News School District Takes Out Restraining Order Against Omari Tahir-Garrett
posted by on December 11 at 17:53 PM
Seattle School District Superintendent Maria Goodloe-Johnson and School Board President Cheryl Chow have filed protection orders against James “Omari-Tahir” Garrett. Garrett is perhaps most famous for attacking Mayor Paul Schell with a megaphone in 2001, but he’s also thrown his name into the 2008 presidential race. Really.
According to Seattle Schools attorney Shannon McMinimee—who appeared in court last Friday on behalf of Chow and Goodloe-Johnson—Garrett has repeatedly been “abusive” to members of the school board during public meetings, and was provided with written warnings about his behavior. At a November 14th school board meeting, McMinimee says Garrett cautioned Chow to “remember the Wah-Mee massacre,” and warned her that “it could happen again,” and told Goodloe-Johnson that “there are two kinds of black women: Aunt Jemima and Harriet Tubman, which one are you?” before he directed Chow to “go back to where [she] came from.” McMinimee says Garrett was removed from the meeting by law enforcement.
Then, at a December 5th meeting, McMinimee says Garrett got into a physical altercation with a district security guard and was arrested for trespassing. Now, the King County District Court has issued a temporary restraining order that bars Garrett
from coming within 1,000 yards of Chow of Goodloe-Johnson’s homes and workplaces.
McMinimee says all of Garrett’s alleged outbursts were submitted to the court on DVD.
“When Mr. Tahir makes threats of violence, it would be very understandable for other public officials to believe it,” McMinimee says.
On December 18th, another hearing will be held to determine whether Garrett’s restraining order will be extended.
We are trying to contact Garrett to get his reaction to the restraining order.
Omari Tahir-Garrett is seriously mentally ill and poses a danger to himself and others. This has been true and obvious to local observers for years now. What will it take for him to be involuntarily committed to a secure facility where he can get the mental health treatment he needs?
The way that you covered this is so rashist....
You are correct Next. We at The Stranger are prejudiced against hives, mosquito bites AND scabies.
Let's have Jean Godden, our Grande Dame- Aunt Clara of City Hall look into this;
We are all so well represented in this city...
Ever since he socked Paul in the eye I've been a secretly rooting for Omari.
As long as he's not talking during the movie, he's alright by me.
Goodloe-Johnson hasn't even been here that long.
Welcome to the neighborhood!
We need more people like Omari to remind city bureaucrats that they are not bulletproof and can be touched.
Their elitism, dogmatism, and cockiness is especially unjustified when one looks at how miserably the school district fails our kids everyday.
Oh sure, it's the school district's fault. Shitty parenting has NOTHING to do with it. Or grandstanding assholes like Omari, for that matter.
Everyone knows out state-sponsored babysitting service is abundantly funded and that every parent spends hours on non-television time with their kid.
It's all the school system's fault.
Can't we give Omari to a sister city?
Like Tashkent?
Maybe we could designate Rikers Island as a Sister City.
Imagine if an Asain "activist" told someone African American to "just remember Jasper TX". Didn't Chris Rock say some blacks make him see where the KKK was coming from? Uh, I think this in just the race card/baiting mother fucker he had in mind....
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