SCENE THE
Fall Issue 1
September 22, 2017
www.thescenefp.com
St. Louis Community College at Forest Park
Football Fans See page 3
Remembering 9-11 See page 4-5
Cafeteria Follies See page 6
Forest Park reacts to Stockley verdict By Joshua Phelps and Timothy Bold The Scene staff Forest Park nursing student Jasmine Townsend believes former St. Louis police officer Jason Stockley should have been found guilty of murder last week. “The judge made a complete wrong call,” she said. “He didn’t think of the victim.” Townsend, 21, supported protesters who took to the streets on Sept. 15 after Circuit Judge Timothy Wilson found Stockley, who is white, not guilty of murdering a black man after a high-speed Townsend chase. Most of the daytime protests were peaceful, but they turned violent after dark. Vandals damaged the home of St. Louis Mayor Lyda Krewson in the Central West End and broke windows of businesses downtown and on the Delmar Loop. Scores were arrested, and several police officers were injured. “I understand the need to let our governmental system of Missouri know that this is wrong,” said Townsend, who is black. “This wasn’t done right. Something needs to be changed. Somebody needs to take order. Someone needs to call (out) these cops that are doing things wrong. They need to show them that this won’t be stood for.” Townsend is one of several Forest Park students and staff who weighed in on the verdict and subsequent protests.
General studies student Gwen Neuwirth, 27, who is white, said police officers across the country need more accountability and shouldn’t get away with so much brutality, particularly against black people. “It’s going to continue to happen,” she said. “It’s just natural human nature. If you push the boundaries and you don’t get pushed back, you’re going to keep on going. I think peaceful protests are always good.” The Stockley case dates back to 2011, when he and his partner chased a vehicle driven by 24-year-old Neuwirth Anthony Lamar Smith, a drug suspect, who crashed into another vehicle before Stockley shot him dead. Stockley later was arrested and charged with first-degree murder and armed criminal action. Prosecutors maintained that he executed Smith and planted a gun. Stockley waived his right to a jury trial, and Wilson ruled that prosecutors didn’t provide enough evidence to support their claims. In a Sept. 15 email, St. Louis Community College Chancellor Jeff Pittman assured students, faculty and staff that the college was committed to providing a safe and welcoming learning environment. He offered support to those in need through the college’s Student Assistance Program and Counseling Services.
See Verdict page 7
Photo by Tyler Warren
Protestors gather outside the Civil Courts Building in downtown St. Louis after a judge acquitted former St. Louis police officer Jason Stockley on Sept. 15.
Photo by Ahmad McCall
Provost Larry Johnson, left, listens to adjunct faculty members Brett Williams, Steve Taylor and Steven Thomas in his office after a union rally in the courtyard on Sept. 6.
Adjunct faculty hold union rally on campus
Contract negotiations at an “impasse”
and they refuse to budge on anything.” More than 800 adjuncts (part-time faculty members) work on STLCC’s four campuses – Forest Park, Meramec, Florissant Valley and By Joshua Phelps Wildwood. They voted 188 to 15 to unionize with Service Employees International Union The Scene staff Adjunct faculty members rallied on the Local 1 on Oct. 31, 2015. Union representatives and college offiForest Park campus this month, upset that they still don’t have a union contract after cials began negotiating in May of 2016 and more than a year of negotiations with St. have met 22 times, said Stacey Manuel, Local 1 organizing coordinator for higher Louis Community College. About 20 adjuncts, students and other education. “It is taking a very supporters carried long time,” said Kathy signs and listened to “I think (college Ratino, an adjunct speakers on a windy in communications day in the courtyard. officials are) not at Forest Park, who After the rally, they bargaining fairly with attended the rally. marched upstairs “We’re anxious to get it us. We voted in a union to Provost Larry wrapped up. (The curJohnson’s office, over a year ago. We’re rent set of agreed-upchanting “When on issues) is not what in our second year of adjuncts’ lives are looking for. under attack, what contract negotiations, we’re “We’re looking for do we do? Stand up, job security. That’s and they refuse to fight back!” not in the contract Campus police budge on anything.” yet. We’re looking for asked chanters to - Union negotiator Brett Williams better pay. That’s not lower their voices in the contract yet. when they got inside We’ve not had raises the building. Johnson for a long time when met with them for about five minutes. “I think (college officials are) not bar- other parts of the college have gotten their gaining fairly with us,” said union com- raises. We feel like it’s just what’s fair.” The college’s representative is Robert mittee member Brett Williams, an adjunct Thumith, director of employee and in art at Forest Park, during the rally. “We voted in a union over a year ago. We’re in labor relations, who also is an adjunct at our second year of contract negotiations, Lindenwood University. He said it was inappropriate for him to comment on the rally because it’s not part of the negotiating process. Watch the video at College and union representatives last
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See Rally page 8