Teacher Sues Student Over Reading Of Poem

BELLINGHAM - A student at Mount Baker Junior-Senior High School is being sued by one of his teachers for reading a poem at a talent show that was laced with sexual references and other crude remarks.

English teacher James "Stu" Gorski believes the poem, entitled "A Curse To An Ego," is about him and his family.

Gorski filed the lawsuit last week in Whatcom County Superior Court against high school senior Steven Rhoads; his parents, Marilyn and Ralph Rhoads; the Mount Baker School District; and teachers Doug Sutton and Scott Smartt, who were involved in the April 28 talent show.

His suit claims the poem damaged his family's reputation. It seeks unspecified damages, to be determined at trial.

Richard Kimberly, Gorski's attorney, said the poem contained a series of derogatory curses and crude remarks about sex and Gorski's family members.

Rhoads said he used no real names in the poem and that people just assumed it was aimed at Gorski. He declined to say whether it was about Gorski.

Faculty members screened the show's acts beforehand, but Rhoads didn't present the same reading that he offered for review. Gorski wasn't in the audience when the poem was read.

Rhoads was suspended for five days after the show.

Rhoads dropped out of Gorski's college preparatory English class last semester after becoming angry over what he called "unprofessional conduct" by the teacher.