ORANGE : 120 Back Principals on Demotion Notice

For the second time this month, parents, teachers and students packed a meeting at the Orange Unified School District headquarters to ask the Board of Education to save the jobs of three veteran principals.

More than 120 gathered Thursday to protest the possible demotion of principals Eddie Salgado of La Veta Elementary, Ewell Gunter of Palmyra Elementary and Gerald Uffelman of Richland Continuation High School.

The principals, each of whom have worked for the district for more than 20 years, were notified after a closed-session vote on Feb. 27 that they could be returned to teaching positions in June.

The state Education Code requires the school board to notify administrators by March 1 if their status could change. The board must make a final decision by June 30.

Supporters told board members Thursday that the district will lose valuable leadership if the three are demoted.

Helen Smith, a former Richland student, said Uffelman had kept her from dropping out of school and had changed her attitude about education. “Because of (Uffelman), I’m where I am today, graduating from El Modena” High School, Smith told the board members. “I think he could do it for many more, and I think letting him go is the worst thing you could do.”

Supporters have also flooded district officials with calls and letters asking the board to reconsider its February vote. Board president Barry P. Resnick said he has received 100 letters and two dozen phone calls.

Jack Elsner, the district’s administrator of human resources, said the three could choose to continue with the district as teachers.

“They all have tenure as teachers and are guaranteed positions within the school district,” Elsner said. “There will be spots for them.”

But returning to the classroom would mean substantial pay cuts. The top teaching salary in the district is about $47,000. Elementary school principals make about $60,000, and senior high continuation school principals earn about $65,000, Elsner said.