District bans two parents from schools for 1 year

Not only students get suspended from school.

Two Spokane parents have allegedly become increasingly irate and disruptive with Spokane Public Schools officials and have been asked not to return to any district facility for a year.

“You are no longer allowed onto school district property and are prohibited from making any personal or telephone contact with school district employees or agents during business hours,” states a letter from the school district.

On average, about two parents a year are faced with such school bans, according to district officials.

One of the banned parents is Virla Spencer whose complaints against the district last spring opened a U.S. Department of Education Office of Civil Rights investigation, which is still pending.

The other parent, Scherrie Cleveland, was stopped at the school by security last week while dropping off her children and Spencer’s children.

The state Human Rights Office is still looking into the ongoing dispute between Spencer and Cleveland, and Spokane Public Schools.

Marc Brenman, executive director of the state human rights office, said schools that ban parents are becoming more common statewide.

“I have observed over the years schools do exclude people from district offices and board meetings,” Brenman said.

Brenman said he couldn’t comment on this case specifically because it’s still being investigated.

Last spring, Spencer sparked a federal investigation when she alleged that grade-school black children, including her own, were denied a chance to go to the bathroom while in class, but white students were allowed to go.

Spencer also alleges that her children were called by racial slurs and harassed on a school bus and officials did nothing about it at Arlington Elementary last year.

Two weeks ago, Spencer offered a truce to the district in a letter stating that for $2.5 million she will leave the district and Spokane, Spencer said Monday.

Spencer said she has not heard back from Spokane Public Schools.

Spencer has not denied she’s been angry with the district. Before being banned from schools, she spoke at numerous meetings, along with her children. She and friends once held up signs in the crowd of a board meeting asserting the district is biased.

She described the district’s letter as exaggerated.

According to a letter written by Associate Superintendent Nancy Stowell, Spencer’s June 16 meeting with school officials was confrontational. Stowell’s letter documents graphic language and aggressive behavior by Spencer and two of her friends.

“You came to my office unannounced and demanded to see me,” Stowell wrote. “During the meeting, there were several times when your behavior was rude and inappropriate. You yelled, used profanity and constantly interrupted. You allowed absolutely no opportunity to really discuss issues.”

After the meeting, according to the letter, Spencer then went to the equity office in the district building and demanded to meet with equity director Vickie Countryman.

Cleveland, who was also at the meeting, allegedly said she felt like slapping an administrator and yelled, “I’m in a place where I can go to jail tonight,” according to the letter.

Cleveland did not answer any questions about the situation when contacted by phone.

Spencer was quoted in the district letter using multiple curse words as she accused Countryman of protecting the “white” organization of the school district and protecting Superintendent Brian Benzel and other employees.

Stowell wrote, “You have crossed a line with your actions and your words. More specifically, your comments and actions are hostile, intimidating, threatening and extremely disruptive to the educational process. Your constant use of profanity is extremely offensive. Your menacing and aggressive behavior, your belligerent refusal to follow basic social norms, your repeated yelling, and your violation of personal space are antagonistic and counterproductive. You have engaged in more than enough disruption to the educational process.”

Stowell invited Spencer to contact her in writing to address any further concerns or issues.

A human rights report will be made public once the investigation is complete.