High school students stage walkout over controversy

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Students walked out of a Kansas City high school in protest of the superintendent's decision to replace their popular principal.

Kansas City schools superintendent Bernard Taylor Jr. said quick action was needed because the state deemed Southeast High School academically deficient last fall and gave it three years to turn around.

Decision protested

But students -- some waving signs -- on Thursday said it was wrong to remove Principal Theodis Watson mid-year and assign him to Fairview Alternative School as an assistant principal.

And at least one school board member said the way Watson's removal was handled should affect the board's decision on Taylor's contract extension. The state board of education is monitoring superintendent-board relations closely as it prepared to make a decision on whether to grant the district provisional accreditation.

Meanwhile, the Fairview principal picked as Watson's replacement said he might retire rather than go to Southeast. Curtis Rogers, 59, took a sick day Thursday and said he planned to inform the district Friday by certified mail that he is taking a 30-day sick leave.

Although Taylor said he expected Rogers ultimately would accept the transfer, he has asked an assistant principal at the school to be in charge temporarily. Several students said they would keep walking out to reduce the district's share of state money for average daily attendance until Taylor reinstates Watson.

Taylor, who is dissatisfied with Southeast's academic progress under Watson, said he won't change his decision. He told Watson and the rest of his administrative team in late January that they could be fired at the end of the school year.

Taylor and school board member Lee Barnes Jr. went to the school late Thursday.

Asked about the students walking out, Taylor said: "They need to do what they need to do."

Southeast sophomore Cierra Roland said only about four of 15 students remained in her Spanish class when she walked out Thursday.

"Everybody left after first hour," she said. "There isn't anybody in there. Mr. Watson was the best principal we had."

Watson on Wednesday blamed his ouster on members of the local Black United Front, which promotes the teaching of African culture, geography and values in district schools. He said the group attempted to dictate hiring and spending decisions at the school.

Taylor and a member of the group denied the allegations.

But board member Patricia Kurtz questioned whether outside groups were influencing Taylor's decisions and criticized the handling of Watson's removal.

"I think this shows he gets at the most six months until we can find someone else," she said.

Board members Duane Kelly and Bob Stringfield said there wasn't enough time left in the school year to make significant improvements. Kelly said Taylor should reinstate Watson until school ends in June.

Board member Al Mauro expressed support for Taylor.

"It's never an easy thing when you want to make management changes," Mauro said. "But it's within the superintendent's discretion."

A state education review team found such problems as high staff turnover during a visit in January. But the group recommended that Watson be named permanent principal for stability. His replacement will be the sixth principal since 1999.