to using taxpayer-fund
ed mailings — their so-called
franking privilege — to reach
out in their districts. Newslet
ters, questionnaires and post
cards were the norm.
But when Republicans took
over the House last year, they
made a quiet change. Lawmak
ers were permitted to dip into
their office accounts to buy ra
dio time to advertise local con
stituent meetings.
So far, at least five House
members have taken to the air
waves. Stockman, a freshman
Republican from Friendswood,
has gone the furthest.
He is using official funds to
buy time for radio call-in shows
in his Gulf Coast district. He
also is buying radio ads, running
for weeks at a time, promoting
his hour-long radio appearances.
While members have explicit
approval to purchase ads promot
ing town hall meetings, the rules
are silent on the use of official
funds to buy time for a radio show.
“Bottom line: The committee
rules do not prohibit members
from using radio time for com
munication with constituents,”
said Bill Pierce, a spokesman for
the House Oversight Committee
that enacted the changes.
Nonetheless, Stockman’s fall
election opponent is crying foul.
Democrat Nick Lampson calls
the new rule a “Republican-cre
ated loophole” that politically
benefits the incumbent, not
constituents.
“I think this is an attempt to
provide Steve Stockman with as
much election-year publicity as he
can get,” Lampson spokesman
Jonathan Brown said.
Elections
Continued from Page 2
Wang said the desire to be
called the Republic of China also
reflects the KMT’s hope to recon
cile with China and become one
nation with both communistic and
democratic government systems.
But, Su said, the descen
dants of the mainland Chinese
are threatened by Taiwan’s
movement toward democracy
because they are losing power
in a nation they have called
home for decades.
He said Taiwan and China,
which disrupted the Taiwanese
election by threatening its for
mer territory with missile war
fare, must work out their dif
ferences, and other countries
must emphasize the need for
peaceful negotiations.
“Just as Russia had to let go of
the Ukraine ... China will have to
let Taiwan go,” Wang said. “The
problem will not be resolved by
other nations prodding them to
stick their heads in the sand and
ignore changes.
“And it won’t be resolved if
both sides are holding onto deep-
seated hatreds.”
Gretchen Alther, a member of
the Jordan Institute and junior
international studies major, said
the institute wanted to bring
Wang to A&M because Taiwan’s
elections have been controversial
and will continue to spark in
ternational debate.
She said Taiwanese students
on the A&M campus are divided
by the issue of Taiwan’s inde
pendence, a situation of which
many students are not aware.
Alther said she supports Tai
wan’s struggle for independence.
She said the country should be
responsible for its own fate and
its own elections.
“I think the country has a right
to choose its own government,”
she said. “I thought it was inter
esting that a lot of the U.S.
thought of (the election) as a real
democratic election but the KMT
had a stronghold on it.”
Wang, who came to the Unit
ed States in 1977 from Taiwan,
works at the Center for Taiwan
International Relations to bring
Taiwanese political leaders to
meet with members of the U.S.
executive branch.
Thurs, Apr. 25 at 7:00 & 9:30 pm
Aidmiselon 62.75 w/I.D. 63 w/out I.D.
Persona wltlx diaabUltlea plenae call B47-8478 to inform un of your apecial need*. We request
no till cat Ion 3 working days prior to tire event to enable us to aeslst you to the bent of our ability.
Aggie dnexxm Hotline: 847-8478 Rudder Box Office: 845-1234
All illma are presented In the Rudder Theater Complex
g Service - lean*!
me management
iop will be held"';
Henderson Hal t 1
for more inf<
Iroup Meeting:
at 7:30 p.m.li'l 1 -
e demo of 0 "
/ser, system/.Si
on advice ande»f*'
: or more ini
:e at 845-63C
sexual AggiesW
at 7 p.m, in
he last meelinjii;
Gayline at
an.
cycle Club: Theft
iow from 8 a.ft ;
jr Fountain.
ick Boss at 6?J
Boss@tamu.edu,
3T?
July
i
It talks.
It talks to your Mom.
It talks to Moscow
It talks to other computers.
For more information visit as on the Internet at htt[)://hed. info, apple, com/
Save big on a Mac."
It listens to your wallet.
When you buy a Macintosh 9 computer, you’re buying some of the most advanced multi-
media capabilities you can get in a computer. With its built-in stereo sound, video
graphics and animation, Macintosh is an easy way to bring yourwork to life. Of course,
you’re also buying the computer that gives you a fast, easy way to access the Internet.
Because with a Macintosh there are no complicated commands needed to get up and
surfing on the Internet. Better yet, with the compatibility of a Mac”you can run UNIX;’
DOS and Windows, as well as Mac OS* Making it easy to talk to other people, even if
they’re not using a Macintosh. And if all that isn’t enough, now we’ve even made
Macintosh easy to buy. Because for a limited time, we’re offering special campus savings
on selected Macintosh computers and Apple” printers. So stop by and visit
us today, and look into the power of Macintosh . The power to he your best?
Serving
Texas A&M.
University
students, faculty
and staff since
1985.
MicroComputerCenter
Computer Sales and Service
Located in the Texas A&M Bookstore, next to the Software Department.
409-845-4081
- G,..
Perfotma* 6214
$1316
8MB/IGB, CD, IS" monitor
$25/month*
FowerBoofc 530Ocs/100
$2,128
8/500MB
$39/month
Style Writer 1200