BURBANK : Protest Lingers Over Reassigned Principal

Backed by several human rights organizations, supporters of demoted Burbank High School Principal Keiko Hentell, who was reassigned to other duties and removed from the school two weeks ago, are continuing to protest her demotion.

“The . . . consequences we are experiencing as a result of your unilateral divisive action has poisoned our relationships and will last for years to come unless you reconsider your action,” the Rev. John Simmons, a retired Lutheran minister and head of the Burbank Human Relations Council, told the school board Thursday night.

The protests took the spotlight away from the $100-million school bond measure on the April 12 ballot. The school board thanked Walt Disney Studios, the Burbank Board of Realtors and the Burbank Chamber of Commerce for their donations and support in the campaign to get the measure approved.

But board members were then forced to defend their action regarding Hentell.

“It’s really hard for people to separate these two issues,” said Sharon Ranshaw, a Burbank High parent who suggested that the bond campaign might be affected by the public outcry over Hentell’s demotion.

The school board has refused to discuss why Hentell was removed, but her supporters have speculated that the action was taken because of Hentell’s support of ethnic groups within Burbank High School over her three years as principal.

Simmons read a letter to the board from the Japanese American Citizens League, which condemned the decision to remove Hentell and described the embattled ex-principal as “the first Japanese-American principal to serve in the Burbank Unified School District . . . a distinguished individual in the Asian American Community.

“At best, the school board can be seen as having a lack of sensitivity to the ethnic community concerns and at worst can be accused of prejudice and racism,” read the letter, signed by Jimmy Tokeshi, the league’s Los Angeles regional director.

Another letter, signed by eight civil rights organizations, was read by Burbank Human Relations Council Vice President Lila Ramirez. That letter asked the board to either justify its actions or reinstate Hentell.

“It was never a racial issue,” School Board President Elena Hubbell said, adding that she is angry that the board is being described as a short-sighted, all-white body.

“I believe the members of the school board were elected to do a job and you did that job,” said Shirley Nelson, a former board member who stood up to defend the board. “I don’t believe you are racist.”