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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 15, 2000)
Page 6 Wednesday, November 15,2(1 STATE Vednesday, N THE BATTALION Jewish parents lodge religious complaints News in Brief SUGAR LAND (AP) — Two Jewish parents, spurred to action by a suburban Houston school district’s support of a foot- ball-prayer resolution last winter, have re turned with an array of allegations about re ligious problems in several local schools. Among the charges leveled by parents Frank Levy and Hillary Goldstein was that two Fort Bend Independent School District middle schools promoted after-school prayer meetings this fall, with one allowing posters featuring crosses. Also, they said Fort Bend Austin High School required Jewish students to bring notes from rabbis so they could miss school Oct. 9 to observe Yom Kippur, one of Ju daism’s most important holidays. “There were four or five points to deal with,” Levy said of the Oct. 23 board meet ing where he and Goldstein laid out their complaints. “We expect them to respond in some detail.” On Monday, Fort Bend’s superintendent Don Hooper responded to each of them dur ing the district’s regular board meeting. Hooper said the principal allegation — the requirement of an excuse note from a rabbi — stemmed from an error due to an in experienced school official. “The investigation of that concern has de termined that a brand-new administrator in nocently gave incorrect information on that subject during freshman orientation at Austin 4 High School,” Hooper said. “We realize there is an evolutionary process to get these things changed. I think the school dis trict really wants to address these issues” — Dena Marks Spokeswoman for the Houston chapter of the Anti-Defamation League “We do apologize for that mistake and the administration has taken appropriate action to insure that sort of mistake does not occur again. Hooper also said that a school principal may be permitted to announce the activities of student religious groups over the public address system and via posters “so long as the same opportunity is given to every oth er student group on campus.” Other allegations included a teacher’s computer screen saver that displayed the words “Jesus Christ,” and an elementary school nurse who called Jewish parents on Yom Kippur to inquire about absent children. Hooper said he was only able to confirm two such calls and said it is standard prac tice for the nurse to check on absent students who have not given prior notice they will be missing school. The screen saver allegation could not be confirmed, Hooper said. Levy briefly addressed the board mem bers Monday, thanking them for investigat ing the allegations and providing explana tions where they could. Levy noted the school board has a clear policy barring religion from school affairs and that district legal counsel Bernadette Gonzalez appears to have been responsive in addressing the issues. Hooper said he asked Gonzalez to draft comprehensive guidelines to ensure school policy is in compliance with state and fed eral law. He also promised diversity training for teachers and administrators. “1 think what they did is a start,” Gold stein said. “ But 1 also think they have a long way to go. 1 believe the tolerance and diver sity training is key.” Dena Marks, spokeswoman for the Houston chapter of the Anti-Defamation League, said the organization was moni toring the issue but had not taken a stance either way. “We realize there is an evolutionary process to get these things changed,” Marks said. “I think the school district really wants to address these issues.” Marks added that, based on her organi zation’s dealings with Gonzalez, any alleged problems do not appear to be systemic. However, Levy said he and other Jewish parents have scrutinized the district since it passed a nonbinding resolution in February supporting the State Board of Education’s defense of the football-game prayer policy at Santa Fe High School. The prayer policy, rejected this sum mer in a highly publicized U.S. Supreme Court decision, allowed students to initi ate payer over the loudspeaker at Santa Fe home games. “(The state resolution) was designed to be inflammatory and a rallying point for people of like beliefs,” Levy said. 15-year-old testifies against rape suspects' HOUSTON (AP) — A 15-year-oldgf took the stand Monday to describes prosecutors said was “every girl’s niglr mare times nine” — her Decembergangl rape by nine men and teen-agers inafiel! after she was offered a ride homefroinil birthday party. "I kept telling myself it was a dreary that I was going to wake up," the girltoi; the court in tears. The girl testified during the first day the trial of three of the nine males* cused of gang-raping her a total of 1| times in a field on Dec. 19 last year. Jose Vasquez, 21, Ismael Roman,23, and Juan Hernandez, 17, are beingtri* together on charges of aggravated sexir, al assault of a child. The girl testified the crime hapi after the suspects offered to drive heraiKl| her 14-year-old friend home from 31 quincenera, which is a 15th birthdaycel ebration in Mexican culture that marks womanhood. She and her friend accept ed because they could not find a relative) to pick them up, the victim said. WORSHIP LED BY ROSS KING Sponsored by Compass College Ministries This Sunday Night Dr. Al Meredith Pastor, Wedgwood Baptist Church, Ft. Worth “Tragedy & Triumph in God’s Kingdom” Latin & Dance. Music Tarty ‘Benefitting ‘Toys-for-'Tots & ^Honduras CfiiLCren - ■ u ,V <S(SW. 17,2000 GQiigfits of CoCumBus HaCC, Qroesbecti^ (Bryan 8 p.nu -1 clou *5 per person Jason Glei 'with a kne |o. 1 Okie !J< >1131 m i mui nioq iq s jloosn IT JUST A § ^ Jason L The Battul, a'J/ .bifi? 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