Oxnard Trustees Exonerate Principal

Supporters of an embattled high school principal say a resolution by school district officials should end the ugly episode at Channel Islands High School.

Critics said Principal Jim Nielsen tried to force out Assistant Principal Chris Gonzalez and unfairly punished Latino students for walking out over a ballot measure to end bilingual education. Gonzalez filed a workplace discrimination charge with the district.

The Oxnard Union High School District Board of Trustees exonerated Nielsen on Wednesday, issuing a statement that “there is absolutely no credible support for any of the allegations” against the administrator.

The board cited interviews with 27 staff members and one parent as proof that Nielsen was unfairly accused.

Francisco Dominguez, executive director of the Latino-advocacy group El Concilio and a critic of Nielsen’s actions, said he had mixed feelings about the investigation.

“It’s good that they did investigate the concerns,” he said. “But my concern is the method they used to investigate it. Why weren’t there more parents interviewed?”

Dominguez also said the district should set up a panel to address such concerns in the future.

Supt. Bill Studt defended the investigation, saying it was “broadly dispersed.” He also said the district already has ways to address such concerns, including parent-teacher conferences and complaints to the board of trustees.