Principal of Run-Down Compton School Ousted : Education: The action comes after weeks of unrest in which parents, joined by teachers and students, demanded a wide range of changes.

Compton school officials have ousted the embattled principal of Whaley Middle School after six weeks of unrest over deplorable conditions and other issues.

The decision to replace Principal Naomi Ferns came after a group of parents demanded a new administration at Wednesday’s meeting of the Board of Trustees of the Compton Unified School District.

“We want our school back,” parent Jose Martell told board members. “We are not going to quit.” To symbolize their solidarity, about 60 teachers, parents and students stood while Martell and others spoke. They criticized Ferns as divisive and ineffective, and said they also sought a broad range of improvements at the school.

Board members then met for 2 1/2 hours behind closed doors before approving the change. Ferns was transferred to a job as “administrator on special assignment.” Her duties will include developing programs to fight truancy and prepare for emergencies, Acting Supt. Harold Cebrun said.

Ferns has declined to comment on the situation at Whaley, which has about 950 students.

Cebrun met with about 250 parents Monday before going to the school board with his recommendation to remove Ferns.

The school board, meanwhile, narrowly rejected the recommendation of the acting superintendent to name Willie Charles Littles acting principal at Whaley. Officials left unresolved Thursday the question of who will take over Ferns’ duties.

Trustees Amen Rahh and Cloria Patillo said they voted against Littles because he lacked experience. Littles had been a popular assistant principal at Whaley before his recent move to another district school. Many parents and teachers have said his return would be a calming influence on the uneasy campus.

The turmoil at Whaley began Feb. 3 with a peaceful demonstration over student complaints that they had too few activities. Then students protested that administrators improperly denied student leaders control of Student Council funds. District officials ultimately agreed and pledged to restore authority to student government.

But the demonstrations did not stop as other issues took center stage, including allegations of mismanagement and discrimination against Latino students. Students and parents drew particular attention to the school’s run-down condition, including bathrooms and eating areas they said were too filthy to use. Critics also faulted the school’s shortage of academic materials and sports equipment. A number of teachers and leaders of the teachers union joined the campaign to remove Ferns and improve the school.