NATIONAL
State to Weigh Punishment of
Teacher in "Buckwheat" Case
CENTRAL FALLS, R.l. { AP )
? A state education official said
that he will decide whether to pun
ish a Central Falls teacher who
allegedly directed a black student to
dress up as Buckwheat
Frank Pontarelli, director of
administration and finance for the
State Department of Education, said
the case is heading to his desk fol
lowing an appeal of Superintendent
Maureen Chevrette's ruling on the
matter.
Pontarelli would not discuss
Chevrette's decision, saying the
teacher at the center of the case,
Kevin Ornazian, has asked for a
closed hearing.
Pontarelli is acting as special
state administrator for the district
He said he will consider Ornazian's s
appeal at a closed-door hearing
Dec. 9.
Omazian allegedly told an
unidentified black high school
senior to pose as Buckwheat, the'
young black boy in the 1930s tele
vision series "The Little Rascals. "
The teacher allegedly made
the request as part of the school' s
Spirit Week. One of the week's
activities is Auction Day, in which
teachers pay seniors to perform
chores. The money goes to the
senior fund for events such as the
prom.
The Providence Journai
reported the student paraded
through the school cafeteria with a
serving tray covered with cotton
balls and condoms, calling,
"Where's the back of the bus?*'
Omazian, head of the indus
trial arts department at Central Falls
Junior-Senior High School, was
suspended with pay Nov. 5.
If Omazian is dissatisfied
with Pontarelli's decision, he can
take the matter to Education Com
missioner Peter McWalters,
Pontarelli said.
Disciplinary action against a
teacher can take the form of suspen
sion or revocation of his teaching
certificate, said Forrest Avila, legal
counsel for the state Department of
Education.
Pontarelli's decision will be
made public at a' Central Falls
School Advisory Council meeting
Dec. 13.
V
Defendant's Lawyer in Jordan Murder
Raps Prosecutor's Handling of Evidence
Larry Demery
LUMBERTON (AP) ?
Lawyers for one of the two Robeson
County men accused of killing
James Jordan have filed a motion in
court assailing the local prosecutors
for the way they've handled the evi
dence in the case.
Attorneys for Larry Martin
Demery filed the motion last week
in Superior Court, requesting an
order to compel the prosecution to
produce all evidence against their
client, as required by law.
Attorneys Hugh Rogers and
John Campbell complained in their
motion that, to date, they have
Daniel Green
Dye Voted
To N. Y.
Supreme
Court
Winston-Salem native Luther
Dye has won a seat on the state
Supreme Court in Queens, N.Y.
Dye is a 1950 graduate of
Atkins High School. He graduated
from N.C. A&T State University in
1955.
Dye, 60, has been a Civil
Court judge and has served four
years on the Criminal Court bench.
He was also an Associate Counsel
with New York Life Insurance Co.
for 12 years, specializing in Hous
ing Law and Nursing Home issues.
He is an active member of the Guy
R. Brewer United Democratic
Club.
Supreme Court justices in
New York earn an annual of
$99,000 and the salary is slated to
rise to $113,000 in October.
A *
received 103 copies of "unidenti
fied, unlabeled photographs, and a
portion of the defendant's alleged
statement."
"The State has either failed to
attempt to obtain these materials
from the law enforcement agencies
who have such items," the attorneys
said. "If the State has obtained these
items, it has failed to provide same
to defendant"
Demery was arrested Aug. 15
with co-defendant Daniel Andre
Green for the July 23 murder of
4* T'ii.T Tii ? ???
fr OjPNM?
WNV show
James Jordan, the father of former
basketball superstar Michael Jordan.
James Jordan's body was found in a
South Carolina creek.
District Attorney Richard
Town send has said he will seek the
death penalty.
The defense filed motions to
review the evidence in September.
A hearing was set for Oct. 5, but
Townsend asked for and received a
30-day extension.
Rogers and Campbell also
complained that investigators have
released selected information to the
media without furnishing the same
information to them. They requested
an immediate hearing. It was not
clear when the judge will rule on the
motion.
Demery and Green have been
held in the Robeson County Jail
without bond since their arrest.
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reservations about the financial responsibilities. But
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hood Housing Services, is changing all that. By building
and refurbishing homes, the ONHS has placed 59 families
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people and not let them fall victim to circumstance. For most
people, buying a home is fulfilling the American Dream.
Thank you Wilbert Lee for your dedicated efforts
toward providing quality housing to the Oakland
community. A donation of $5,000 has been
awarded to ONHS in recognition
of your efforts.