Transfer of Principal Stirs Harsh Feelings : Education: Anglo administrator is moved from school that serves mostly Latinos.

The transfer of an Anglo principal from a Los Angeles Unified School District adult school that serves mostly Latinos has stirred up allegations of discrimination, reverse discrimination and school district patronage.

More than 75 students and teachers at the Pacoima Skills Center demonstrated Thursday to protest the transfer of Maureen Jensen, who has headed the school for 12 years, to be principal at another adult school.

School district officials have said publicly that the move is simply a routine reassignment. But some officials have conceded privately that community pressure to remove Jensen was led by Latina activist Irene Tovar, who sided with teachers who believe Jensen has been insensitive to Latinos.

Tovar, a former City Council candidate and an adviser to East Valley school board member Roberta Weintraub on Latino issues, is considered an influential member of the Spanish-speaking community in the northeast San Fernando Valley.

Anger over the transfer has prompted Jensen to retaliate, accusing a ranking district administrator of political favoritism by creating a job for Tovar’s sister.

Jensen said Assistant Supt. James Figueroa, the head of adult and occupational schools, asked her 18 months ago to find a job for Yolanda Valenzuela, the sister of Tovar.

Jensen said she complied because “I’m a team player,” even though there was no money or position available for Valenzuela, who she said had no teaching experience. The hiring came at a time when the center was cutting the hours of other teachers, Jensen said.

“A position was created for her,” Jensen said.

Figueroa said he did call Jensen to see if she had a position for Valenzuela but denied it was done as a favor to Tovar. He said he did not know the woman was Tovar’s sister at the time.

“I let her know this person was available but I didn’t make the connection with Irene Tovar,” Figueroa said.

Former adult school Principal Wes Balbuena said he originally hired Valenzuela to work at the North Valley Occupational Center but had to break his promise when other teachers with more seniority wanted more teaching hours.

Balbuena, who retired last year, said he then called Figueroa and asked for help in placing Valenzuela, who had quit a longtime job as a secretary at Mission College to take the teaching position.

Valenzuela worked at the Pacoima Skills Center from February, 1990, until December of that year, Jensen said. She then took a teaching job at the North Valley Occupational Center in Mission Hills, Jensen said.

“Jensen is a woman who is drowning and trying to bring down other people with her,” Tovar said.

Jensen said she feels betrayed by Tovar and Figueroa. She and several teachers opposed to the transfer said it was Tovar who organized community efforts, including telephone calls to district offices, to oust her.

Jensen said Tovar has persuaded residents they should pressure the school district to hire a Latino to replace her, a move she describes as reverse discrimination. Tovar said she has only helped Latino students who have complained about their treatment at the school. School officials will not say who will be Jensen’s replacement.

“I have been accused of being discriminatory against Hispanics, which is false,” Jensen said.

Pacoima teacher Jeff Gould said Jensen has been branded unfairly. “It is easy to rile up a community when you mislead them,” he said.

Figueroa denied that Tovar is behind the transfer or that it was prompted by allegations of discrimination.

He said Jensen is being moved to the Reseda Community Adult School as part of a regular rotation. Rather than punishment, the move is intended to broaden Jensen’s administrative skills, he said.

“We wouldn’t be sending her there if we didn’t think she was good,” Figueroa said.

Weintraub said she knows of no evidence that Jensen has discriminated against minority students. But Weintraub said Jensen’s public complaining about the transfer, which she said is a sometimes painful but accepted part of an administrator’s job, is bad form.

“No one is going to win on this, including Figueroa and her (Jensen),” Weintraub said.