LEIMERT PARK : Parent Groups Push to Remove Principal

A Crenshaw High School magnet booster club and two parent groups have joined forces in an attempt to replace Principal Yvonne Noble.

Jason Azikiwe, president of the booster group of 15 parents, students and teachers, said at a press conference Wednesday at the Vision Center in Leimert Park that the coalition plans to pursue her removal with school district authorities. He said Noble has obstructed his group’s fund-raising drive.

“Yvonne Noble is trying to make Crenshaw a state-run school, with no input from anyone,” said Azikiwe, whose niece and nephew attend Crenshaw. “This is not Guatemala, Haiti or the Soviet Union. This is a school system, where schools should be run by the community.”

Noble said Azikiwe’s charges are part of a personal vendetta that developed when she refused to allow his group to officially use the name of Crenshaw High for their fund-raising efforts.

“Mr. Azikiwe didn’t want any school officials controlling the money he raised, and that’s fine, but that means he can’t legally use Crenshaw’s name,” she said.

Two other parent groups, the Committee for Positive Leadership in Education and Parents for Power, which say they represent about three dozen parents, also called for Noble’s removal on the grounds that she has inadequately addressed parent concerns about student performance and the school’s tardy policy. Noble denies those accusations, saying the school’s tough tardy policy conforms with school district standards.

Problems arose between Noble and Azikiwe’s group in late 1992 when several parents began complaining that Noble was rude and disrespectful toward them. Eventually, they said, Noble withdrew her support of the group and refused to allow it to operate under the auspices of Crenshaw High.

Azikiwe said he learned last month that Noble was returning mail addressed to the group that arrived at the school. He said at least one potential donor, West Angeles Church of God in Christ, suspended its aid when the correspondence came back saying that no such group existed at Crenshaw’s address.

Noble dismissed the charges that she is obstructing the group’s progress as “ridiculous.”

“That takes too much time” she said. “I need all the time I can get to help these kids.”

She added that neither Azikiwe nor any other member of his group has attempted to sit down and talk with her about the matter.