School Principal Swap in Newport
On Tuesday evening (Jan. 12), following an open meeting, the Newport Mesa School Board voted unanimously (7-0) to uphold the recommendation by Supt. John Nicholl to “swap” principals at Corona del Mar and Newport Harbor high schools. How is it possible that an issue this controversial, emotional and politically charged be decided by a unanimous vote without discussion, reconsideration or tabling of the issue when the hundreds of parents, students, teachers and educators who attended the meeting overwhelmingly were against the recommendation?
While the board members are professing to be concerned with the quality of education at both schools, it is ironic that they refuse to accept or reinforce one of the greatest lessons we all learned in high school, which is that we are a democracy and that the community has a right to be heard and to know all the facts.
Perhaps what we really need is not a principal swap but a swap of our school board and superintendent for one that will respect the people and not treat them with such disdain and arrogance.
MICHAEL A. GLUECK
Newport Beach
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