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Wednesday, November 23, 2016

The Chronicle

$1 Vol. 134, No. 47 26 Pages

www.thechronicleonline.com

Scappoose High students walk out openly trans, openly pan and I am physically a woman,” one student said. “I haven’t had to deal with people picking on me because for the most part I’m not different,” another student said. “But I met someone … and I learned that being different is beautiful, that being different is a gift, not something that should be pushed and shoved into a corner.” Another student spoke about the importance of positivity. “I think that at times like these it’s most apparent that we need to come together and spread love and don’t let the hate overcome what is happening,” the student said. One Native American and openly pansexual student referred to the tension felt at home that was exasperated by the election. The student said the charge that the walk out was futile was unfounded. “I saw a post this morning saying, ‘It’s not going to make a difference.’ Well, it made a difference to me. So, if anyone ever says that to you, tell them they’re wrong because this kind of stuff is what saves lives.” Jones said the day after the election there were reports of harassment. A Latino student reported another student made racially derogatory statements while referencing President-elect Trump. The student received a three-day suspension, which is standard for

BY CLAUDE AKINS

cakins@countrymedia.net | @claude_akins

A group of approximately 15 Scappoose High School students walked out of class on Nov. 18 in protest of Donald Trump’s election and what they see as an increase in harassment. Principal Jim Jones said the students would receive the normal disciplinary action for skipping class, which is typically a Saturday detention. The students discussed the walkout with the principal beforehand and were aware of the consequences. Jones said he respects and appreciates the students’ right to freedom of speech and assembly. Additionally, he said many students have spoken with him during the week about their concerns and desires to protest after the election. The protestors are associated with the Gender and Sexuality Alliance, a student organization at the high school. They carried signs with slogans such as: “Apathy is not an option; The real (US)A; Women & People of Color & LGBT & Muslims, I stand with you.” The group’s president, who is openly transgender, decided to change schools, citing an unsafe feeling at the school post-election. Gathered on the bleachers at the football field, the students took turns standing up and speaking. “When I found out that Trump won the election, I was honestly terrified for my life because I am ­­­­

See WALK OUT, Page A12

CLAUDE AKINS/The Chronicle

A sign held by a Scappoose High student during a protest on Friday.

Teaching the election

about those issues, and maybe make a reference to the news,” cakins@countrymedia.net | @claude_akins Meeuwsen said. “You try to say, ‘Treating women as objects is probably In what may well have not what we’re trying to do been a watershed year in in this country. We’re trying American politics, norms to make equality, and work and values were both toward equal rights for all.’ reworked and erased. Keith But you can’t tell somebody, Meeuwsen, who teaches ‘you’re wrong and you’re government at St. Helens ideas are dumb.’ I don’t think High School, dealt with this it’s my job to force my views issue first hand. upon them but at least to have Meeuwsen has been that healthy conversation.” teaching government for This was the first year roughly twenty years, or, as Columbia County voted Rehe put it, “five good elecpublican in at least 60 years, tions.” One of the differbut it is hard to project what ences between 2016 and CLAUDE AKINS/The Chronicle this young electorate will 2012 was the degree of negative feeling toward each Kieth Meeuwsen stands in front of a map of the United States do in the future. Last spring, on the back wall of his classroom. for instance, the school was candidate. overwhelmingly in support of “You got candidates who problem of fake news. We’ve also Bernie Sanders. have never been like this before,” seen formerly fringe news groups And the class, Meeuwsen said, Meeuwsen said. “You know we’ve enter the mainstream, despite their generally embraces diversity. The had people who didn’t like Bush often counterfactual claims. young women, however, were not or didn’t like Obama or Dukakis Meeuwsen said that when he particularly excited about Clinton or all these other ones, but it was had to contend with ideas on the being the first female president. never like this - the tone was so far left or far right, making an Why? Meeuwsen believes this negative.” impact on students’ thinking was generation has already embraced a “The kids, a lot of them, really difficult. future with diverse leadership. looked at both candidates and had “No matter what I say, if they’re “They’ve had Hillary try to run real questions about both candioff on the edges, you don’t make before,” Meeuwsen said. “I think dates, just like the population in a lot of movement with them,” these guys and girls expect that general,” Meeuwsen said. Meeuwsen said. to happen. You’re going to have In fact, the class reflected the “I think we really are a microall types of people be president in country pretty accurately, with cosm of society in general. You got their lifetime.” Donald Trump wining the school people who hear it – that’s how it With regards to the discussion vote, 218-178. And the issues that is. ‘You can give me all this inforof racism that has been held on a the country attended to, so did the mation, not changing my mind,’ on national scale this election season, students – and so did Meeuwsen. the students, Meeuwsen said, are Recently, Facebook and Google both sides.” Media, Meeuwsen admits, is aware that racism occurs across announced they would take on the a real factor in what information their country and at their school. students have, and what informaThe majority felt they did their tion they believe to be true. best to combat racism where they “I think information is the encountered it. thing,” Meeuwsen said. “They’re But despite that, Meeuwsen has watching everything. They’re seen troublesome signs. listening to podcasts, they’re on “I have a couple of Latino Twitter; they’re on all kinds of dif- students, and they feel they were ferent news sources.” already discriminated against The government teacher also before the election. And this has said that sexist comments made just added more of that, and it’s by the President-elect were often concerning,” Meeuwsen said. difficult to talk about in class. The principal’s office was not “It’s difficult. It really is difficult. available for comment at the time I don’t want to offend people in of publication. the class. But you do have to talk BY CLAUDE AKINS

Scappoose man arrested for downloading child pornography The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Scappoose police arrested a local man for allegedly downloading child pornography, charging him with 76 counts of encouraging child abuse. Scappoose Police Department (SPD), special agents of the FBI and Port of Portland police took Curtis Cronin Curtis Cronin into custody as he exited his flight at Portland International Airport on Nov. 6. On Nov. 1, the FBI contacted SPD Officer Chris Cowen and provided information stemming from an online investigation that found an individual in Scappoose was downloading child pornogra-

phy. Cowen and Detective Phil Packineau were able to gather the information with the help of the FBI, which resulted in a search warrant being written. On the morning of Nov. 4, members of the Scappoose Police Department, Department of Human Services and special agents from the FBI served a search warrant in the 33000 block of Southeast Dill Place in Scappoose. During the search, several electronics devices were seized for evidence. Cronin was out of the country at the time and due back any day. Cronin was lodged at the Columbia County Jail. His bail was set at $3,040,000.

Candidate disqualified after winning election A Scappoose resident elected to Columbia River People’s Utility District’s Board of Directors will not join the board. Nancy Ward received 62 percent of the vote in the Nov. 8 election, defeating Debbie Reed for the seat. But when she attended the Tuesday board meeting as a member of the audience, the PUD attorney announced she would not be allowed on the board. Ward said she was surprised and shocked. In a press release dated Nov. 16, the PUD said Ward had been disqualified from holding the board position due to a technicality. Ward doesn’t live in the subdivision she was elected to.

Ward resides in a floating home on Multnomah Channel. While she buys electricity from CRPUD, her home is just outside the legal boundary of the district. The boundary of the district, the PUD maintains, is at water’s edge. Since Ward’s home is floating, it lies just outside the boundary. County Clerk Elizabeth Huser seems to agree with the PUD. Huser’s office is charged with determining if candidates qualify for the position they are running for. Don Clack of county elections sent a letter to Ward on Oct. 17 stating she may not qualify for the position.

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