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confrontation at kids' school
By MIRIAM A. GARCIA
Copyright 2001 Houston Chronicle
State Rep. Garnet Coleman, D-Houston, was arrested Monday and charged with
misdemeanor assault after a confrontation with the president of his
children's school.
Coleman, 39, is accused of assaulting Harsh Kumar, 46, the president of the
Montessori School of Downtown & Medical Center at 4510 Caroline, according
to Houston Police Department spokeswoman Sylvia Trevino.
Police arrested Coleman about 5:30 p.m. after an argument over the recent
dismissal of Coleman's son's teacher, police said.
Coleman said he and his wife went to the school to discuss the dismissals of
three teachers.
"He told me to get out of his building and started disrespecting my wife,"
Coleman said. "I've just never been treated so badly in my life. I
overreacted and pushed him back into the couch, and he started yelling at me
and I started yelling at him."
Coleman, who has been the state representative from District 147 since 1992,
said he was tired after returning from a trip to Israel the day before and
had been frustrated all day because the air conditioning in his office was
out.
"I was wrong, but at the same time he disrespected my wife. And I was tired
and had jet lag, and, quite honestly, my wife and kids are all I have,"
Coleman said.
Kumar disputed Coleman's version, saying he was pushed twice and hit in the
face four times during the argument.
"I didn't disrespect him," Kumar said. "I was very shocked when he started
yelling at me, and I had to run away from him."
Coleman said his wife had asked the administration to warn her of any
teaching changes because they wanted their children to keep the teacher
they'd had since starting at the school. His 9-year-old son has had the same
teacher since he was 2, Coleman said, and his 6-year-old daughter has
attended the school for three years.
"They go year-round and are there from 7:30 (a.m.) to 6 p.m., 52 weeks a
year," Coleman said. "These are the people we trust our kids with."
Kumar said the couple also expressed concern because the teachers are black,
as is Coleman.
"We decided not to renew the contracts for two of them, and the other
teacher decided to go on her own," Kumar said. "Coincidentally, the two
women that replaced them are black."