Coach accused of assault on student

By Brian Hassler
Staff Writer

SHIPROCK — It was only Dorothy White's second day of work when she was told that her son was on the way to the hospital.

White was unable to leave work to see her son, Myron Maze, until after her shift was completed and all she was told was that he couldn't walk and that Shiprock High School was taking him in to be checked by doctors at the hospital.

What White wasn't told was that Myron had been assaulted by Kirk Olsen, his third period driver's education instructor and the head coach of Shiprock's baseball team.

"When that happened, I wondered why he would do this to my son?" said White. "Does he have personal problems that would cause him to do this? I don't even treat my own kids that way."

On March 28, Myron Maze had overslept and missed breakfast. He asked his mom for a dollar to buy a drink at school and went to his third period class with his drink in hand.

After taking a few sips, Maze's teacher walked to his desk and threw his drink out. Maze planned on grabbing it out of the trash and finishing his drink before his next class and waited for the bell to ring. Maze picked up his drink and was about to finish it when Olsen confronted him and took away his drink for a second time. Olsen threw the garbage can down the hall and grabbed Maze by the right arm.

"Coach said 'Myron don't make me do this,' and my son thought that he would be going to the principals office," said White. "The next thing he knew, he was on the ground and there were bruises on his right side, his right knee and his nose was scraped and bleeding."

Administrators took pictures of Maze's injuries and the Central Consolidated School District investigated the incident.

"There was an incident with an employee but I can't discuss it," said Dr. Linda Besett, CCSD Superintendent. "My expectation is that our students will be treated with respect. It's serious to us if we feel and adult has not be respectful to students."

Besett acknowledged that the incident did take place and that there were consequences issued but wouldn't comment on what those consequences were.

"They didn't tell us if he was suspended or not," said White. "They didn't offer to pay for the medical bills and they didn't even apologize for this."

But a completed investigation by the CCSD hasn't stopped Shiprock police from looking into the situation. In addition to addressing inconsistencies in Olsen's statement, Lieutenant Clarence Bilagody has reports from three witnesses to the attack.

"It didn't happen the way Coach Olsen supposedly told the administration it did," said Bilagody. "It was handled administratively and we're just seeing if there were any criminal acts that took place."

Upon completing the investigation, Bilagody will submit his findings to the tribal prosecutors as well as the New Mexico state district attorney and give both parties the opportunity to press charges against Olsen.

Bilagody will be forced to wait to talk to Olsen before finishing the investigation, a conversation that might not happen until the baseball team returns from state tournament competition in Albuquerque.

Though White is waiting for the police and prosecutors to determine Olsen's fate, Besett added that the situation has been resolved. "They should know that my son is disabled," said White. "I want Coach Olsen to pay for what he did to my son. But the superintendent said it's up to me to decide what happens next. I guess this is the second time Olsen has done this to a student. He should not be around kids anymore."

Olsen couldn't be reached for comment.

— Brian Hassler is The Independent's Four Corners reporter based in Shiprock. Contact him at (505) 360-7862 or via email at brianhassler@hotmail.com