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[Art Deco]

Teacher fired over controversy
Posted: Thursday, Apr 28, 2005 - 08:16:43 am PDT
By BRIAN WALKER
Staff writer

Two other educators resign, four students expelled by school

POST FALLS -- A Post Falls Christian Academy high school teacher has been fired, two other teachers have resigned, four students have been expelled and at least one coach said he doesn't plan to return as a result of an alcohol incident last weekend.

Jerry Rodgers, who administers the private school with wife Janet, said math teacher Lisa Biondo, 26, has been fired and that John Rodriguez, the praise leader, and wife Letha, a home economics teacher, have resigned.

At least two of the expelled students are seniors who were expecting to graduate in just over a month. 


     
   
        
"We have zero tolerance for alcohol," Jerry Rodgers said. "We have brought on two counselors to assist the kids."

Rodgers declined to comment further.

Rafael Cansino, an assistant football coach at the school, said he doesn't plan to coach at the school any longer because he, his younger brother who was expelled, and his father, Ray, weren't allowed to present their side of the story to the Rodgerses before the expulsions were decided. He said he's seeking legal advice on the incident.

Cansino, who said he held the gathering at the vacant residence owned by his father at 1200 W. Deschutes, said Biondo wasn't drinking with the students during the bust despite police reports that state otherwise. During an interview with The Press, Biondo denied she was drinking at the time and said she didn't realize students would be there.

Cansino said he only supplied alcohol to his two sisters, both of legal age. He also said the only minors who were drinking were two girls who came to the party uninvited with their own beer.

Cansino, who was cited for supplying minors with alcohol on Tuesday, said it was a blanket raid and that police only performed one alcohol test at the scene.

Post Falls Police Lt. Greg McLean said that was because all of the students who were issued minor-in-possession citations admitted to consuming alcohol.

"The kids admitted to consuming alcohol at the scene when Detective (Rod) Gunderson interviewed them," McLean said.

McLean also said that several of the students told police that Biando was consuming alcohol, but she wasn't seen carrying it.

Athena Cansino, Rafael's sister, defended Biando, her friend.

"She was invited there by me," Athena said. "She had nothing to do with the students."

Athena said some of the busted minors feared their parents, and thus wanted everyone at the party to get ticketed by telling police the others were drinking.

Rafael Cansino said he was responsible for the minors who were consuming alcohol at the residence, but he didn't want to let them drive away drunk.

Meanwhile, Letha Rodriguez said she and her husband resigned because of "unfair practices" with administration and inconsistent disciplinary action against students and staff. Their child was among those expelled.

"Mrs. Biondo was warned (about inappropriate behavior) last year, and we were told that she was allowed to stay on because they needed a good math teacher," Rodriguez said. "This (weekend incident) was the result of them not taking action immediately, but since she was caught, they now have to fire her."

She said she's also upset that students who were caught for the first time are being punished the same as repeat offenders, and that one of the students who was expelled wasn't even at the incident over the weekend, but at a party on a different day.

The school's tough approach in the aftermath also troubles Rodriguez.

"The Rodgerses will not accept apologies of the children who want to apologize," she said.

Determination about any criminal charges against Biando has been referred to city prosecutor Joel Ryan to review. 


>From The Coeur d'Alene Press, 04-28-05
http://www.cdapress.com/articles/2005/04/28/news/news02.txt


Art Deco (Wayne A. Fox)
deco at moscow.com
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