New Principal Has ‘Good Vibes’ About Morningside

Mallory L. Matthews, an assistant principal at Inglewood High School, has been named to replace Morningside High School Principal Art Murray, who was forced out of his job earlier this month by district administrators who held him responsible for the troubled first semester at the school.

Matthews was described by district officials as an experienced administrator with firm goals for transforming Morningside. He was Morningside’s assistant principal from 1981-85 before going to Inglewood High.

“He’s a listener,” district spokesman Maurice Wiley said. “He seems to display a genuine concern for improvement of the district. His strengths are in community activities and parent involvement.”

Morningside ranks in the bottom 5% in statewide achievement tests and was the subject of student protests last month over poor instruction, campus conditions and safety. Matthews gave district officials a two-page strategy for improving the school that covers maintenance, community relations, school morale and accountability of school personnel.

“It’s not as bad as I expected it to be” based on newspaper accounts and talk among residents and staff, Matthews said Wednesday morning as he began his second day on the job. “I got good vibes after the first day. I look forward to the challenge.”

Matthews’ improvement strategy called for daily removal of graffiti, a monthly newsletter for parents, programs to involve more parents in the school and periodic monitoring by administrators of all teachers. Other plans include an award program to honor superior students, a detention program for students who are late or truant, and meetings with the press to publicize the school.

“He came in with an organized plan and he has a tremendous amount of experience,” board member Zyra McCloud said. “He’s really paid his dues.”

Matthews, who lives near the Morningside campus, received a master’s degree in education from Pepperdine University. In addition to his two assistant principal posts, Matthews has served as Inglewood’s coordinator of adult education and as a summer school principal. He entered the district in 1980 as an adult education instructor. He will be paid $55,440.

McCloud said she conducted an informal survey of 30 of Morningside’s 40 teachers, who preferred that Murray be retained, although they rated Matthews as their choice to replace him.

Murray, who came to Inglewood Unified School District last fall from a school outside Bakersfield, was transferred last week to a special administrative post created for him in district headquarters after only six months as Morningside principal. He will be paid $62,016 in his new post, the same salary he received as principal.

Murray reported to work Friday at his new job but has called in sick so far this week. In a brief telephone interview Wednesday, he said he was dealt with unfairly.

“It doesn’t matter who they send in there,” he said from his home in Delano. “If they don’t provide the support and assistance, things won’t fly. If they don’t provide the funds to clean up the campus, you’re going to have the same kinds of problems.”