Students, community express frustration over fired friend

posted in: Opinion | 0

Miguel is a passionate person and very respectful to everyone around him. He does not deserve this.

There was one instance in Pacific’s Start & Sustain a Non-Profit course a couple years ago where there happened to be a grandmother of a student and she said a racial comment about minorities. Miguel was extremely upset and stormed out of the classroom and did not come back.

Next class, he apologized for leaving and explained to us how difficult his life has been even after getting into the United States as well as the exposure to racial profiling from employers and the peers around him.

Although he’s had many ups and downs he maintained a positive attitude and was loyal to B-Street Living Museum.

After that moment, it made me realize how spoiled many of us are and that a majority of us do not appreciate what we have. It is disappointing that there is no clear reason on why he was fired. I feel that this is sending a bad message to the community.

Forest Grove is based around a Hispanic population and I rarely see this population affiliated with the University. This is only distancing the University from its local community. I wish the best to Miguel and his future endeavors.

– Michael Furuya

Miguel is a passionate person and very respectful to everyone around him. He does not deserve this.

There was one instance in Pacific’s Start & Sustain a Non-Profit course a couple years ago where there happened to be a grandmother of a student and she said a racial comment about minorities. Miguel was extremely upset and stormed out of the classroom and did not come back.

Next class, he apologized for leaving and explained to us how difficult his life has been even after getting into the United States as well as the exposure to racial profiling from employers and the peers around him.

Although he’s had many ups and downs he maintained a positive attitude and was loyal to B-Street Living Museum.

After that moment, it made me realize how spoiled many of us are and that a majority of us do not appreciate what we have. It is disappointing that there is no clear reason on why he was fired. I feel that this is sending a bad message to the community.

Forest Grove is based around a Hispanic population and I rarely see this population affiliated with the University. This is only distancing the University from its local community. I wish the best to Miguel and his future endeavors.

– Leda Gastonbury

Late in September my friend Miguel Cervantes was fired from the B Street Permaculture Project.

He started over 20 years ago as a part of the Pacific landscaping crew and was moved to the B Street Permaculture project when Pacific decided to contract landscaping to an outside company.

Miguel worked hard and he was interested in the people care aspect of permaculture. He always made time for the students, helping them with their projects and having many discussions about the social aspects of permaculture. He had a kind heart and was humble, perhaps too humble.

It seems people like this are often taken advantage of. Miguel showed me his termination papers and it appeared to me that it consisted of a list of inconsistencies and rather trifling accounts of untidiness. Untidiness is expected on a parcel of land that is over 2 acres, a place where students should be allowed to experiment and make a bit of a mess while working on sustainability projects.  I own 2 acres and it is a challenge for one person to take care of. I am afraid if those who were involved with Miguel’s termination saw my yard I would be fired as well.

Miguel is now gone and I am sad. He has no income, which concerns me since I know he lives paycheck to paycheck. My final thought on this is the following; given all the tools we have in front of us to solve problems was termination of Miguel the best possible solution to this problem? Was this the best outcome for all those involved? Many of us (faculty, students, and staff) don’t think so.

– Deke Gunderson

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