No Go For Shower Girl

There are only 16 students in the graduating class at Powers High School and Leslie Shorb was the choice for valedictorian at Friday's graduation.

She won't be delivering that speech, following a judge's ruling Thursday saying that the school is within its rights in taking her title away because she jumped into a shower naked, with five boys.

That was in the boys' locker room at the high school in April. Shorb's lawyers say her punishment – suspension and loss of her valedictorian title - is excessive.

It's possible more legal action may be in the works.

The Powers School District had argued in court that even though a 10-day suspension and loss of her title may have seemed harsh, the punishment was well within the school district's authority.

In a written opinion released Thursday, Coos County Circuit Judge Richard Barron denied Shorb's request for a preliminary injunction, ruling the case did not involve any "important public interest."

Barron said the school district is in the best position to make rules governing student conduct.

"It is a matter involving a very smart girl who made a very irresponsible decision to play a prank that she knew was wrong and that she knew would be sanctioned if the school found out," Barron wrote.

"Shorb was willing to take the risk because she thought her conduct would be funny," the judge wrote. "Unfortunately she underestimated the extent of the consequences."

Barron added that people often learn valuable lessons from negative experiences and unless school officials go beyond the law, they have great latitude in disciplining students.

One of Shorb's lawyers, Patricia Hinrich, said she was disappointed in the ruling.

But Hinrich said the judge appeared to leave open the possibility of further legal efforts to restore Shorb's valedictorian title, even though she said they would be too late to allow her to speak at Friday's graduation.

Hinrich added that she was still concerned that the boys who joined her in the shower were not disciplined as severely.

"She worked hard for seven semesters and it's wiped away in a five-minute shower," Hinrich said. "It doesn't seem fair. It just doesn't make sense."

Shorb said Wednesday that, win or lose, she just wanted to get on with life.

If she could give the address, she said she tell the audience that, "This is a group of 16 bright young kids and they'll do fine in life."

And if she had it all to do over again, Shorb said she would rather skip it, despite being interviewed on national television shows.

"I'm just going to carry on with life: go to school, get a job, get a house and make a family."

Shorb, who earned the valedictorian title with a 3.88 grade point average, also was barred from a school prom and a senior trip to Mexico.

On Wednesday, she testified that her decision last April to go into the boys' locker room, strip naked and go into the shower where she was joined by five boys after physical education class, was nothing more than a spring-fever prank.

"There was no reason besides I thought it would be funny," Shorb testified. "I don't know. Something to do, I guess."

Under cross-examination, Shorb acknowledged that she gets a little crazy when springtime comes to the small logging town in the Coast Range. Asked if she considered her behavior bizarre, she answered, "Not for me."

Three senior boys who showered with Shorb testified they did not feel their privacy was invaded, or that they were sexually harassed in any way. There had been no touching or sexual overtones. They added that they had all skinny dipped or soaked naked in a hot tub with Shorb on previous occasions.

In closing arguments, Shorb's attorney, Charles Zennache of Eugene, argued that school Superintendent Don Grotting had no authority under the rules for student conduct or choosing the valedictorian to take the title away on the basis of a student's behavior.

He added that Shorb was never told what specific written rule she had violated, or given a chance to respond.

"They washed away seven semesters of hard work for five to six minutes of an error in judgment where nobody was harmed," Zennache said.

The judge said of Zennache's argument: "That would allow anyone who commits criminal acts to speak at graduation. Partly what you're asking me to do is partly what courts don't do, unless there is a clear violation. I don't substitute my judgment for the school."

"We're not asking you to substitute your judgment," Zennache said. "What we are saying is they don't have the authority to do that."

Attorney Thomas Moore, representing the school district, said in closing only that the school's actions were appropriate, legal, and should not be overturned.

Grotting testified he felt Shorb had invaded a place where boys expected to have privacy, violated prohibitions against immodest dress, and disrupted the academic environment.

He added he learned of the prank in a telephone call from the mother of a boy who had not been present.

Shop teacher Phillip Wolcott testified that he noticed no disruption as a result of the shower incident until newspapers and television stations started calling the school after the punishment was meted out and Grotting ordered a "lockdown," with paper over the windows and doors locked.

After the hearing, Shorb said she has no plans to continue the lawsuit if she is denied the chance to speak at graduation.

Though she hired an agent to screen the media attention created by her prank, she had no plans for show business, and was more interested in a career as a marine engineer. However, rather than leave her home state to attend a maritime academy, she plans to go to Oregon State University in the fall.

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