|
Daily Newspaper and Travel Guide
for Pecos Country of West Texas
Monday, August 18, 2003
School returns with new rules for Texas kids
From Staff and Wire Reports
Children in most school districts across Texas went back to class today,
and found a new law requiring students to recite a pledge to the Texas flag
and observe a moment of silence awaiting them today.
Students also will pledge allegiance to the U.S. flag. Supporters of
the law say it helps promote patriotism and build character. But critics
of the new measure argue that the new state measure violates the First Amendment.
They also note the requirement will stretch already thin budgets because
a Texas flag must be present in every classroom.
The new law was discussed earlier this month by Pecos-Barstow-Toyah ISD
board members, during a special meeting of the board in late July.
"State law requires students to recite the (Pledge of) Allegiance to
the United States Flag and the Pledge of Allegiance to the Texas flag each
day," said Pecos High School Principal Danny Rodriguez during discussion
on the handbook for the new school year at the July 31 meeting.
During the minute of silence student may choose to reflect, pray, meditate,
or engage in any other silent activity so long as the silent activity does
not interfere with or distract others.
"This will be done at all campuses," said P-B-T ISD Superintendent Don
Love, and Pecos Kindergarten Principal Robert Garrett added that the rule
would also extend to kindergarten students.
Those who bring a note from home can be excused from the pledges. But
Pam Parker, an attorney with the Association of Texas Professional Educators,
is concerned about how school districts will implement the rules.
She said a U.S. Supreme Court ruling states that pupils have First Amendment
rights, including the ability to decline participation even without a note
from parents.
"I suspect that we will have a lot of teachers that have not received
the proper guidance from the district and will not know how to deal with
these issues," Parker told the San Antonio Express-News in Monday's editions.
The law's author, Sen. Jeff Wentworth, said his motive was to encourage
pupils to honor the flag and be loyal to their country.
"When we say the pledge, we bring a sense of patriotism and loyalty both
to the U.S. and the state we live in," said Wentworth, R-San Antonio.
A state pledge has existed since the Texas Legislature adopted it in
1839, during the years the state was an independent republic. But some teachers
expressed surprise when they were told about the new law at the rally for
Northside educators Tuesday.
Hundreds of teachers, pledge cards in hand, recited the pledge inside
the high school auditorium: "Honor the Texas flag; I pledge allegiance to
thee, Texas, one and indivisible."
Many teachers acknowledged they hadn't previously known the pledge.
"I can't believe they never taught me that in elementary school," said
Sara Rodriguez, a third-grade teacher at Rhodes Elementary School.
Susan Mann, an English teacher, said she expects the new law will spark
some interesting discussions among her students at Holmes High School, where
the pledge has been recited for years.
"I find it ironic that the pledge is a priority among legislators, instead
of putting money into the schools," said Sarah Simmons, an English teacher
at Hobby Middle School. "Ironic, but not surprising."
The mandatory pledge and moment of silence was one of two major changes
for P-B-T ISD students today when classes resumed for the 2003-04 year.
All staff, personnel, visitors and students at all P-B-T ISD campuses
will wear identification badges this year. During last Thursday's school
board meeting, when the ID badges were approved, Jodi Exum, PBT-ISD Career
and Technology, said the future project is to provide barcoded ID cards
to students, staff, substitutes, volunteers and visitors.
Exum said that all adults would be required to wear them in a visible
place. "Visitors will have a visitors ID cards with a number and before
they leave the building they will turn those in," said Exum.
Police seek info on recent vandalism cases
By ROSIE FLORES
Staff Writer
PECOS, Mon., Aug. 18, 2003 -- Criminal mischief in Pecos has been on the
rise in the last couple of months and the Pecos Police Department is asking
for the community's help in deterring these crimes, including one that damaged
a Pecos Police vehicle..
"On July 21, we had several cars that were vandalized, along with homes,"
said Pecos Police Officer Mike Balog. His patrol car was one of the cars
that were vandalized that night, along with two other cars.
Balog said that the incident had occurred between 3 a.m. and 4 a.m.,
and added, "There has been a lot of criminal mischief in the last few months
and they are occurring between the hours of 2:30 a.m. and 5 a.m."
Vandals broke out the windows in the vehicles of two other cars that
evening and on another occasion vandals went out and turned off the power
to some homes, before damaging them.
"They went and turned off the power to three to four homes and broke
windows out of those," said Balog.
His patrol car was considered totaled because of the amount of the damage,
which was estimated at $4,700.
"I don't the estimate damage done to the other vehicles at this time,
but it was probably considerable as well," said Balog.
Vandals also hit the Security State Bank Parking lot. "They vandalized
some windows in cars that are parked out there," said Balog.
Vandalism was also reported on Hackberry Street, where car and house
windows were broken out. "This was all done at about the same times in the
morning," he said.
The police department is advising citizens to leave lights on and to
keep an eye out for their neighbor's property. "If they see any suspicious
activity, or noises report them to the police immediately," said Balog.
"These vandals may be doing damage to your neighbor and they don't know
it or can't hear it."
Balog said that a good program to implement was the Neighborhood Watch
"Sometimes if they see that there is a Neighborhood Watch, that's a good
deterrent to doing any damage," he said.
Individuals with any information about the vandalism can also call Crime
Stoppers and they will remain anonymous. "A lot of the times, the neighbors
just don't want to get involved," said Balog. "But it's always good to report
any type of suspicious activity."
"Someone out there has some information and we really need to find out
who these vandals are, because it's causing a lot of property damage," said
Balog.
Mischief of three vehicles which occurred in the 500 block of Hickory
Street, 1200 block of Veterans Boulevard and the 1000 block of Normandy
Street were reported to the police on July 21.
Damage reported to police included breaking out the passenger side window
of a 2001 Chevrolet, two-door car; the driver's side window of a 2002 Silver
Camero and Balog's patrol unit. The cruiser had the rear windshield broken
out, both driver side windows, the emergency light bar on the roof of the
vehicle and several dents on the entire vehicle.
Pecos Valley Crime Stoppers is offering a $500 reward for information
leading to the arrest of individual(s) involved in this crime.
If anyone has any information they can call Crime Stoppers at 445-9898
or the Pecos Police Department at 445-4911. Individuals can remain anonymous.
RCJ escapee stays weekend in Abilene jail
JENNIFER GALVAN
Staff Writer
PECOS, Mon., Aug. 18, 2003 -- Reeves County Jail escapee John Michael Baker
spent the weekend in an Abilene jail awaiting a decision on whether he will
be sent back to Reeves County and await his trial, which is scheduled to
begin on September 15 in the U.S. District Court in Pecos.
Baker, 23, remains in custody in Taylor County, (Abilene) after turning
himself in to law enforcement officials in neighboring Callahan County on
Thursday, a day after he escaped from the Reeves County Jail. Baker is awaiting
trial on a federal murder charge, which is scheduled to take place next
month at the Lucius D. Bunton III Federal Courthouse, located across the
street from the Reeves County Jail.
"I do not know. I called the (Texas) Rangers this morning," Reeves County
Sheriff Andy Gomez said. "They have not called me back. I will get back
to you when I find out"
FBI agent Bill Vanderland, out of Midland, said he was also unsure whether
Baker would remain in Taylor County or be sent back to Reeves County.
"He will sent back to the Western District," Vanderland said. "However,
it would be up to the U.S. Marshals."
He added that Baker was now facing a second charge, escaping from federal
custody.
Baker had been in the Reeves County Jail since May 26. He escaped last
Wednesday by crawling through a vent located in a storage room where recreation
equipment is kept.
He is facing trial on a charge of murder, in connection with the death
of Shannon Stewart Roberts, 43, a fourth-year medical student at the University
of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio, in Big Bend National Park.
Baker told park rangers that he had killed Roberts and had buried his body
in the park, where it was found on March 31, 2000.
Pecos Fire Department volunteer Brian Fuentes was working outside the
city's fire station early Wednesday afternoon when he saw Baker crossing
the street in civilian clothing and with what appeared to be legal papers
in his hand.
Roadblocks were set up south of Pecos, in the believe that Baker would
attempt to return to his hometown of Leon Valley, a suburb of San Antonio.
But Baker instead headed east on Interstate 20, where he later contacted
his attorney, who arranged for Baker to surrender to Callahan County sheriff's
deputies in Baird, about 30 miles east of Abilene.
Baker was the first escapee from the jail in 17 months. Steven Perez
walked away from the facility while on work detail on the jail grounds on
March 8, 2002. Perez had fled to Juarez, Mexico but was caught six months
later in at an Odessa residence after returning to the United States.
FSA accepting names for county committee posts
PECOS, Mon., Aug. 18, 2003 -- The Reeves County Farm Service Agency is
accepting nominations between now and Sept. 5 for the 2003 County Committee
elections. Nomination forms can be obtained from the FSA County Office,
1417 W. Third St.
Anyone with an interest in providing guidance on federal farm program
issues that impact local farmers and ranchers is encouraged to submit their
nomination. All landowners, operators and tenants of legal voting age are
eligible to serve on FSA County Committees and vote in these elections.
Fore information contact your local FSA at 432-445-3196 ex 2.
Weather
PECOS, Mon., Aug. 18, 2003 -- High Sun. 102. Low this morning 71. Forecast
for tonight: Mostly clear. Lows in the lower 70s. SE winds 5 to 15 mph.
Tues.: Partly cloudy. Highs near 102. SE winds 5 to 15 mph. Tues. night:
Mostly clear. Lows in the lower 70s. Wednesday: Partly cloudy. Highs near
103. Thursday: Partly cloudy. Lows near 70. Highs near 101.
Obituaries
Sandra Garcia, Dora Hayter, Dr. Robert Miles and Michael Pankey
Pecos Enterprise
York M. "Smokey" Briggs, Publisher
Division of Buckner News Alliance, Inc.
324 S. Cedar St., Pecos, TX 79772
Phone 915-445-5475, FAX 915-445-4321
e-mail news@pecos.net
Associated Press text, photo, graphic, audio and/or video material shall not be published, broadcast, rewritten for broadcast or publication or redistributed directly or indirectly in any medium.
Copyright 2003 by Pecos Enterprise
|
