WE It i Vol. CIV, No. 119 Ann Arbor, Michigan One hundred three years of editorial freedom Thursday, September 8, 1994 @ 1994 The Michigan Daily Ann Arbor teachers'strike frustrates local union, parents By DWIGHT DAVIS Daily Staff Reporter Classes may start today for University students, but for the 14,000 students in the Ann Arbor Public Schools, an extended sum- mer vacation stretches into its second week as the district's 1,100 teachers remain on the picket lines. Striking for the first time in 11 years, Ann rbor teachers voted to reject a settlement agreed to by their union's negotiating team Tuesday morning. , Now the teachers' union faces court ap- pearances as both the Ann Arbor Board of Education and a group of parents have filed suits seeking an injunction against the strike and an immediate back to work order. Many University students, who will be student teachers at Ann Arbor schools this fall, are also on extended vacation until the strike is resolved. As employees of the state, it is technically illegal for public school teachers to strike, but this legislation rarely is enforced. The Board of Education is hoping the courts will try to enforce it this time. Board spokesman Robert Moseley cited pressure from the public to get the schools open as the main reason the board chose to pursue the matter in the courts. "But the board is still staying in contact with the union's negotiators," he added. "Legal action is just one of the avenues being pursued." Ann Arbor Education Association spokes- man Dan Burroughs expressed the union's disappointment with the board's action. "We can understand a group of parents, who are concerned about their children, seeking a court injunction, but the board should be at the table with the teachers getting this thing settled." The union has offered to return to work immediately if the board will except interest- arbitration. In this process, an outside arbitra- tor would choose one side's proposal or the other's on each individual issue to end three months ties. of negotiating between the two par- The board, unwilling to give up what it feels is part of its publicly charged responsi- bility to an arbitrator, has countered with a request to the Michigan Employment Rela- tions Commission for a fact finding investiga- tion. The commission would have the power to open both sides' books, but it would not have the power to enforce its recommendations. Last year the state enacted the most revo- lutipnary education finance reform in its his- tory. Starting next year, local school financ- ing will be based primarily on a state-wide sales tax, instead of local property taxes. The.uncertainty surrounding this change has been cited by the board as a reason why they want to negotiate for this year only. "This supposed uncertainty hasn't stopped Livonia or Chelsea from settling for multi- year contracts," Burroughs said of two dis- tricts that went on strike but settled late last month. "The money is pretty secure here over the next three years. Moselcy responded that the details of those multi-%ear contracts are not known. "Livonia has a three year contract but we don't know the ins and outs of that contract." See STRIu, Page 3 Democrats face Engler, Abraham in fall elections By DAVID SHEPARDSON Daily News Editor * Democratic gubernatorial candi- date Howard Wolpe faces an uphill battle in his bid to unseat incumbent Gov. John M. Engler. Wolpe, the former U.S. represen- tative won the right to face the first- term Republican by defeating a host of largely unknown Demo- crats in the Aug. 2 primary. Though the rhetoric is flying and the candi- dates toss barbs 4 and push baby carriages, stu- dents are often apathetic during non-presidential ections. The governor has an im- pact on students at state colleges as he proposes the state higher education budget, which in turn affects tuition costs. Political observers say Wolpe must overcome his own relative anonym- ity to defeat Engler, who touts his record of cutting taxes and reforming public school funding. 0 Wolpe, who has spoken on nu- merous occasions at the University, is an adju kt faculty member at the University's Institute for Social Re- search. "John Engler has got to go. We're going to pack him up and move him out," Wolpe said after winning the primary. But Engler decried the "liberal" olpe and said he would be re-elected Wnidily. "I've got a liberal opponent who opposes our effort to cut taxes, reduce welfare and reduce the cost and size of government," Engler said. "I think they're out of touch with where Michi- gan voters are." Wolpe, who recently received the endorsement of Helen Milliken, GOP first lady of Michigan and wife of *rmer Michigan Gov. William Milliken, is currently weighing can- didates to serve as his running mate. Early last week, Martha Griffiths, the grande dame of the state Demo- cratic Party, endorsed Engler's re- election bid, charging that the UAW was exerting too much influence over Wolpe. Griffiths served as lieutenant during Democrat James Blanchard's 4stterm. Blanchard dropped Griffiths m the ticket after pressure from the UAW. See ELECTIONS, Page 2 Who will care for Maranda? Man claims to be seral rapist in police call DOUGLAS KANTER/Daily DOUGLAS KANTER/Daily Jennifer Ireland is appealing for custody of her daughter. The court awarded Steven Smith custody of Maranda. T' student father struggle to get custody of 3-ye r-old child By MICHELLE LEE THOMPSON Daily Staff Reporter A University student and her former boyfriend are both fighting for custody of their three-year-old daughter, Maranda. Jennifer Ireland and the father, Steven Smith have waged their cus- tody battle as the nation watches to see which parent will win the next round of a case that has brought domestic vio- lence, men's and women's rights, and teenage parenthood all into the same courtroom. Circuit Judge Raymond Cashen granted Smith custody of their daugh- ter Maranda in June. Ireland has tem- porary custody while the case is ap- pealed. Ireland, who is an LSA sopho- more, plans a career in international law. Smith is a community college student who is unsure of his course of study. Meanwhile, the Court of Appeals has granted an extension of Cashen's original fifteen-day stay, so that Maranda will stay with her mother until the appeal is heard. The court has not scheduled a date yet for the case, but a decision is ex- pected within the next few months. Ireland supporters have called it "day care on trial." Ireland put her daughter in home day care with a See MARANDA, Page 9 By JAMES R. CHO Daily Staff Reporter The ongoing manhunt for a serial rapist in Ann Arbor took a strange twist late last month when a man, claiming to be the rapist, called local police and said his next target would be a 14- or 15-year-old girl. "I've had a fantasy about young women this time, I would like to get a hold of a 14- or 15-year-old if I can and I will, OK," the man told police in an Aug. 23 phone call. The police are taking the call seri- ously. After consulting with experts, investigators said they are giving some credence to the man's claim that he is the rapist. "It could be a prank. We have tried to authenticate it as best we can." said Det. Lt. John Atkinson of the Ann Arbor Police Department. Police played the tape at a news conference Sept. I and have set up a telephone line for callers to listen to the tape. Investigators are hoping callers can recognize the mm by his unique voice. Since the phone call, police have received about 80 tips, Atkinson said. DNA testing has shown the same man is responsible for the May 7 rape and murder of University employee Christine Gailbreath and three other sexual assaults that have occurred within the past two years. "All of the assaults have occurred in wooded, secluded areas with the female by themselves," Atkinson said. None have occurred on campus. During the one-minute conversa- tion, the man repeatedly said he is not African American, as identified in a See RAPIST, Page 2 Transcript The following isa transcriptof the minute-long phone conversa- tion between Ann Arbor police and a man claiming to be the se- rial rapistAug. 23. Police: Ann Arbor Police. Caller: Hello. Police: Ann Arbor Police. Caller: How ya doing? Police: Good. Caller: Well, whatdo you think? Police: About what? Caller: How am I doing? Police: I don't know. Caller: Well, I don't like the idea of the Ann Arbor Police saying I'm Black. Police: Who said that? Caller: OK, (pause) you know the rapes I've been doing in Ann Arbor, OK? I'm not Black. I'm a dark-complected Puerto Rican and Mexican, and I'm sick andtired of reading aboutthat. And I'm going to strike again. OK? Police: Well. Caller: Getthis straight, I'm not Black. I hate that. Police: OK. Caller: I'm very dark- complected. I might appear Black, but I'm not. Police: Um, um. Caller: And I will strike again. Police: Well, I hope you don't. Caller: I've had a fantasy about young women this time. I'd like to get a hold of a 14-year-old or a 15- year-old if I can. And I will, OK? Thank you. (hangs up) Police: Sir? Welcome to the Daily. This overly large edition contains articles pertaining to all facets of campus life. Hope to see you at our mass meeting on Sept. 21 at 7:30 p.m. INSIDE SECTIONS DOUGLAS KANTER/Daily Maranda remains with her mother, Jennifer, while the case is in court. New Diag policy to remove 7-day waiting period By LISA DINES Daily Staff Reporter The University has relaxed several parts of its Common Areas Policy, making it easier for stu- dents to speak their minds on the Diag this year. The new policy removes the ban on chalking in the Diag. It also allows students to protest with little or no warning to the University by removing the seven-day waiting period for events. The policy still requires a waiting period for money solicita- tion and events that use sound amplification. "We addressed all the issues that had been raised by students from the last revision. We made those changes to accommodate that," said Frank Cianciola, associate dean of students. Overall, Michigan Student Assembly Vice President Jacob Stern said the assembly was pleased with the changes but he still opposes the policy. "I1 see a trend of restrictions on student rights and that is what philosophically bothers me," he said. The policy applies only to "planned, scheduled activities in these designated areas," he said. Student groups, faculty and staff, and various other University-recognized organizations may schedule use of the Diag in advance. Non-Univer- sity parties may still use the Diag, but scheduled users have priority. The new policy also includes the idea of "shared responsibility" for events. "What we've tried to introduce is that it really takes a joint ownership in terms of success of an event," Cianciola said. Stern attended the policy formulation meetings this summer. He said he was pleased with the movement away from student organizations shoul- dering sole responsibility for attendees, but the improvements do not go far enough. "It is a public area and that is the responsibility of the University," Stern said. "Unlike a ballroom where there is a door ... in a public area you can not stop who comes in." The revision also addressed student complaints that the old policy was confusing and vague. "They definitely made this policy a lot clearer.". Stern said. "They've made it easier to read and to understand." The new policy also specifies the number of three-dimensional structures - such as shanties - allowed in one commons area and outlines safety guidelines. In particular, no openings may be large enough to shelter hidden individuals. The liberal climate on camp fosters an environment op to student activism. You've gotten the University's perspective on itself, now let us tell you our side of the story. - Section C Debate on abortion stalls discussion on population control From Staff and Wire Reports CAIRO, Egypt - Amid accusations that the Vatican has hijacked the conference on global population, U.N. A, :-1t tn c -.-atrr :.n fr~crnr%..: t" r-s t l 50-foot smoke-free zone cut from smoking policy Welcome to the cultural mecca of the Midwest repletewith rock groups and museums. By JOSH GINSBERG For the Daily Campus smokers taking their first puffs of a cigarette this fall should be forewarned - the University has a new policy targeting them. ei dent for student affairs, said that a few buildings on campus will follow the 50-feet rule, including the Michigan Union and University Hospitals. Hartford also is a member of the University's Initiative Policy Coun- A small town with a big school, A2 combines a pleasant I ~ 4