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Page 6 • Thursday, April 1, 1999
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Former Rice coach sues students
HOUSTON (AP) — A former
Rice University swimming coach is
suing 14 student athletes she
blames for bad mouthing her
coaching ability until she lost her
job.
Kris Wingenroth, 45, coached
men’s and women’s swimming
teams at Rice for 15 years until her
contract was not renewed last
summer. Her tenure included five
“coach of the year” awards in the
Southwest Conference.
But Wingenroth claims stu
dents went on a mission to oust
her, complaining that she was too
soft just before her contract was
not renewed.
“There is not another single re
ported case in the world of a coach
suing the athletes who criticized
the coach,” attorney Rusty Hardin,
hired by the school to represent
the students, told the Houston
Chronicle in Wednesday editions.
“Rice’s position is the students
have to feel free to express their
opinions. If they can’t do that,
then the whole idea of a universi
ty as a place to freely exchange
ideas will go down the tubes.”
Hardin said the school decided
not to renew the coach’s contract
after looking into the students’
concerns.
Wingenroth’s attorney, James
Adams, could not be reached for
comment.
Wingenroth, who Hardin said is
now in Ecuador studying Spanish,
initially sued two swimmers, Cory
Teague and Christian Selchau-
Hansen, in state court in Decem
ber. She added 12 more to the list
earlier this month.
The former coach is seeking un
specified actual and punitive dam
ages for several legal claims, in
cluding defamation, conspiracy to
interfere with her contract and in
tentional infliction of emotional
distress.
On March 7, her attorney filed
a 75-paragraph document outlin
ing what the swimmers allegedly
did to get her fired.
According to the lawsuit, Win
genroth’s first confrontation with
the swimmers occurred in March
1995, after she reported to univer
sity officials that several swimmers
had used illegal drugs at a party.
University officials met with the
students but did not punish them,
the lawsuit says, and soon after
ward swimmer Carrell Covington
allegedly told Wingenroth she
would make it her “mission” to
get the coach fired.
Chavez holiday pending in House
AUSTIN (AP) — Chanting “Si, se
puede,” and waving red flags crest
ed with thunderbirds, hundreds
marched to the Capitol in support of
a bill that would make March 31 an
optional state holiday honoring Lati
no leader Cesar Chavez.
Known as the civil rights activist
with the “Yes, it can be done” battle
cry, Chavez — who would have
turned 72 on Wednesday — was re
membered by a 2-foot birthday cake
with iced red roses and an altar to
the Virgin of Guadalupe.
Among the marchers was Chavez’
younger brother Richard, 69.
“It has been six years since he
died, but he’s still organizing peo
ple,” Richard Chavez said as he
looked into the crowd that hailed
from El Paso to Laredo.
Earlier this month, the Texas Sen
ate approved legislation that would
allow state government employees
to take off Chavez’ birthday with pay
in place of any other state holiday
that fell on a weekday.
The bill, which is pending in the
House, also has the support of Gov.
George W. Bush.
“I’ll sign it. It’s a nice statement,”
Bush said.
Richard Chavez said that if the
bill passes, Texas would be the first
state to enact such a holiday.
“Ill sign it. it's a
nice statement/'
— Gov. George W. Bush
On the Cesar Chavez bill
“Cesar is being honored all over
the country — hundreds of schools,
libraries and streets have been
named for him, and we’d like an air
port too,” he said, referring to talks
underway in San Antonio to rename
its airport for the activist.
As children, the brothers were
farm workers who “picked every
thing under the sun but pockets,”
Richard Chavez said.
Working conditions were atro
cious, pay was low and insurance
nonexistent back then, he said. Al
though Cesar was warned that farm
workers could never be organized,
he began rallying for change in the
early ’60s, ultimately founding the
United Farm Workers, Richard
Chavez said.
Cesar Chavez led boycotts on
grapes — the pesticides of which are
harmful to those who harvest them
— and began a series of hunger and
labor strikes that lasted throughout
his life.
“The people he worked with hap
pened to be 90 percent Mexican, but
he went across the borders, touching
everyone — blacks, poor whites.
That is why this holiday is for every
body,” Richard Chavez said.
Toward the end of the rally, some
of the marchers began chanting
“Where is Bush?” They expressed
disappointment that Bush, who has
courted the Hispanic vote, did not
participate in the rally.
“Just because he speaks Spanish
doesn’t mean he is for us,” Linda
Herrera, president of the Texas State
Employees Union, said.
Linda Edwards, the governor’s
spokeswoman, said their scheduling
office was not contacted.
Repairing history
Steve Thompson and Mikey Scilio rebuild the roof of a historic home located off of GeorgeE.
Drive Wednesday. The 100-year-old house was seriously damaged by a fire in January.
. 6 A
Bill may prohibit suing gun manufactu
AUSTIN (AP) — A bill to limit
Texas cities’ ability to sue gun man
ufacturers won preliminary approval
Wednesday from the state Senate,
but only after lawmakers made sure
the attorney general still could file
lawsuits on the state’s behalf.
The 22-7 vote came on the third
day that the bill by Sen. Jon Lindsay,
R-Houston, has been before the Sen
ate. Twice last week, he withdrew
the bill from consideration after
doubts were expressed about its re
strictions.
His bill comes at a time when a
number of U.S. cities have consid
ered suing gun makers to recover the
costs of gun-related violence.
“This is kind of a backdoor way
of the anti-gun people to put the gun
industry totally out of business,”
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WE DOIXI'T IVIISS A BEATT’X A K K
Ycrotlcdb,
A<xrttliuj»ioit Asswdation
f.>r Ambulatory Hcukh C’*r«, in,.
said Lindsay, whose bill requires a
final Senate vote before going to the
House for consideration.
An opponent of the measure.
Sen. Gonzalo Barrientos, D-Austin,
predicted the bill “will probably be
back to haunt us.”
“This is not local control ... You
put earrings on it, put a little lipstick,
put a little perfume on it. But it’s still
an ugly bill,” said Barrientos.
The measure would prohibit
Texas governmental units — includ
ing cities and counties — from suing
firearm or ammunition makers or
sellers for damages related to lawful
manufacture or sales to the public.
The prohibition would be lifted
only if the Legislature approved such
a lawsuit in advance.
As originally filed, the bill also
ome is wlr
Rmunately
would have restrictedthf^l ’earn, that
general’s authority tobrinijin ; a Stella*
But an amendmeni tairhup with
Wednesday would leave iglhiiversity
ney general with existing:. Ai home, A<S-
to bring lawsuits withoio'ss coming ag
lature’s approval. irli ics Baseb-
Lawsuits brought by inr h comparis
also would not be afeeJUi h-ranked
bill, Lindsay said. Jad record fel
It also would notprevfli h the game
of contract or warrantyBig 12) fell
governmental bodies crelhman pitc
firearms or ajnmunfe 1 the first inr
amendment added mortec^ength of jun
for such things aslawsu nd home run
age to government prop ae top of the ■
fective firearms and c« fhe Aggies -
sonal injury or death,alf ot the ini"
county is suing to recra
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