(NAME-MCE) Employees say racial jokes have been tolerated at Stephens Middle School Salem OR

[Anselmo Villanueva]

Complaints aimed at Salem school

Employees say racial jokes have been tolerated at Stephens Middle School

The Associated Press  Monday, Jun 29, 2009

http://www.registerguard.com/csp/cms/sites/web/news/sevendays/16263815-35/story.csp

SALEM, Oregon — Employees of Stephens Middle School have filed complaints
claiming that school leaders tolerate a culture of racial jokes among staff
members and in front of students.

Assistant librarian Jill Mundt has notified Salem-Keizer School District of
intent to sue.

She claims that Principal Neil Anderson tolerated racial jokes but
selectively disciplined her after she responded to an e-mail that parodied
another employee. “Racially derogatory words and actions are rampant in the
school,” said Larry Linder, Mundt’s lawyer, adding that those who are
complaining just want change.

The district filed a response on Friday, which district spokesman Jay Remy
characterized as a strong denial.

He declined to detail what the response contained. Remy and Anderson did not
comment, saying the district wants the legal and U.S. Equal Employment
Opportunity Commission processes to proceed.

“Nobody is ignoring these,” Remy said. “That’s how it will be determined
what the facts are and what the remedy needs to be.”

Stephens Middle School serves about 960 students, of whom about 65 percent
are minorities.

Two discrimination complaints obtained by the Statesman Journal claim that
administrators gave wide latitude to some staff members who made racist
remarks that even the students found inappropriate.

The tort claim filed by Mundt cites several incidents she says were
tolerated.

It claims that two former teachers referred to themselves as trailer trash
and that a teacher, while pushing a cart, asked the principal if the cart
should have an Asian driver.

The claim contends that the same teacher pulled back her eyes and started
talking in a fake Chinese language in front of students and another staff
member.

The district has received multiple internal complaints from employees at
Stephens, Remy said.

The district contends that the complaints are personnel matters and not
public records.

Internal complaints by Mundt released to the Statesman Journal cite staff
unhappiness and a high transfer rate.

Anderson said Stephens promotes a discrimination-free and harassment-free
workplace.

Flags of students’ birth countries hang in the building, as do banners
welcoming students in seven languages spoken in the hallways.

Mundt’s claim says she underwent unfair retaliation and discipline for
responding to an e-mail about a fellow employee who parodied The 12 Days of
Christmas song. A staff member who helped create it said it was based on
actual situations, was meant to be funny and was not racist.

Holly Matheny filed a federal complaint contending that she was disciplined
unfairly after helping create the parody e-mail. Her complaint says the
discipline was arbitrary.

“I don’t make racist jokes,” Matheny said. “I have children of mixed race.
It was hurtful to be called that.”