Principal Considers Defamation Suit

A school principal being pressured to resign by a group of Latino community leaders who contend he is insensitive to Latino students has hired a law firm to investigate a possible defamation lawsuit.

At least one community leader who supports the removal of Channel Islands High School Principal Jim Nielsen received a three-page letter from a Ventura law firm looking into allegations of slander and libel. Nielsen has also been accused of unfairly firing a top Latino administrator.

In a letter to business owner Nina Duarte, attorney Gary P. Jacobs said: “Mr. Jim Nielsen believes you have engaged in a pattern of behavior designed to destroy his career . . . “

Duarte was one of 500 people who signed a petition, which was presented to the Oxnard Union High School District Board of Trustees, asking for Nielsen’s dismissal or punishment. She also gave interviews to local media expressing her dissatisfaction with Nielsen’s performance.

The letter to Duarte also contends she gave the board a document which questioned Nielsen’s competency and accused him of violating due process and free speech rights.

“We believe that we will find strong evidence that malice is motivating your activity,” the letter said.

On Tuesday, Duarte called the threat of a lawsuit “pure intimidation” and said she will not back down from calling for Nielsen’s resignation. Duarte, who said she felt she was being singled out, also said she has done nothing wrong.

“I talked with the press about my personal experience with Mr. Nielsen,” Duarte said, adding that both Nielsen and a secretary had hung up on her when she called to make a complaint.

“He is a dictator; he is not an educator,” Duarte said.

Others involved in the movement to oust Nielsen had received a similar lawsuit letter, Duarte said.

District Supt. Bill Studt, Jacobs and trustee Art Hernandez did not return messages left at their offices Tuesday.