| Author | Message | ||
     LibraryLady(ncjanow) Supporter Username: Librarylady Post Number: 2232 Registered: 5-2001  |
From this morning's Star Ledger: Two graduates file lawsuit against S. Orange-Maplewood Friday, February 25, 2005 BY KATIE WANG Star-Ledger Staff Two former Columbia High School students are suing the South Orange-Maplewood School District, saying its administrators smeared their reputations following a disciplinary incident in the cafeteria in 2003. Orlando Jean Charles and Stephanie Gidigbi also have sued Maplewood Online, a popular Web site in town, the Maplewood Police Department and the principal's daughter. Among other things, the 48-page civil lawsuit alleges that Principal Renee Pollack, who is white, used racial epithets against the black plaintiffs and later tried to derail their college prospects by withholding their transcripts. It also charges that Pollack, her daughter and Superintendent Peter Horoschak leaked confidential information about the students' academic and disciplinary records to the public. Both students graduated, but they were suspended for the rest of the school year and received at- home instruction. They were not allowed to attend senior-year activities, such as the prom. They both attend Kean University, said their attorney, Barbara A. Dennis. "Why should those children have been deprived of their senior year from a principal who was simply covering her tracks?" said Dennis. Horoschak called the lawsuit frivolous. "We've always been concerned about the students who did graduate and did get their diplomas, and they did get on with their lives," said Horoschak. "I don't believe it has any merit whatsoever." The heart of the lawsuit stems from an incident at the Columbia High School cafeteria on March 13, 2003. According to the district, Pollack went to the cafeteria during lunch to address discipline issues. Charles, a senior at the time, walked out and hit a female security guard on his way out. He was arrested by a police officer on duty in the school and charged with disorderly conduct. According to the lawsuit, Charles inadvertently struck the guard after he was physically stopped by another officer. The on- duty police officer, who weighed 100 pounds more than the student, sat on him, said the lawsuit. The district suspended Gidigbi for bumping another guard, a charge she denied. Pollack also suspended 15 other students that day for disciplinary problems. Following the suspensions, the plaintiffs allege that Pollack went on an in-school television program called "Good Morning Columbia" to attack the students. "She embarked on an intentional and/or relentless smear campaign against plaintiffs to divulge and distort the confidential educational and/or disciplinary records of plaintiffs," said the lawsuit, to overcompensate for her "overreaction to the events involving the plaintiffs." As the controversy mushroomed, Horoschak wrote a letter to parents on June 13, 2003, about what had happened. Again, the plaintiffs allege Horoschak smudged their reputations by publishing "confidential and distorted disciplinary information." Ellen Bass, an attorney for the district, denied the charge. "It was a very general letter that Horoschak wrote to the Columbia community," she said. "It described the incident in the vaguest way possible." A copy of that letter appeared on Maplewood Online, a popular Internet forum for community news, drawing response from its subscribers. "The readers of Maplewood Online had no authority to receive this confidential information or to further publish and disseminate same," said the complaint. The suit also names Pollack's daughter as a defendant for writing a letter to the local newspaper about the issue and the Maplewood Police Department for allegedly failing to properly train the on-campus patrolman. Katie Wang covers Maplewood. She can be reached at kwang@star ledger.com or (973) 392-1504. Copyright 2005 NJ.com. All Rights Reserved. | ||
| Tom Reingold Supporter Username: Noglider Post Number: 5643 Registered: 1-2003  |
If the plaintiffs claim their reputation was hurt, how can they show it? They made it into Kean. Would they claim that with unmarred reputations, they would have made it into other schools which they preferred?
That's like saying I have no authority to receive the baseball you threw in my window. True, it's your ball, and it's in my posession, but how did it get there? | ||
| newone Citizen Username: Newone Post Number: 222 Registered: 8-2001 |
What a load of horse-pukey. If the letter was sent out to parents, how was that confidential? Also, since when is MPD responsible for training the school's "on-campus patrolman?" Was he actually an MPD officer or just a security guard? | ||
| Bobkat Supporter Username: Bobk Post Number: 7720 Registered: 5-2001 |
He is a Maplewood policeman, I believe he has detective status. | ||
| Albatross Citizen Username: Albatross Post Number: 529 Registered: 9-2004  |
Michael Morrison is a member of the MPD. He is the liason between Columbia and the Police Department. Not only was he a detective during the incident, but I believe the MPD recently saw fit to promote him, to sergeant if I'm not mistaken. | ||
| newone Citizen Username: Newone Post Number: 223 Registered: 8-2001 |
I didn't know that....but since he is MPD I would think he obviously is trained correctly. | ||
| Phenixrising Citizen Username: Phenixrising Post Number: 431 Registered: 9-2004 |
If the letter was sent out to parents, how was that confidential? This letter was sent home to the parents informing them of the incident and to dispell the rumors circulating. I remember when the incident happen my son was a Freshman then and it seemed there were a few teachers & students divided on this incident. Some teachers thought Pollack actions were extreme (the suspensions). However, if you push or physically hit a person of authority (security guard/police officer) then you SHOULD be punished. In NYC, if you push or hit a bus driver or train conductor, it's a FELONY. Imagine if this happen in NYC, their butts would be in lock-up. Their lucky they don't have that count on their record. There is a police officer who works within the school (which I've met) and he seemed to have a good rapport with the students. He also heads a "mentoring" program for kids at risk. So I can't imagine him acting excessively. He probably had a good reason to constrain this student. This lawsuit is frivilous and I hope the judge sees through this charade. Like Tom said, it didn't hurt their reputation much if they were accepted to Kean University. | ||
| lumpyhead Citizen Username: Lumpyhead Post Number: 1148 Registered: 3-2002 |
"Charles inadvertently struck the guard after he was physically stopped by another officer." Are these clowns for real? How many people inadvertently strike a guard? "The district suspended Gidigbi for bumping another guard, a charge she denied." Of course she denied it. I think the taxpayers should picket right in front of the homes of these Maplewoodians. | ||
| marion cobretti Citizen Username: Marion_cobretti Post Number: 75 Registered: 1-2005 |
this is such garbage it makes me sick. i don't care what color,religion,species, whatever! you hit a security guard at your high school and probably bragged about it until you realized you were getting in trouble. and then when you did you want to sue everyone. everyone makes mistakes,deal with yours and stop blaming everyone else. | ||
| gozerbrown Citizen Username: Gozerbrown Post Number: 652 Registered: 3-2002 |
So it's two years later already. Why did they wait so long? | ||
| marion cobretti Citizen Username: Marion_cobretti Post Number: 77 Registered: 1-2005 |
i will continue my rant.do the parents take any responsibility for their children striking authority figures? is gaining a financial settlement equal to that of their education? they're the losers in the long run, enjoy | ||
| bottomline Citizen Username: Bottomline Post Number: 183 Registered: 8-2003 |
What relief are the plaintifs seeking? I assume they're suing for money, but I haven't seen that stated explicitly anywhere. Nor have I seen a dollar amount cited. I suppose they could be seeking some sort of injuctive releif, although I'm not sure what. | ||
| Phenixrising Citizen Username: Phenixrising Post Number: 432 Registered: 9-2004 |
They could be seeking to have this incident expunge from their record. Since this happen 2 years ago and they're dued to graduate on time, when seeking a job or internship, this incident could come to question. These days, employers seem to do a more thorough background check on prospects. | ||
| Dave Moderator Username: Dave Post Number: 5374 Registered: 4-1998  |
Suing MOL is like suing the letter carrier who delivered Mr. H's letter home to the parents. Also, at no time did MOL receive any request from plaintiffs or plaintiffs' attorney to remove any allegedly defamatory material. | ||
| newone Citizen Username: Newone Post Number: 225 Registered: 8-2001 |
Slight off topic but similar vein - I heard last night that the man whose car was hit by the plane at Teteboro is suing everyone (since they don't know what caused the accident yet) for 12.5 million. He's suing the Port Authority, Teteboro Airport, the aircraft manufacturer and even the pilot. I'm surprised he's not suing the car maker (Toyota?) for not making a roof that will withstand an aircraft impact. | ||
| Joan Supporter Username: Joancrystal Post Number: 5034 Registered: 5-2001 |
Dave: Are we making things worse for you and Jamie by rehashing the discussion of the incident which lead to the lawsuit? Was it ok for Nancy to post a copy of the Star Ledger article or will she now be open to having her name added to the suit? How does posting a letter as widely circulated as a letter to parents of all affected students comprise disseminating confidential information? I fail to see how any of this could make MOL a legitimate party to the lawsuit in question. | ||
| Dave Moderator Username: Dave Post Number: 5378 Registered: 4-1998 |
Free speech never made things worse. However, the opposite has done interesting things to, say, Cuba, for example. | ||
| Duncan Supporter Username: Duncanrogers Post Number: 3925 Registered: 12-2001  |
This is all ridiculous. The dramatic in me says make as much noise about this as possible to raise the awareness of not only MW/SO but to the countless thousands of other online BB's like this. Having met both the Ross's they have my unqualified support and if you want to make a documentary about the process and the issues PL me immediately and we can coordinate it. I have the guy who would shoot it and it would almost write itself. Notehead and other local bands could help score it, the graphics could come from inside and the whole thing could be a town effort. Im dreadfully serious Dave and Jamie. | ||
| Debby Citizen Username: Debby Post Number: 1690 Registered: 5-2001 |
Dave - I don't think free speech will hurt you, but sharing all of your defense points here online may not serve you very well. Don't get me wrong - I think their case is completely baseless, but you never know what may transpire. Just my 2 cents  | ||
| Brett Weir Citizen Username: Brett_weir Post Number: 562 Registered: 4-2004 |
Charles inadvertantly struck the guard after he was physically stopped by another officer... Wow, what a simple twist of fate! Not unlike one that happened to a certain former N.J. Nets forward recently- you know, I was just showing the shotgun to the nice chauffer when he suddenly decided to commit suicide with it... I hope these "plaintiffs" get laughed out of court, and perhaps laughed out of town! |
