Albany High principal out amid school’s racial concerns

The principal of Albany High School, facing mounting pressure over racially charged incidents on campus, abruptly left the job this week and won’t return for the remainder of the school year, district officials said Thursday.

The reassignment of Jeff Anderson came amid questions over the process for punishing students who allegedly were involved in incidents of cyberbullying and racism as well as concerns about the safety of all students at the East Bay school.

Superintendent Valerie Williams informed parents and staff members Wednesday that Anderson would be replaced by Ron Rosenbaum, a former Albany High principal.

Though Anderson was reassigned to another position in the district, Williams declined to say whether Anderson left voluntarily or was removed from the job.

District officials said Anderson wasn’t available to comment Thursday. Efforts to reach school board President Paul Black were unsuccessful, and Vice President Ross StapletonGray declined to answer questions.

The change in leadership follows weeks of turmoil at the school, after district officials learned in mid-March that several students had targeted their African American peers and a staff member, creating an Instagram account that included the victims’ photos as well as a photo of a black doll alongside images of a torch, noose and Ku Klux Klan member.

The social-media posts made fun of the race, weight and skin color of female students, according to students. Police launched an investigation into the postings.

After news spread of the racist Instagram account, more than 300 people rallied at the school March 26 in a show of solidarity with the victims.

Of the 1,200 students at Albany High, less than 5 percent are black. Four days later, several hundred students staged a sit-in to protest the return of the students suspended in connection with the incident.

Administrators learned earlier in March that seven ninth-graders had been performing the Nazi salute to each other in the halls for several months, district officials said. They notified parents of this second issue March 28.

District officials declined to discuss the punishment any of the students might face, citing privacy laws. The school board considered having an independent panel conduct any expulsion proceedings, but abandoned the idea after victims expressed opposition to the idea.

This week, Superintendent Williams urged the school community to “stick together.”

“Recent conflicts, both local and global, remind us that our students deserve a safe and healthy school climate,” she said in a districtwide announcement.

“We want to encourage them to be upstanders, not bystanders, to be empathetic instead if apathetic, and to be responsible global citizens who know how to make the world a better place.”

To further address the racially charged incidents, the school board plans to hold a special meeting Tuesday at Albany High.