(NAME-MCE) More on incident at North Eugene High School Eugene OR

[Anselmo Villanueva]

Dear NAME --

I posted the letter "Guest Viewpoint: We’ve learned our lesson: Racism
hurts, and we’re sorry" by William Roberts, Justin Reeder and Meta Reeder
(February 27, 2010, Register Guard, Eugene OR
http://www.registerguard.com/csp/cms/sites/web/opinion/24501140-47/community-eugene-jail-race-racism.csp
)

Below is information on the initial incident at North Eugene High School in
February 2009.  There is a segment on YouTube and another article from the
local newspaper.

Anselmo
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YouTube

Racial Fight Between Students And Parents - News Report

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AsUcEFZ6n4A

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Five face charges after high school scuffles

After a fight, family members show up at North Eugene High School and
assault three bystander youths, police say

By Jack Moran  The Register-Guard  February 27, 2009

http://special.registerguard.com/csp/cms/sites/web/news/cityregion/8538056-41/story.csp

Police said the father of a North Eugene High School student involved in an
on-campus fight Thursday went to the school and used racial slurs while
assaulting a group of black students who were not part of the initial
dispute.

The man, William Ray Roberts, 36, of Eugene, was lodged in the Lane County
Jail on charges of third-degree assault, a felony, and a misdemeanor count
of second-degree intimidation.

Three other adults and one teenager face criminal charges in connection with
a series of racially charged confrontations at the high school Thursday
involving Roberts’ family.

“This was a scene filled with a lot of tension,” Eugene Police Department
spokeswoman Melinda Kletzok said of the noon-hour incidents.

Eugene police said Roberts went to the school at 220 Silver Lane after
learning that his 15-year-old son, who is white, had gotten into a fight
with a black student during the lunch hour.

Roberts arrived at the campus with his wife, Meta Pauline Reeder, 40, and
another family member, identified as Justin William Reeder, 23.

Kletzok said Roberts and his family, for an unknown reason, confronted three
black students who were sitting on a bench.

Roberts allegedly used racial slurs against the students and, along with his
wife, assaulted two of them, Kletzok said.

Justin Reeder also became involved in a fight with a student while at the
school, police said.

Police said the teens who were allegedly assaulted by Roberts’ family
suffered cuts and scrapes.

Some time later, the mother of one of the teens, Michelle Marie Dumilieu,
38, of Eugene, arrived at the campus and tried to confront Roberts’ family,
police said.

Dumilieu allegedly ignored officers’ instructions to calm down, and was
arrested after scuffling with police.

Officers took Dumilieu into custody on misdemeanor charges of resisting
arrest, interfering with police and physical harassment. She was released
later in the afternoon.

Like her husband, Meta Reeder faces a felony charge of third-degree assault.
She was cited and released.

Justin Reeder received a citation for fourth-degree assault, a misdemeanor.

Roberts’ son was cited for disorderly conduct, second-degree criminal
mischief and intimidation.

The black student who fought with Roberts’ son in a school hallway does not
face any charges in connection with the incident, Kletzok said.

Eugene School District spokeswoman Kerry Delf said a group of North Eugene
students representing a variety of backgrounds stood up to Roberts’ family
as the adults allegedly assaulted the teens sitting on the bench.

North Eugene High “has a fairly diverse student body,” Delf said. “A group
of students saw what was happening and spontaneously supported the students
and let (Roberts’ family) know that what they were doing would not be
tolerated.

“We see that as something really positive that came out of a negative
situation,” she said.

Delf said racial minorities comprise nearly 27 percent of the student body
at North Eugene. At each of the district’s other three high schools,
minorities make up about 20 percent of the student body.

The high school’s principal, Laurie Henry, issued a letter Thursday to
students and their families explaining what had happened, and what the
school was doing in response.

“Many students were aware of the event and may have differing perceptions of
what actually occurred,” Henry wrote.

“Concerned students and staff are gathering (Thursday) afternoon, and there
will be additional outreach and discussion continuing (today),” she said.
“Any student with continuing concerns is encouraged to talk to a teacher,
administrator or school counselor.

“It is important to note that the student body at (the high school)
responded to racist behavior with conviction and with unity,” Henry wrote.
“I am proud of our students.”

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http://www.oregonlive.com/news/index.ssf/2009/02/eugene_family_criticized_for_t.html

Eugene family criticized for taking part in racially charged fight with
teens
By Kathleen Glanville, The Oregonian
February 28, 2009, 2:09PM

EUGENE, Oregon -- A family involved in a racially charged fight with
students at a Eugene high school has drawn criticism from local leaders.

According to Eugene Police, a fight broke out Thursday between a white
student and a black student at North Eugene High School during lunch.
Afterward, both students contacted their families.

Authorities say 36-year-old William Roberts, the father of the white
student, approached three black students not involved in the fight and
started using racial slurs. Roberts and his wife, 40-year-old Meta Reeder,
then assaulted two of the youths. Another relative, 23-year-old Justin
Reeder, also got involved in the fight.

Eugene School District Superintendent George Russell called the adults'
actions unacceptable at a Friday press conference.

"At no time is it ever appropriate for an adult to come on a campus, whether
it's a high school campus, or any other of our campuses, and assault kids,
or go after kids, or call them racial names and epithets at no time is it
ever acceptable," he said.

Russell was joined by Eugene Mayor Kitty Piercy, interim Police Chief Pete
Kerns and Annette Leonard and Linda Hamilton of the city's human right at
the event.

Henry Luvert, president of the local chapter of the National Association for
the Advancement of Colored People, also attended the press conference and
said Eugene residents must learn how to interact with other cultures on a
day-to-day basis in order to avoid other similar incidents.

Roberts did not immediately return phone calls for comment.

Roberts and the Reeders were charged with assault. Roberts also faces a
racial intimidation charge.

The white student has been charged with disorderly conduct, criminal
mistreatment and racial intimidation.

The black student involved in the fight with Roberts' son in a school
hallway does not face any charges in connection with the incident, police
said.

Michelle Dumilieu, who is a mother of one of the students allegedly
attacked, tried to confront Roberts and his family at the school Thursday.
She was charged with interfering, resisting arrest and physical harassment
after repeatedly disobeying police orders.

Kerry Delf, Eugene School District spokeswoman, said the community should
look to North Eugene students to understand how to stand up against
discrimination and combat racism.

"Non-students came to campus and behaved in a way that the students didn't
accept, and they did something about it," she said.