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MEMORANDUM <br />TO: Laura Blackmon <br />County Manager <br />FROM: James Spivey <br />DATE: April 23, 2007 <br />RE: UPDATE: Cedar Ridge High School <br />As update regarding threats and allegations of discrimination against Latino students at Cedar Ridge High <br />School, I submit the following: <br />MARCH 15, 2007: STUDENT MEDIATION <br />A mediated session was held between the student victims and the perpetuators. A mediator from <br />the Orange County Dispute Settlement Center led the session. Inquiry was made as to whether a <br />representative from the HRC and staff could attend the student mediation. The mediator felt it would be <br />counterproductive with adults present; school administrators were not present (inside the room where the <br />mediated session transpired) during the mediation. <br />After the mediated session, the Director of Student Services reported that the session went well <br />for all parties involved. The students completed and left the mediation with the understanding that the <br />situation (hostilities and threats) had been fully resolved. To this end, all the students signed contracts <br />stipulating a commitment to avoid any repeat situations of a similar nature. <br />Staff asked the Director of Student Services whether school administrators would be amenable to <br />meet with the Latino parents to reach an understanding regarding this matter. The Director of Student <br />Services assured staff that school administrators were available to meet with the parents. <br />MARCH 22, 2007: PARENTS AND SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS MEETING <br />The meeting with the Latino parents, school administrators including a translator, staff and HRC <br />representative took place. Present: Three Latino parents, Mr. Gary Thornburg, Principal; Ms. Dorothy <br />McGirt, Assistant Principal; Ms. Anne Purcell, Student Services Director; Officer H.L. Durham, School <br />Resource Officer (attended only briefly); Wanda Rittenhouse, a translator from the school; Dr. Barbara <br />Chapman, HRC Member; Ms. Marlyn Valeiko, LEP Coordinator; and James Spivey. <br />The major issues addressed were: 1) students' safety on school buses and school campus; and 2) <br />Latino parents' ability to gain access to school administrators. The parents voiced their concerns and the <br />school administrators responded with the following proposed immediate actions: <br />/ Students who feel unsafe should immediately contact a school administrator (principal, <br />assistant principals, teacher, school resource officer) <br />/ A student Human Relations Commission is to be created in an effort to get students talking <br />about and addressing diversity issues within the school <br />/ A breakfast will be held on Thursday, March 29, 2007 at the school for parents to come to the <br />school and interact with teachers and students <br />Staff asked whether the Student's Code of Conduct was available in Spanish. School <br />administrators stated that printing the Student's Code of Conduct in Spanish is a task that the school <br />