Volume 71 No. 2
orth Carolina Governor Jim Hunt
visited
Grimsley on
Friday, Octo
ber 14, to
kick off his
anti-vio
lence pro-
g r a m
throughout
North Caro
lina schools.
His visit be
came a cen
ter of atten-
Officer Steve Roberts
Pendergraft photo
tion when NickAtkinson shot assistant
principal Mr. Whites and then shot him
self.
Hunt visited the Students Against
Violence Everywhere (S.A.V.E.) rally
which was being held as a response to
the incidents of the preceeding days.
Hunt said that he was saddened by the
events and that we should all work to
gether to end violence everywhere. Said
Hunt, "There are a lot of things we can
do to help. But you need also to learn to
be willing to give some time to learn some
skills (in peer counseling)."
e
:etic Director Coach Bob Saw
yer won an award as the Piedmont's
premier Athletic Director. Coach Saw
yer received this award at a banquet last
Saturday night. Look for more informa
tion about Sawyer's accomplishment in
the next issue. Congratulations Coach
Sawyer!
CVhe Holiday Market will be held
next Saturday, November 5 and Sunday
November 6. Many great stocking
stuffers and other Christmas (and
Hanukah) gifts will be on sale. The fair
is being held in the Greensboro
Coliseum's Special Events Center. Check
it out.
Featured
Inside
Grimsley High School
October 3 L 1994
Prayer divides Grimsley, community
By Sarah Pender^^
and Anna West
Reporters
“I am disturbed that ftiis issue came before
this Ixxfy in the first place...Stay out of it,”
said David MofiE Applause echoed in the
almost full County Commissioners meeting.
“We’ve kind of slq^jed away fiom our mor
als,” saidWA
KMcman, afewnxments later.:
Even louder aj^lause and a,
few “Amen’s” followed.
On Thursday, October
6,Guilford County Commis
sioner Steve Arnold’s reso
lution for prayer in school
cametoavotebytheGirilfOTd
County Commissioners.
Commissioner Amold’sreso-
lution caOed for voluntary,
non-sectarian prayer to a“su-.
preme moral being.” It is part
of a grassroots effort across
the United States to reinstate
prayer. Started by a mayor in
Texas, Are resolution has al
ready been adopted in over'
19 North Carolina counties,
including Randolph,
Rockingham and Yancey.
The vote came after ovef
an hour of speeches by
Guilford County residents,
both for and against the reso
lution. Grimsley’s Chan
Glazman, a senior, was among
the speakers present.
Glazman said, ‘This (prayer in school) will
just lead to more problems.”
Sophomore Jessie Grandon read a letter
written by Katherine Schafer, also a sopho
more. “Students will be greatly affected by
this, and they are not being asked,” Grandon
quoted.
Ninth grader RebeccaFox and tenth grader
Hillary Glazman also gave speeches.
Commissioner Skip Alston, wbo voted
against the resolution, said, “I would be for a
resolution if it could demand that prayer be
put back in the homes...I’m saying leave it
alone.”
Commissioner Joe Wood also opposed
prayer in schools. He said, “Some of you in
this room have stated that you don’t want
teachers teaching your children some aspects
of sex education, yet you want them to teach
your children to pray. This mystifies me.”
On the other side of the issue was Com-
misacmerRobeitMoores. “It(C(Mnmissi(mer
Arnold’s resolution) allows this board of
commissioners...to send a message to the
sdhools, “We want God’s values tau^t in
America,” said Moores. He also said,‘There
are no Hebrew values not embraced in the
teachings of Jesus Christ”
Commissiona- Joe Bostic also voted for
the resolutioa
board has been quite comfortable in acting
within the limits set by the courts.”
As these battlelines for and against prayer
in Are public schools were being drawn, heated
debates erupted at Grimsley. Two groups be
came a focal points, “See You at the Flag
pole” and a group of students petitioning
against Steve Arnold’s resolution.
“See You At the Flagpole” an aimual, na-
■
Students gather around the flagpole for a prayer session on September 21.
“If voluntary prayer works so well, why
don’t we teach it to our children?” said Mr.
Bostic.
Mr. Arnold’s resolution was defeated
seven to four.
Commissioner Margaret Arbuckle praised
the efforts of Grimsley students on the prayer
in school issue, especially their speeches at
the Commsioners’ meeting. “I really think
that this is a beacon ofhope for the future.. .1
felt very proud of you (Grimsley). I am very
exited about it,” said Mrs. Arbuckle.
The Guilford County School Board sup
ports the Commissioners’ decision. Chair
man John Kemodle said, “The public
schools have an obligation to permit the free
exercise of religion and to support the sepa
ration of church and state. Students and
fknlty are permitted to engage in silent medi
tation now,...as long as it doesn’t interfere
with other students at the location... The
Ghoulash fun
page 2
ACC football
page -11
News and Record Photo
tionwide event where students and adults
gather and pray for their school, themselves,
and the problems students face. Senior Ja
son Boone, who was at the Grimsley flagpole
at 7 am. on September 21, said, “At school its
hard to be a Christian because there are so
many differentpeople hying to pull you away
from it...Now there are so many problems at
school that need to be prayed for.” There has
been talk of making this morning prayer ses
sion a daily event, but so far nothing has
happened.
Many students share this belief that prayer
is important. Tony Davis, a sophomore, said,
“Ithinkweshouldhaveit(prayerinschool)...it
would set people out on the right foot”
Ben Peterson, a freshman, said, “I think
that God’s presence should be in schools.”
RebeccaFoxholdsadifferentview. “I think
(prayer in school) is unconstitutional, and also
that a moment of silence a few minutes a day
for 180 days takes away from our education,”
said Fox as she passed around a petition op
posing prayer in public schools.
Chan Glazman andRyanRobinson, soiiors,
and juniors Michael Shuman and David
Hyman started the petitions in an attempt to
sway the county commissioners vote. Four
hundred and eighty four signatures were col
lected to aid their effort. The four also orga
nized arally at
please see prayer page 2