District meeting set with parents

Deirdre Newman

NEWPORT-MESA -- School district officials today are meeting to discuss

a grievance filed for a number of issues relating to Newport Harbor High

School, including the principal’s handling of a cheerleading controversy

in the fall following allegations of inconsistencies in the judging

process.

The grievance, filed by several parents, alleges that Principal

Michael Vossen failed to handle the cheerleading debate in an appropriate

manner, causing animosity because of his vacillation. It also charges

that other faculty members displayed biased and unethical behavior, that

students’ civil rights were violated, and that the purpose and intent of

the school’s cheer booster club is not being upheld.

The saga started in late November, when the cheerleading rosters were

posted and cheer coach Lisa Callahan told administrators she had

witnessed irregularities in the judging that distorted the final results.

In response, school administrators and Callahan agreed to let all 48

girls who tried out be on the two squads. But that decision was reversed

by Vossen, acting on the recommendation of an ad hoc committee. Vossen

decided to hold new tryouts to fill two more spots on both the varsity

and junior varsity teams.

Practices resumed, but Callahan was eventually dismissed from her

position in a memo sent by Lorri McCune, Newport-Mesa Unified School

District’s assistant superintendent.

And this month, complaints arose about the way the controversy over

the yearbook was handled.

Last week, Amanda Brown -- who was originally voted most artistic in

the Senior Superlatives contest -- and her mother met with Assistant

Principal David Peterson because the student felt losing the award was a

rejection of her talent.

“What they did to her and these other students was cruel -- to have

adults give the award and then take it back,” said Kathy Porter, Amanda

Brown’s mother.

Peterson eventually offered to hang the student’s artwork in the main

office lobby.

The yearbook controversy began in early March when the seniors did the

traditional voting for the contest. When the winners were announced,

however, they created an uproar among the seniors, prompting school

officials to investigate the voting process.

One of the girls on the yearbook staff admitted she had chosen the

winners herself when she took the votes home to count. The girl, whose

name has not been publicly disclosed, sent a letter of apology to the

original winners and a new vote was taken. Yearbook staff advisor Janine

Pon said students would not be entrusted with counting the votes in the

future.