Racist rants got him the axe

Gallup McKinley County Schools Superintendent Frank Chiapetti said in a telephone interview March 23 that Crownpoint High School Principal J.D. Reed was “no longer employed” at Crownpoint High.

Chiapetti did not say Reed was fired or terminated and didn’t use the word resign. No further information was available as of Wednesday as far as what type of severance package, if any, Reed received.

Reed, a first-year employee who was hired from a previous job in California, was recorded making racist comments about Native Americans, even calling into question the sexuality of a couple of Navajo school board members. Reed is white and the people he targeted in the comments were Native American.

The recording eventually found its way on the Internet and onto the pages of Facebook and Twitter. It appears that he was recorded during a staff meeting of sorts and he was conversing with at least one unidentified man and woman.

“You can’t have gay Navajos around here … half of the guys on the school board are gay and they all happen to be Navajo.” Reed says to an unidentified female in one segment during the recording. “I didn’t want to deal with the ‘inbred jeds’ down there,” Reed said to what sounds like the same female in another part of the conversation about the possibility of going to work in Ramah.

“I was disturbed by the comments when I heard them,” school board member Lynn Huenemann said. “They were wrongful and unprofessional.”

He said he was aware of the comments that were made by Reed the Friday before the Board of Education meeting in Church Rock March 21.

In another segment of the tape, Reed tells the unidentified woman about school board member Priscilla Manuelito, saying to those in the meeting that Manuelito, who is Navajo, believes that if you’re white, “unofficially you’re the wrong color. You’re not Navajo.”

He added, “If you’re not white, you have a political agenda.”

He called out Kevin Mitchell, Titus Nez, and Manuelito as being Navajo board members, then went on a tirade about a lengthy “Navajo Shoe Game” where Nez was present.

Manuelito fired back at Reed on her campaign Facebook page.

“I was appalled by the discriminating comments made on a recording that has been shared on the internet,” she stated. “As a Board Members we entrust and believe that our Superintendent will hire leaders that are compassionate, trustworthy, respectful, responsible, fair, caring and have citizenship (respect authority). I was offended as a Native Woman, mother, leader, advocate for children by the prejudice remarks that were made! I am sad to say that this is not the only incident of racial or discriminating comments that have been made against our School Board Members.”

Chiapetti said nobody would be appointed as acting principal or as a replacement at Crownpoint High. That would not be dealt with until next week, he said. Gallup-McKinley schools are on spring break until March 28.

The School Board met at Catherine Miller Elementary School in Church Rock and those attending took the public comment portion of the meeting very seriously.

Sonlatsa Jim-Martin carried signs that read, “Equal Treatment” and Stop Discrimination.”

Charles Long, a former McKinley County Treasurer, ripped Chiapetti for bringing in outsiders like Reed – as opposed to hiring qualified principal candidates who already reside in the area.

“They aren’t teaching our kids to learn,” Long said.

Eleanor Rogers told the members of the school board that she worried that a prom date hasn’t been set, bearing in mind that there are two months of school left. About the Reed matter,      Rogers quipped that should the board end up looking for a Native American to fill Reed’s job that she “has a master’s degree and would be interested.”

Chiapetti said on the whole, the school district found out about the posted recording at some point Friday. He said Reed was immediately placed on administrative leave pending further investigation of the matter. That resulted in Reed’s release just days later.

“The comments were unacceptable,” Chiapetti said.

To listen to the full audio, visit: https://soundcloud.com/user-884401674

Tom Hartsock and Babette Herrmann contributed to this report.

By Bernie Dotson
Sun Correspondent

It's not clear if Crownpoint High School Principal Dr. James Reed knew whether he was being recorded during what appears to be a staff meeting of sorts. Either way, he didn't hold back his feelings during this audio recording about his feelings toward Gallup McKinley County Schools Board of Education members, homosexuals, Navajo people and traditions, other schools, and much more. Listen to the audio here:

https://soundcloud.com/gallupparent/crownpoint-hs-principal-dr-j-reed-office-mtg-before-ramah-board-extract

By Tom Hartsock

Sun Correspondent

Alert personnel at the Gallup McKinley Adult Detention Center on Mar. 15 resulted in additional charges being filed against a man and a woman already in custody.

Natasha N. (Kiro) Leonard, 29, lists her address as 515 E. Pershing in Gallup. She was observed trying to slip a thin package of what turned out to be heroin under the cell door of another prisoner on March 15.

That same day, an agent of the McKinley County Sheriff's Department busted 47-year old Angel Daniel Roan attempting the same business arrangement.

Both were charged with Bringing Contraband into Places of Imprisonment and Trafficking Controlled Substances.

Leonard's bond was increased to $30,000 on the two extra charges while Roan's increased from $15,000 on two Magistrate Court warrants by another $55,000. Leonard was arrested on Feb. 29 on one outstanding warrant from District Court and two from Magistrate Court.

According to Lt. Pat Salazar of the McKinley County Sheriff's Office, it is still a mystery on how the narcotics are getting into the facility, though users are known to insert the thin packages deep into available bodily openings.

“Deputy Warden Steve Silversmith is trying to get this facility clean,” Salazar said. “We are filing state charges against these violators. The previous administration used internal discipline, but it just doesn't work.”

Three agents work at the jail in an attempt to eliminate any contraband from coming inside, be it drugs, alcohol, or other forbidden products.

Monies to go toward park improvements, dozer

On Feb. 29, the city of Gallup and Red Rock Motor Sports  submitted a grant proposal to the New Mexico Department of Transportation’s Recreational Trail Program for improvements to the OHV/MX park.

If approved, the city would receive $109,790 from the NMDOT RTP and $5,000 worth of labor donated by RRMS, while it would pay $13,710. This is a reimbursement grant, however, which means the city would have to pay for all the costs up front and then get paid back by the NMDOT upon completion of the project.

Improvements listed in the proposal include a graveled parking lot, picnic tables with awnings, trail legends, and a Sweco 480 Trail Dozer. The grand total is $128,500.

The current parking lot is simply dirt, which can turn into a dust bowl on windy days, but it would be replaced with compacted gravel.

The lack of shade at the OHV park will be remedied with eight picnic tables and awnings, allowing riders to refuel on long days.

There is one information kiosk at the OHV area at the moment, but it will hopefully be joined by eight new trail legends to help people keep track of their location within the 500 acre area.

Lastly, the Sweco Trail Dozer would be used to maintain the one mile track which hosts motocross races and events.

Greg Kirk, current secretary and former president of RRMS, is excited about the grant proposal and noted that RRMS has received two previous RTP grants totaling $360,000.  As for this one, Greg said, “I do feel optimistic that we have a good chance of getting it.”

RRMS currently has seven board members and 40 club members.  They have been leasing the 500 acres of land that encompasses the OHV park from the city for the past six years.

Mayor McKinney commented on the grant postal, saying, “I think it’s fantastic.”

He applauds RRMS for creating an event space that attracts people to Gallup.

“They’re drawing lots of competitors from out of town and out of state,” said McKinney.

RRMS and the city are currently waiting to hear back from the NMDOT to see if the grant gets approved.

“This process usually takes a few months,” said McKinney.

Story and photos by
Shepherd Waldenberger
Sun Correspondent