Efforts to Remove Principal Stepped Up

Latino parents and community leaders stepped up their efforts Tuesday to oust the principal at Oxnard’s Channel Islands High School, saying they have begun circulating petitions demanding his removal because they say he has been insensitive to Latino students and unfairly tried to fire a top Latino administrator.

Gathered outside Oxnard City Hall, activists again demanded the removal of Principal Jim Nielsen, accusing him of violations of civil rights and the state’s education code.

Parents and community leaders say they plan to present the petitions to trustees and file a formal complaint with state education officials.

“He is treating us Latin people like we’re nothing in this world,” said Jesus Linares, whose 14-year-old son, Alex, was forced to leave Channel Islands High last school year for his role in a campus protest.

“He’s treating us as invisible people,” Linares said. “We now feel the pressure of this man toward our children and we are planning to fight with all our might to see this man out.”

Earlier this month, a coalition of Latino groups handed a four-page letter to Oxnard Union High School District officials accusing Nielsen of trying to force out Assistant Principal Chris Gonzalez and threatening retaliation if he discussed the matter.

Critics also accused Nielsen of violating free speech of students during a school rally and unfairly punishing students who walked off campus to protest passage of an anti-bilingual education measure.

Nielsen, who could not be reached Tuesday for comment, has said there is no truth to the accusations. School district officials said they are continuing to investigate the allegations, but say there have been no changes to the high school’s administration.

Many of Nielsen’s friends and colleagues have risen to his defense, saying they have always found him to be hard-working, fair and professional with students and staff members.

“I highly respect him,” said Rio Mesa High School counselor Betty Bright, who worked with Nielsen during the five years he was assistant principal at that school. “I consider him to be very professional and certainly not in any way racially prejudiced.”