Crowd Wants Newport School Officials Ousted

A growing chorus of discontent confronted the Newport-Mesa school board Tuesday night as nearly 250 parents and teachers packed the auditorium to repeat their call for a change of leadership in the school district.

Galvanized by the arrest last month of the school district’s former top financial officer, Stephen A. Wagner, for allegedly embezzling at least $3 million, parents and teachers who have been furious for months about crowded classrooms and a shortage of supplies called for the ouster of the district’s three top administrators--Supt. John W. Nicoll (who is recovering from quadruple bypass surgery), Deputy Supt. Carol A. Berg and Assistant Supt. Thomas A. Godley.

“Our group believes that alleged acts by Stephen Wagner are not the problem with this district but only the most painful symptom of the real problem: the management practices of Nicoll, Berg and Godley,” said Mary Fewel of Costa Mesa, who asked for a motion to immediately suspend the three administrators.

Wagner, 40, was fired Nov. 10 and arrested on charges of grand theft on Nov. 24 for what authorities suspect may be the largest school district embezzlement in California history. He remains in the Orange County jail in lieu of $1.2-million bail.

Despite protests from the audience, the board voted unanimously to approve Berg’s appointment as acting superintendent.

But Forrest Werner, who stepped down as president of the board during the meeting, announced that Berg would not be a candidate for the superintendent’s seat if Nicoll retires and would not serve as interim superintendent during the search for a new leader.

Incoming board President James deBoom, asked the sometimes hostile audience to give the board three to five months to implement changes in district management.

“We have problems and we need to deal with them in order to win back the trust of this community in public education,” deBoom said. “We will listen and work closely to those who have positive ideas.”

Also at Tuesday’s meeting, teachers union president Maya Decker announced the employees’ overwhelming vote of no confidence in Nicoll, Berg, and Godley. Nearly 88% of the district’s 765 teachers, nurses, psychologists and librarians voted at the 25 school sites last week, with 95.9% of the ballots expressing no confidence.